NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Metro's Parks and Recreation Board heard several concerns involving topics ranging from a new name for Cumberland Park to required park permits for outreach groups.
In August, Colby's Army, an outreach program, went to Richland Park to serve Nashville's unhoused — as it has for the past 12 years. The program has served the community there every Tuesday from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. The program provides packaged food, water, canned goods, clothing and toiletries. Colby's Army also assists in providing people with mental health and social services.
However, instead of being able to help the unhoused community, they were told they needed a permit. They risked paying a $5,000 fine if they proceeded without a permit. On Tuesday, that permit requirement was up for debate.
Reverent Ingrid McIntyre spoke against the permit regulations and brought attention to the need for Christian ministry towards Nashville's unhoused, citing Matthew 25:35.
"This demonstrates that feeding the hungry where they are is not just an act of charity but a direct service to God," McIntyre said.
Colby's Army presented a similar argument. The Executive Director of Colby's Army, Lisa Wysocky, spoke to the need for constant service and the unnecessary costs of getting a permit.
"Without us being able to go into a park to serve those people, they are never going to leave the park," Wysocky said. "They are never going to be out of there because there is no one providing those services for them."
Others, like Tim Tomes, argued for the permit. Tomes said that he lives near Richland Park, adding that residents could not enjoy the park due to safety concerns.
"I went by there three times yesterday, but there is not one person at Richland Park because the neighborhood doesn't want to go there anymore," Tomes said.
The board's final decision was to dismiss the permit requirements so that Colby's Army could continue serving the community in Richland Park on Tuesdays.
"One afternoon a week in Richland Park, that is great, but there are a lot of other parks that we serve, and there are a lot of parks that other organizations serve," Wysocky explained. "We need to have access to all of the homeless in all of the parks throughout the city. And not just us — all of the providers."
Also up for discussion was a new name for Cumberland Park.
The Indigenous Peoples Coalition Nashville, the Global Education Center, and the Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation submitted the argument to change Cumberland Park's name.
The new name for Cumberland Park would be Wasioto Park. No one spoke against the name change in the open discussion. Instead, several people argued for an act of respect and honor for Nashville's original roots and residents.
"Plus, a recognition of the contemporary and modern presence of Indigenous people in Nashville will bring a greater awareness to the mainstream population of Nashville," chairperson of the Indigenous Peoples Coalition, Albert Bender, said.
The naming committee unanimously approved the start of the re-naming process. The next step in the process involves gathering community input, which will be led by Metro Parks.
The board also decided to proceed with an $18 million project in the Opry Mills area.
As the plan stands, the new greenway would extend from the Cumberland River Greenway through Stones River Greenway to the Opry Mills Campus.
Cindy Harrison with Metro Parks Greenways, Trails and Open Space told News 2 that this is a "regionally significant" project.
"In addition to a linear park and conserving open space and getting people out in nature along the Cumberland River, it also provides an opportunity for off-street multi-modal transportation," Harrison said.
Metro's Parks and Recreation Board approved the grant submission request. The project will move to the Metro Council for approval before Metro Parks can apply for federal funding from the Transportation Alternatives Program.