Knox County community rallies to preserve local ballpark

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A local ballpark off of Chapman Highway could be turned into a residential area and people in the community are speaking out in opposition.

In 2021, Thunder Mountain Properties bought the land Bower Field is on. In November they proposed to the Knoxville- Knox County Planning Commission to rezone the area from Agricultural to General Business.

With this proposal, the community surrounding the park are afraid this will tear down the ballpark. They gathered outside the park on Saturday in protest.

“We’re doing this because we want the county commission to listen to the people that live here,” said Bradley Russell, who has grown up going to the park.

“We learned how to play the sport, learned how to work as a team at these ballfields and we’re concerned with it being rezoned commercial, that the ball field is going to leave,” he said.

Now he and his neighbors are trying to save it. While Russell has created a petition against rezoning the area, Dawn Close organized the protest.

“All we have is this,” said Close. “For the families to participate with their children, this is so important. We can’t just develop their futures away.”

Together they are hoping to keep the area rural.

“We understand there is going to be growth, we understand there are going to be people who want to move here, but we want to keep the area consistent with the density that’s already here,” said Russell. “Three, four, five houses per acre – that’s just not fair, that’s not right that’s not the way it is now, and we want it to stay that way. Two houses per acre is plenty for this area and what we can support.”

According to resident Sue Perkins, the field has been around for generations. She recalls when the original Ben Bower donated the park.

“He was tickled to death to see the children play and everything,” she said. “And I’m pretty sure if here were here, he wouldn’t be happy with it.”

She joined the protest to protect it so future generations can use it the same way she and her family have.

“If somebody doesn’t stand up nobody is going to know how you do feel and there are things that if you don’t take a stand for, you’re going to be walked on,” she said.

The rezoning proposal is set to be heard by the Knoxville-Knox County Planning Commission July 11.

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