Work is finally underway on over $1 million in grant-funded improvements at Kinser Park.
Long-awaited construction on a new playground, fitness stations for adults, and a disc golf course has begun.
The Greene County Government began began pursuing a $1 million Community Development Block Grant through the state of Tennessee in late 2023, and was awarded the grant in November 2024.
The park required repairs after Hurricane Helene caused significant flooding in a portion of the campground which delayed the start of the project, but crews are now at work in the park. Preliminary work began in July, and crews recently began pouring concrete for portions of a new ADA accessible walkway.
Greene County Mayor Kevin Morrison said that the upgrades at the park at the most significant investment that the park has seen since it started welcoming visitors in the 1970s.
Construction on the recreation projects, which includes ADA accessible pathways and playground equipment, is expected to take about eight weeks with the playground equipment itself expected to arrive in October for installation. Morrison said the equipment has already been ordered.
Kevin Morrison
The new disc golf course will take the place of the former golf course at Kinser Park. The disc golf course will consist of 36 holes, and was designed through a partnership with Milligan University and head disc golf coach Tim Barr. The “championship level” course will accommodate tournaments at the park’s new course.
Kevin Morrison
A third project is soon to get underway at the park as well, as county officials recently received bids for the reconstruction of a bathhouse that was destroyed in the Kinser Park campground during Hurricane Helene.
The bathhouse will be rebuilt using funds from insurance claims and through a commitment of over $60,000 in federal funds.
Kevin Morrison
Morrison said he was glad to see the bathhouse project finally moving forward, and that it would be rebuilt by April 2027 due to stipulations stemming from the federal funding involved.
Morrison noted that although the grant process for the upgrades at the park has moved slowly, he felt that the time and effort has been worthwhile to see $1 million in state grant funds invested in the park, saving local funding.
Kinser Park is located in southern Greene County at 650 Kinser Park Lane.
