VOL. 8 NO. 23
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‘ROUND TOWN
June 11, 2014
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Gardens that give
➤ What’s Farragut’s
franchise? We know our history, but what’s our future? What’s our brand, our claim to fame, our franchise? Is it our history? All good questions with as many answers as you have people to ask. The town of Farragut intends to put the answers to those questions to work in branding this community for tourism and businesses looking to locate here. The input of the folks who live and work here is needed. Farragut has partnered with North Star Destination Strategies to develop a community “brand” for marketing the area to visitors, residents and businesses in the year 2014 and beyond. According to North Star CEO Don McEachern, at the heart of Farragut’s brand will be its competitive differentiator: what makes the community special so it can stand out in the marketplace. And one of the best places to find that figurative nugget of marketing gold is in the hearts and minds of the people who call Farragut home. North Star has developed a customized CommunityWide Online Survey. The questionnaire will help determine Farragut’s strengths, weaknesses, challenges and opportunities. All who live and work in Farragut are invited and encouraged to participate. Survey must be completed by June 27: www.surveymonkey. com/s/FarragutCS
➤ Upcoming at
Town Hall ■ Stormwater Advisory Committee – 3:30 p.m. Thursday, June 12 ■ Board of Mayor and Aldermen – 7 p.m. Thursday, June 12 ■ Personnel Committee – 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 17 ■ Farragut Municipal Planning Commission – 7 p.m. Thursday, June 19 ■ Farragut Folklife Museum Meeting – 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 24 ■ Fourth of July Parade: Friday, July 4, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Kingston Pike west from Farragut High School entrance to Boring Road, just east of Farragut Towne Square (old Ingles store site).
10512 Lexington Dr., Ste. 500 37932 (865) 218-WEST (9378) NEWS news@ShopperNewsNow.com Sherri Gardner Howell ADVERTISING SALES ads@ShopperNewsNow.com Shannon Carey Jim Brannon | Tony Cranmore Brandi Davis | Patty Fecco
This small space packs a big wallop as the YMCA’s community garden on Northshore Drive at Jefferson Park provides fresh produce to area food pantries and Manna House. Photos by Sherri Gardner Howell
Davis Family Y creates national model for community gardens By Sherri Gardner Howell Pam Williams and her team at the Davis Family Y on Northshore Drive have taken an initial investment of just over $1,000, plus staff time, and grown it into a model for community gardens across the nation. Williams, executive director for the Y at Jefferson Park, and master gardener Ellen Morar were praised for their vision and hard work last week at a garden party. The party also came with a big check. The Walmart Foundation awarded the community garden efforts with a $38,000 grant. The funds will be used to expand the current garden and start others at Ys in the community. The model community giving garden has many layers, with education, community service and health improvement all woven into the concept. “The garden gives away everything grown to FISH Food Pantry, Manna House and other organizations that feed the hungry
in Knoxville,” says Jim Dickson, president and CEO of the Y. “They teach others the value of fresh food and how to grow their own.” Morar says this is the second full year of yield from the garden. “We grow a little bit of everything and try to keep a balance,” she says, pointing out tomato, lettuce, peppers, basil, cucumber, beans, peas, onions, beets, broccoli and strawberry plants. The chicken coop provides fresh eggs, about six to eight each day. In addition, the garden, which was already using some hydroponics with the vegetables, is now experimenting with aquaponics and includes a basin filled with tiny tilapia. “The fish fertilize the hydroponic plants where the organic fruits and vegetables are grown,” says John Bublitz, who assists the Y with the hydro- and aquaponics. “We will have to figure out how to actually donate the fish as they grow because nothing can be killed here. They would have to go
to a facility that is licensed to accept live or iced fish – like maybe Love Kitchen.” Williams says the community garden is a perfect fit for the Y because it touches so many of the organization’s programs and philosophies. “This is an example of moving from intervention to prevention in regard to good health and community impact,” says Williams. “Each year, thousands of our children and those in childcare programs at other agencies are taught how to grow, harvest and prepare healthy fruits and vegetables. They begin to understand the difference and see where fresh food comes from. We are also able to help feed people who are hun- Christian Westin looks over the gry, and we are very serious about flowers in the community garden. getting our produce to where it is The flowers are used to deter bugs. needed.” So serious, in fact, that the purchased the strawberries. We strawberries for the dessert served had just donated our latest crop to at the garden party had to be pur- Manna House.” chased. “The kale is out of the garden here,” says Williams, “but we Additional picture on page A-3
Architectural design team visits Farragut By Sara Barrett The town of Farragut is creating a comprehensive set of architectural design guidelines to enhance community image and help implement the objectives of the 2012 Comprehensive Land Use Plan update (www.townoffarragut.org/landuse). This project – led by urban design firm Winter & Company – launched June 5 with a public meeting at the town hall. Abe Barge with Winter & Company led the discussion, assisted by computer-modeling expert Chase Mullen. Before the public Abe Barge meeting, the men briefed members of the Board of Mayor and texts throughout Farragut. Town Administrator David Aldermen and other town boards. The intent of the architectural Smoak; Mark Shipley, commudesign guidelines is to promote nity development director; and consistent, high-quality design in his new assistant, Ashley Miller, Farragut’s commercial, mixed-use listened intently. With a couple of and multifamily districts that will keystrokes, Mullen could recast enhance appearance and protect multistory buildings with various the economic base of the commu- architectural elements and colors nity. The guidelines will be profes- for remarkably different looks. Most participants at the earsionally illustrated and include special guidance for unique con- lier briefing reacted favorably to
Chase Mullen a classical look, one that would “stand the test of time.” It is important to see the name of a business from the road, said Louise Povlin, owner of Anytime Fitness. Others suggested complementary elements to make shopping areas more inviting: trees, lighting, planters, canopies and/or awnings, and benches for the aging population. Barge said someone stressed
the importance of keeping costs down to aid small businesses. Attendees praised the Pinnacle at Turkey Creek for its lively music and fountains; criticism was leveled at Village Green Center for its vast parking lot and minimal landscaping. Others talked about remodeling existing structures such as the old Ingles building, the former Kroger store and the gas station at the corner of Campbell Station and Kingston Pike. “The goal here is to look at a design and say whether it is appropriate for Farragut, and then step back and figure out how to get there,” said Barge. “What guidelines are important in creating the character of the Farragut community?” asked Mullen. Barge said after last week’s workshop, the men would “go back, draw up plans and draft design standards.” He expects to return in late summer with an initial draft for further discussion. Sandra Clark contributed to this report.
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