Shopper Blog: A walk at Lakeshore Park: Old buildings give way to new recreation
BEARDEN
A walk at Lakeshore Park: Old buildings give way to new recreation
John Shearer, Shopper News
The past 10 years at Lakeshore Park have been a study in change, but also contrast.
Especially today, as work is being completed on some of the new developments scheduled to open soon in the park’s latest redevelopment phase, the contrast between new and old is obvious.
The new pickleball courts and ballfields on the southwestern end have gone up just under the shadow of the old administration building, which dates to the late 19th century, when this was a state-run mental health complex.
And during a visit on Feb. 20 on one of those sunny and mild late winter days that can be considered a surplus gift to park goers ahead of spring, the tranquility of the older green spaces also contrasted with the sounds of nearby construction crews.
It's been about a decade since many of the older, mostly midcentury buildings from the hospital were starting to be taken down. A walk over the park’s grounds recalls the changes.
As one comes into the park from the Lyons View Pike entrance – which now has a traffic light – one now must look for crossing pedestrians a hundred yards up the park road. That is due to the new and lighted walking path that starts up at that front parking area. A few years ago, one had to walk on the sidewalk by the road from the parking area and begin on the paved path right below the old boiler house.
That powerhouse building with its tall smokestack was originally discussed by city officials for possible saving, but it ended up coming down. And so were quite a few others.
Another razed one was the unique cafeteria building by the Lyons View Pike parking area, with the expansive covered breezeway that allowed for outdoor eating or even gatherings. There were also some large buildings within a few yards of the administration building. They included the dominating Baker and Chota buildings that looked large enough to serve as University of Tennessee dorms.
The whole complex could have been turned into a small college or private prep school campus, if the buildings were still in good enough shape to be renovated. But some had sat abandoned for a few years, adding to the appealingly haunting look.
On the Northshore Drive side of the administration building, just up the hill in a northerly direction from the old midcentury physical plant structure, were a couple of other buildings long gone. They included the laundry building.
A long building sat near where the large Main Lawn is, just on the west side of the former chapel, now called Marble Hall and given an open-air look. Another large and long building called the Waterside Building sat where the new ballfields are being constructed.
Also surrounding the west and north sides of the old chapel were a scattering of midcentury ranch group homes that were part of a youth community living concept developed by the mental health facility. To someone unfamiliar with Lakeshore, they looked simply like an average subdivision from the 1960s.
And the new, sloped elliptical hill built from excess dirt sits where a couple of old baseball fields were down in the southwestern corner of the park. With the smaller Marble Pavilion on the other side of the old chapel, one now has an open view from below the administration building straight down the hill toward the walking circle.
This downward view somewhat resembles a golf hole facing a green 200-300 yards away. The view cuts through the HGTV Overlook, a grand promenade of polished stone that was likely hard to visualize a few years ago when rundown buildings stood nearby.
And the wooded area up near the parking area closest to Lyons View Pike was once simply barren woods, but now it is an under-construction, adventure-like playground trail with a long metal slide as a featured attraction.
The parkland is greatly changing and being enhanced for users, but its role as a place for emotional rejuvenation is one constant over decades.
POWELL
Oncology nurse juggles job with creativity, runs custom boutique
Al Lesar, Shopper News
Contemplating the prospect of nearly three months of inactivity while recuperating from a fourth knee surgery challenged Graycie Murphy.
She had always been a type-A overachiever.
At Anderson County High School, the Heiskell native earned her college associate degree along with her high school diploma in 2020 − all that while being involved in Future Farmers of America, Healthcare Student Association and National Honor Society.
She earned her bachelor of science degree in nursing from Lincoln Memorial University and got a job at the University of Tennessee Cancer Institute.
All that while being a doodle-loving dog person who now has two fur babies.
It was during nursing school that she launched a business making custom T-shirts and custom signs.
When she was faced with an extended period of down time while off work to have the complications from ACL surgery fixed, Murphy turned to her side business with the goal of taking it up a notch.
“I got my business license and I grew it into a small boutique,” Murphy said. “I did a lot of custom orders for different products.”
Using her creative side
Besides those T-shirts and signs, Murphy’s business evolved into products like custom laundry detergent (made to fit the customer’s fragrance preference); custom car air fresheners; women’s clothing, jewelry and permanent jewelry.
“My laundry detergent is more sudsy and better cleaning than the ones you get at the store,” she said. “And it smells just how you want it to smell.”
Many of the items have a Christianity base, whether it’s inscriptions on items or prayer requests on her website.
“This gave me an opportunity for me to use my creative side,” Murphy said. “I was able to take my time and give everything I made the personal touch.
“The dream I had for my business sprouted more than I could have ever imagined. I never expected to grow like this.”
In the process, the name for her business came easily: Strawberry Grace. It was a way to honor her best friend who died in an accident when they were in eighth grade.
“She was Peaches and I was Strawberry, because of my red hair,” Murphy said. “I think of her daily. Every year on her birthday I release a wish lantern. I just got my first tattoo for her.”
Boutique keeps growing
Murphy returned to work at the start of January, but her boutique continues to thrive. With the help of her mother, Michelle, who is a hairstylist in Norris, Strawberry Grace continues to be popular.
She said she leaves her nursing job at 4:30 p.m., then delves into the orders, packaging and customer service calls that go along with the boutique.
“Sometimes I don’t finish until midnight, but I love being busy,” Murphy said. “I’m doing what I love to do.”
Murphy said she will occasionally set up at her mother’s salon in Norris and sell her permanent jewelry. She can even do the welding.
She said she purchased an outbuilding in Heiskell, where she may relocate the business. She has plans for some “live” sales.
For more information, go to the Strawberry Grace social media sites or call 865-567-7618.
So long, South Florida, land of iguanas, $250,000 trailers and failed assassins | Strange
HALLS
Strength and weight training for kids? At Kim Day Training, they're buying in
Al Lesar, Shopper News
It didn’t take long for Kim Day’s preconceived notion of how kids would act in a gym to be completely changed.
Reality was much more pleasant.
The owner of the Kim Day Training Gym started a kids (9-17 years old) conditioning class in January. It runs every Thursday night starting at 7:30.
She didn’t exactly know what to expect.
“I expected the kids to be very hesitant about jumping in,” Day said. “I thought there’d be complaining and moaning.
“Really, they were all about it from the start. These kids were here to work. They were focused and they were having fun in what they were doing.”
Day, who has been in business for just over a year, has had one-day sessions for younger kids (6-12) to gauge what the interest might be. When she locked into this older age group for a regular weekly conditioning class, she has found it to be a hit with the 17 or so who show up each week.
Strength, stamina, good core
Day and another trainer keep a close eye on the kids as they go through the variety of drills, exercises and lifts that lead up to the ultimate goal: Improving strength, stamina and a good core.
“We have kids who want to participate in every sport you can think of,” Day said. “Baseball, football, basketball, golf, soccer, cheerleading… We’ve got it all.
“What all those sports have in common is the need for strength, stamina and a good core. When we’re getting toward the end of the workout, when the kids are getting tired, we remind them why they’re here; we remind them why this is important to their sport.”
Day, who owns a Kids and Teams Trainer Certification, said it’s a myth that weight training is not good for youngsters.
“That’s an old stigma,” she said. “Really, the opposite is true. Weight training, and strength training in general, is good for bone health. A lot of kids don’t get the movement they need in their lives. They are capable of so much more. What we give them is a healthy outlet.”
Finding the perfect spot
Life had a strange way of bringing Day from the Akron/Canton area of Ohio to East Tennessee.
She majored in broadcast journalism at Ohio University and got her first job as a news reporter at a Knoxville television station in 2005.
Three years later the entire staff was laid off. Day found a way to survive by teaching group exercise classes. She continued to grow that part of her resume. During the pandemic, she branched out on her own with classes on Zoom, in parks or other outside common areas.
That fueled her desire to find a brick and mortar gym. It took more than a year, but she finally located the perfect spot (5429 N. Broadway) in the heart of Fountain City.
Since opening Jan. 7, 2023, her mission has been to “create a safe, fun environment to work out; one that allows you to feel empowered and comfortable.”
The business has taken off. One recent addition has been a series of classes every Sunday at 2 p.m. for four weeks (starting Feb. 11) for kids 6-12. Attend all or one of them. The focus is fun − and fitness.
For more information, got to www.kimdaytraining.com.
NORTH KNOXVILLE
Clean up for spring, Knoxville! Events gear up in March, April
Jack Coker, Shopper News
What would you do with $23 million?
That is how much the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) spends each year to clean up some of the litter along our roadways. Compare that to the $31 million that the federal government promised Tennessee for investment in our rail infrastructure.
Litter is a huge problem in Tennessee, and one Knoxville group is fighting the good fight.
Keep Knoxville Beautiful will be hosting its sixth annual North Knoxville Community Cleanup event from 9 a.m. to noon this Saturday, March 2.
“It’s a chance for us to really go into these communities and activate a large number of volunteers to take ownership of these neighborhoods,” Amanda Seale, the director of programs, explained. “We make it really easy on people to come and participate.”
Thanks to their sponsors − TVA, Junk Galaxy, Nobody Trashes Tennessee, and the city and county − Keep Knoxville Beautiful will provide all of the tools and materials needed for clean and efficient litter pickup: litter pickers, gloves, safety vests, trash bags, and even free T-shirts!
“Its amazing to see how many people are involved and want to make a difference,” Seale said. “Last year we had 350 people show up to volunteer.”
Keep Knoxville Beautiful does three large community cleanups a year: North Knoxville in March, South Knoxville in April, and East Knoxville in September.Keep Knoxville Beautiful started in 1978 as the Greater Knoxville Beautification Board,with the express purpose of cleaning up the community before the 1982 World’s Fair. The organization gained momentum when it became an affiliate with the Keep America Beautiful movement in the late 1990s.
“Now our work is focused on environmental stewardship, and helping communities to create and maintain beautiful spaces,” Seale said.
To get involved in the upcoming North Knoxville Community Cleanup on March 2, email or call Seale at amanda@keepknoxvillebeautiful.org or 865-521-6957 to RSVP (don’t forget to include your shirt size).
The event base will be at Northgate Plaza, 4212 N. Broadway, and they will be removing litter from North Knoxville roads, creeks and parks.
Participants of any age are welcome.
FARRAGUT
Champion school dance teams make Farragut proud
Nancy Anderson, Shopper News
The Farragut Middle School dance team danced away with the state and national pom championship and were second nationally in the jazz championship.
Not to be outdone by the Farragut High School team – who are also state champions.
It takes a village to bring up a nationally ranked dance team. The school has found a winner in coach Macy Brink. She coaches both the middle school and high school dance teams with the help of assistant coaches and sponsors.
The middle school assistant coach is Laura Warrington while the high school assistant coach is Victoria Ogier. There are also a number of choreographers from across the country from Tennessee to New York who work with the 13-member middle school team and the 14-member high school team.
Sponsors include the high school’s Amy McWhirter and middle school’s Elizabeth Wilson.
The girls are busy, to say the least. In addition to the school dance teams, most of the girls belong to competitive dance teams – all in all requiring five to seven days of practice for at least five hours. It’s a sport of sacrifices.
The middle school team can be seen at all the basketball games, while the high school team performs at basketball and football games. Each team knows pom, jazz and gameday routines to get the fans excited.
Brink has taken the two teams and made them one family. They attend competitions together, cheering for each other.
The older girls have a sister relationship with the younger girls, writing them notes of encouragement and bringing them little gifts like candy.
Brink kicks off the year with a barbecue for dancers and family where they play field games and bond over good food. Then it’s back to work.
“The high school dancers are incredible role models for the middle school and the middle school dancers just love the high school dancers,” said Brink.
“What I love most about it all is seeing all the little success the dancers achieve during practice and at competitions,” she said.
It’s not all about dance for Brink and her staff. She coaches the kids to be good people, too – to do what you say you’ll do or own up to it. They have lessons in time management, and even go out into the community to volunteer at different events.
Brink has a distinctive dancing career. She taught at Revolution Dance Studio for seven or eight years. She was also a member of the dance team for four years while attending the University of Tennessee.
Her No. 1 goal is not necessarily winning championships; she says they will come if they do everything else right.
Info: www.knoxschools.org/farraguths
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Shopper News brings you the latest happenings in your community
