Collier Preserve is located next to Powell Library on West Emory Road. Dr. Bob Collier donated the land to Legacy Parks, who came to the East Tennessee Community Design Center (ETCDC) requesting assistance to develop the Preserve. Trey Benefield ASLA, AICP, and Jessie Fears, Senior Staff Engineer with Geosyntec Consultants were the volunteer advisors.

Collier Preserve will be a passive, low-intensity recreation area that emphasizes the preservation of the natural habitat and will include low-impact development of the 11.5-acre site. It will emphasize the need to ensure the preservation and health of the Beaver Creek Watershed.  The concept plan has many initial amenities and several that can be developed in phases over time. 

The plan develops a small eight (8) car parking area connected to the library parking lot. This will eliminate adding another access point on West Emory Road.  In Phase I of the project the parking area will be a gravel lot that can be reconstructed with a permeable surface such as concrete pavers or permeable asphalt in Phase II.

The Preserve was the Collier Family’s historic homestead and the plan includes rebuilding the existing corn crib and adding signage to help explain the history of the site. It is regionally significant as the location of a ford crossing of Beaver Creek and was largely settled because freshwater springs provided easy access to clean water. Phase I of the project will include a council circle of benches, that could also be the site of a 40’ x 40’ pavilion in Phase II. There will be soft trails developed throughout that can provide linkage to adjacent trails located out of the flood plain and other lower trails that create access to Beaver Creek for viewing and allow kayakers to stop and enjoy the Preserve. 

The passive development at the Preserve and proposed tree, shrubbery, and flowering plant selections (see page 4 for a suggested plant list) will make this an ideal location for bird watching.  Bird watching, or birding, is a form of wildlife observation in which the observation of birds is a recreational activity. It can be done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes, by listening for bird sounds, or by watching public webcams.