Original Post: East Tennessee Community Design Center (ETCDC) was asked to assist The Bearden Council with developing a concept plan for Everly Brothers Park located at the corner of Kingston Pike and N. Forest Park Boulevard. After gathering site information and analyzing the data, ETCDC facilitated a site visit and programming meeting. Through this process, ETCDC received valuable design input from members of The Bearden Council and the City of Knoxville Parks and Recreation Department. The Design team made up of ETCDC staff and volunteer professional landscape architects, Rachel Rittler, ASLA, and Garry Menendez, ASLA, combined common elements and refined the ideas to develop a conceptual park plan. As with all concept plans, this is a living document and may be amended, but it creates a realistic vision as well as an effective tool to assist fundraising efforts to develop the park.

The concept plan includes the main gateway entrance and access into the park from N. Forest Park Boulevard, a stone path that culminates at an Everly Brothers sculpture, and a stone stage with a seating wall and embankment seating. Along the stone path is an area for musical play equipment, a water feature to help mask ambient street sounds, granite markers and ADA educational signage with information about the Everlys, and solar bollard lighting fixtures. We discussed considering additional technology at the signage posts such as developing an app that can guide you through the history of the Everlys. Man-made stone pavers can be added throughout the paths that can have engraved donor recognition. There will also be two (2) stone paths connecting to the existing greenway: one is a handicap-accessible ramp and the other is steps, handrails, and a pathway.

Non-invasive landscaping will be developed throughout the park. The existing Sycamore trees, evergreens, and Crape Myrtles are to remain. The large evergreen tree will be used as the Bearden Christmas tree with permeable pavers added at its base. Grasses and shrubbery will be used at Kingston Pike below the existing Crape Myrtles and landscaped areas will be developed behind the existing transit stop with trees to provide shade. The benches at the transit stop will be rotated 90 degrees to allow for a view of the buses and the park. Large trees, small flowering trees, shrubbery, and ground cover will be added at the sloped side of the park facing the greenway. This will create a low maintenance and a natural, but coordinated appearance from the greenway. Low shrubbery will create terraces and allow for a clear view of the stage and the sculpture.

The main focus of the park will be the Everly Sculpture. It can be interactive and must be well constructed. Options include bronze life-size images of the Everlys or other interpretations of their musical contributions. The functional metal elements in the park include: the proposed gateway, bicycle racks, benches, transit bus stop cover, water feature, and fencing will provide an opportunity for an artist to represent different aspects of the Everly Brothers and their music. These elements can be used to create a cohesive design language throughout the park.

Project Update: Using the ETCDC’s plan to raise funds and awareness, The Bearden Council was able to get a finalized design for the park and in June of 2019, the park officially opened.