Photo By Leon Roberts | The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District is evaluating a proposed action to...... read more read more
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (March 23, 2021) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District is taking initial steps to assess if there is private sector interest in leasing the Cook Recreation Area on the shoreline of J. Percy Priest Lake in Hermitage, Tennessee, to provide the public with improved outdoor recreation opportunities.
"Currently, we are determining potential interest in a public-private partnership through a long-term lease initiative,” said Trey Church, J. Percy Priest Lake Natural Resources Program manager. “The open public process this spring and summer will present neighbors numerous ways to provide comments.”
Cook Recreation Area encompasses 220 acres and includes a day-use area, which is divided into fee and non-fee areas. The Corps of Engineers began collecting day-use fees in 1994. Currently, the fee area includes a hiking trail, picnic area with shelters, playground complex and swimming beach.
As part of a lease agreement, improvements could include additional picnic sites and picnic shelters, and expansion of boat ramp areas and associated parking lots, and expanded trail system.
The Corps closed a 57-site campground and its comfort station, washhouse, and wastewater treatment plant in 2004 under the Recreation Excellence at Army Lakes (REAL) Program due to low use and need for costly upgrades to infrastructure. If a lease is awarded the campground could be renovated and reopened. The initiative does not open the door to an additional marina or water park.
Church stressed that a lease does not convey, transfer or sell federal lands. Instead, lease agreements provide entities permission to operate and maintain recreation facilities under the Corps’ regulatory authorities.
“Recently, Nashville has seen a resurgence in outdoor recreation, and our recreation areas are no different. A successful partnership would offer the public an enhanced outdoor recreation experience that fully utilizes the existing area while maintaining high-quality recreational opportunities consistent with the USACE mission,” Church said.
The J. Percy Priest Lake Master Plan is available at https://www.lrn.usace.army.mil/Locations/Lakes/J-Percy-Priest-Lake/Shoreline-Management/.
(The public can obtain news, updates and information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District on the district’s website at www.lrn.usace.army.mil, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nashvillecorps. The public can also follow J. Percy Priest Lake on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/jpercypriestlake.)
| Date Taken: | 03.23.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 03.23.2021 14:52 |
| Story ID: | 392093 |
| Location: | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, US |
| Web Views: | 214 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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