Why this Knoxville quarry is closed for swimming this summer...again
Summer bummer.
Renovations to Augusta Quarry at Fort Dickerson Park were supposed to finish by this summer, but the popular South Knoxville swimming spot will be closed for the second summer in a row.
The quarry will close March 4 for nine months for the second phase of renovations, the city announced Feb. 29. The $3.6 million project will add the quarry's first restrooms, a new overlook, a renovated pedestrian pathway, and new floating beach and swim platforms. It is expected to reopen at the end of this year.
Plans for the renovations have not changed, except for the timeline, said Kristin Farley, communications director for the city of Knoxville, in a statement to Knox News.
"We had initially expected to start construction earlier but as final details for the project were solidified, including material lead times, a later date was needed for the construction schedule to allow the most efficient timeline," Farley said. "Simply put: we wanted to minimize the length of closures."
The city finished a new $1.77 million entrance in 2019 and the second phase of renovations began in 2023. The total investment in Augusta Quarry upgrade is nearly $5.4 million, and the city is working with the Aslan Foundation as its main funding partner.
“For many years, transformations have been underway to enhance the unique characteristics of this once abandoned industrial property, and the current phase of work will anchor Ft. Dickerson Park as a gem of the Urban Wilderness,” said Wes Soward, the City's Urban Wilderness Coordinator, in a release.
Other partners on the design team include Sanders Pace Architecture, Port Urbanism, JMT Engineering and the Haines Structural Group.
While Augusta Quarry and the new entrance will be closed, Soward said the Chapman Highway entrance to Fort Dickerson Park and picnic areas will remain open. The park’s upper trails also will remain open.
The city also plans to improve the overlook on the east side of Fort Dickerson Park, a historic Civil War site.
Fans of Augusta Quarry — known for its depth and dangerous and off-limits cliff jumping — got a surprise chance to enjoy it for a month at the end of last summer when it reopened during a break in construction.
Mead's Quarry is open and getting its own upgrades
The other favorite Knoxville quarry, Mead's Quarry at Ijams Nature Center, will be open for summer swimming.
It's getting upgrades of its own, like new multipurpose buildings for boat rentals and concessions and an outdoor classroom space. Like at Augusta Quarry, Mead's Quarry will get an accessible path to the water and improved parking.
Ijams Nature Center is only five miles away from Fort Dickerson Park and gets 620,000 annual visitors. It will pay for upgrades, which also include a canopy walkway and events pavilion, with a $5 parking fee that went into effect Feb. 19.
Daniel Dassow is a growth and development reporter focused on technology and energy. Phone 423-637-0878. Email daniel.dassow@knoxnews.com.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Augusta Quarry at Fort Dickerson in South Knoxville closed summer 2024
