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History &
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Metro
Parks Board Votes to Restore
Joelton-McDowell Park Name
Metro
Board of Parks and Recreation
voted at its June 5, 2007 meeting
to restore the Joelton Park name
to its original, Joelton-McDowell
Park.
Ken Jakes, chairman of the park
renaming committee for the
Northwest Davidson County
Citizens Committee, presented the
name change proposal to the
board. Councilwoman-at-Large
Carolyn Baldwin Tucker and Third
District Councilman Walter Hunt
also attended the meeting to
speak in favor of the change. The
only major discussion amongst
board members was the addition of
a hyphen to the proposed name,
which the board chose to include.
The name on the sign over the
park entrance will be changed by
the Park Department, but plans
for other signage are pending and
will likely be left up to the
community.
Jakes, a
candidate for the First District
Metro Council seat, explained that the
name change was requested as a
matter of respect to give proper
credit to Robert McDowell for
making the park a reality.
In 1972, McDowell, a Nashville
businessman and land developer,
donated ten acres on Old
Clarksville Pike to the Joelton
Men's Club for a community park.
He also contributed a month of
company time and energy, earth
movers and dump trucks, to clear
the land and develop the park
grounds. It was named Joelton
McDowell Park in recognition of
his gift to the community.
"Without the efforts and
generous contributions of Robert
McDowell, there would not have
been a park in Joelton,"
Jakes noted.
Joelton Men's Club operated and
maintained Joelton McDowell Park
until 1985 at which time, due to
increasing upkeep and liability
considerations, they donated it
to the Metro Board of Parks.
"It is unclear exactly when
or why the name was
changed," Jakes said.
"We in Joelton are very
proud of our history and the
contributions that Robert
McDowell has made to our
community should not be
forgotten. Over the past 35 years
thousands of people have enjoyed
this park and we need to
recognize and pay tribute to the
person who made it
possible," he added.
"It's a matter of
respect."
---
Related:
Ken Jakes Announces
Candidacy
for District 1 Metro Council
Representative
--June 10, 2007
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