The Cove at Concord park remains closed as new estimates reveal the extent of the damages brought by Saturday’s storm.

Meeting with members of the Knox County Parks and Recreation Department Tuesday evening, contractors estimated the costs to repair the park could be between $150,000 to $200,000, according to a press release from Knox County park spokesperson Mike Donila. That number is up from the preliminary $100,000 estimate released earlier this week.

Repair costs will go towards clearing the many trees and power lines that now litter the cove in the wake of the storm. Some park equipment, including benches and picnic tables, will likely have to be replaced.   

The Knoxville Parks Department tentatively hopes to reopen the Cove by the weekend of June 17. In the meantime, the non-profit Legacy Parks Foundation has set up a fund for those wanting to contribute to the park’s repairs. Park officials ask that visitors and potential volunteers refrain from entering the park at this time due to unsafe conditions. “Right now it’s too dangerous to have people out there but we think in the coming weeks there might be something folks can do to pitch in,” said Donila in Monday’s statement.  

A free fishing day and concert at the cove scheduled for Saturday, June 10 has been cancelled. A separate concert at New Harvest Park the same day will go on as planned. For more updates on The Cove at Concord Park, visit the Knox County Parks and Recreation Facebook page to find out more.  

Tanner Hancock

Tanner Hancock is native Nashvillian and 2016 graduate of the University of Tennessee, a little-known school located in Knoxville, Tenn. He spent several years working at the university's student newspaper The Daily Beacon in differing capacities. When not pushing deadline, Tanner enjoys watching obscure samurai flicks or playing Go.