Kirkpatrick Park began as a planning phase in the 1950s, for he East Nashville Urban Renewal…read moreProject. This park opened in 1963, and was named after the adjacent school. The school, and subsequently the park, was named after a popular teacher and principal of Nashville Public Schools after a 40 year tenure. It currently has 4 acres, a community center, a playground, public restrooms, picnic shelters, and a spray park. It also has this old as heck tree that's protected with bricks that I'm dying for the story of. This park is POPULAR. The parking lot was full. After our third drive around the block, we finally got a spot. It was almost impossible to get a picture without children in it. This makes sense- if you are a kid and it's a hot summer day, why WOULDN'T you want to put on your bathing suit and come up to this splash park? I was jealous that I hadn't brought my own!

Kirkpatrick Park isn't the most inviting of East Nashville's parks. It's surrounded by a high…read morechain-link fence, and is very hilly. Facilities include a grassy soccer field, a baseball diamond, a playground, and three basketball courts. The Kirkpatrick Community Center located right next door and the big ol' shade trees by the soccer field are the most notable parts of the park. Kirkpatrick is a big park in a residential neighborhood that includes a large apartment complex, so it could be a great resource for residents who don't have their own backyard. But it seems to me that the space could be better utilized by adding some picnic tables, benches, and maybe even a tennis court. Also, the fence surrounding the perimeter makes me think that whoever is in charge of the park is trying to keep someone out, which doesn't exactly encourage me to feel welcome or spend time there.

Watkins Park was established in 1901, and has 8 acres. It has a community center, a playground,…read morepublic restrooms, picnic shelters, a baseball field, a basketball court, tennis courts, a spray park, a pump track for bikes and skateboards, and a paved walking/jogging path. This park was the FIRST public park in Nashville! Samuel Watkins was a Nashvillian who served in the War of 1812. As a brick-maker and construction contractor, he became independently wealthy, even securing the business for the construction of the State Capital building, and eventually funding the Watkins Institute. The land had been privately owned by Watkins, but used for public purposes such as political rallies and school commencement ceremonies. During the Civil War, Union soldiers overran the park, and basically ruined a lot of the natural resources on the land. He donated this land, named at the time "Watkins Gove" to the city of Nashville in 1870. The city of Nashville opened the park in 1901, setting up the landscaping by natural citizens, and setting up the first children's playground in the city here. The park is beautiful. It packs a LOT in a relatively small space. It's historically significant, as well. It was only due to the popularity of the park and playground that the city of Nashville began seriously acquiring land and plopping as many playgrounds down as they could. Standing in the park, you can see the State Capital building, and it gives you a real sense of appreciation for the gift Samuel Watkins truly was to the city.

Watkins Park is a pretty perfect city park -- and I'm a bit surprised that I am the first person…read more(on Yelp) to review it.* The park itself is located in the Charlotte Pike no man's land that seems to change names every other year. Watkins Park? Fang? Something else? Who knows. When/if looking for the park, aim for MLK High and it's right across the street. The area has gone through some significant changes over the years and what you knew about it, say, 8 years ago is no longer accurate (like a good amount of Nashville these days). But this review isn't about the area, it's about the park. And, the park is pretty awesome. With it being just west of Downtown (and with large buildings slowly moving past the interstate), you can get some lovely skyline views while in the park. It's bordered by trees and a stone fence that gives an unexpected bit of character to a city park. There are plenty of mature trees and a good bit of flat green space, making me think it's lovely in the spring time. If you're a walker/runner, the park has a trail just for that. It's a circle (or, circular) so while there are no hills to choose from, you're assured not to get lost. If you're looking for exercise that comes from not running in circles, you're in luck. There's a large tennis court, a basketball court, a couple of playgrounds for the kiddos, a baseball diamond, and a SPLASH PAD! Yep, all of this... in a city park. Fantastic, right? Smack dab in the middle of the action is a large pavilion perfecting for family reunions, cookouts and other food gatherings meant to be shared under wood coverings while outside. The park itself has a nice amount of lot parking, which is helpful since street parking is a bit of an issue. And if all of this isn't enough to get you to visit, Greenbrier Distillery and Marathon Music Works are just beyond the train tracks and tree border. Given Watkins Park's design and proximity to so much, I'm pretty shocked by the low traffic. As much as I hate the phrase, it seems like it's a hidden gem for green space lovers. In the middle of a busy cityscape, I was shocked to experience such a well-planned and paid-out park. Watkins Park has charm, space, activities, and loads of natural beauty. Spring is coming. You should spend some of it here. *Well, not really.

At 32 acres, Frederick Douglass Park is a large, nice park. It has a soccer field, baseball field,…read moreplayground, and a sandy volleyball court, which was something we hadn't seen before. The park was originally established in 1936, and was in a predominately Black neighborhood, often referred to in newspapers at the time as the "Fred Douglas Park for Negroes." It was demolished in 1963, and rebuilt a quarter of the mile down the road. It was originally called Douglas Park, in the May 1935 Parks Board, and someone scribbled "Fred" before Douglas in the meeting minutes. For eighty years, the park was named Fred Douglas Park. Many believed the park was named after the famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass, and historians hunted for a prominent Nashvillian by the name of "Fred Douglas" to no avail. The park changed named by unanimous voting in 2017 to the Frederick Douglass Park we now know. There are no real paved paths, so plan to run around in the grass. It is a very well maintained park.

With the Maxwell area being a source of recent activity on the east side, I'm pretty surprised to…read moresee that no one's reviewed Douglas Park. I'm guessing that as more people start to populate this side of Main St, the review ghost town might change. Douglas Park is an attractive area staple that should entice people throughout the general area to check it out, not just neighborhood residents. For a residential/neighborhood green space, Douglas Park has a lot to offer. The park itself offers a variety of potential experiences: sports, gatherings, dog walking, book reading, relaxation, etc. It boasts a soccer field, baseball diamond, hills, large shade trees, and a playground. I was impressed with the maintenance the park enjoys. Sometimes, in certain areas of the city, landscaping tends to be an ignored (or, blighted) part of the equation. Not so at Douglas Park. While it's, unquestionably, a neighborhood park, it's big enough and has enough extras to attract people from all over to enjoy what it has to offer. And one of the biggest pluses it has to offer is proximity to Downtown and sweet views. Remember those hills and shade trees I talked about earlier? Well, if you go up that way to enjoy a book or a nap, before you get too engrossed in your activity, look up and to the west. If you do, you'll be pretty happy with a gorgeous view of the skyline. On a mid-summer's day, you might be shocked with how much you enjoy the view -- and the silence. There's decent enough parking options, seeing as the park isn't overrun with outside visitors... yet. If you haven't checked out Douglas Park or (this section of) Maxwell, take a Saturday and swing by. I think you'll be happy with what you find. Explore your city.

This playground has been redone. Hands down the best park we've ever been to in Nashville…read moreTennessee. It has a unique setup with things I've never seen at another playground. I even went down the slide and it's pretty fast and fun. My 4 year old didn't want to leave. It has a basketball court, walking trail, huge playground. Highly recommend.

Founded in 1983, Clinton B. Fisk Park has 7 acres, a playground, public restrooms, picnic shelters,…read morea basketball court, and a paved walking/jogging path. It is named after Clinton Bowen Fisk, also the namesake of Fisk University, a government official during Reconstruction who endowed $30,000 to Fisk University to educated former slaves. It was originally called "North Fisk Park". The name then evolved to "Fisk Park". It then evolved to it's current day formal "Clinton B. Fisk Park". It's a really cool park for three reasons: 1) There's not a lot of overhanging greenery or obstructed views. Neighbors can see the whole park from their kitchen windows, and parents can see everything from the picnic tables at the center of the park. 2) The outside perimeter of the park has a paved walking/jogging path with intermittent fitness stops. There are bars and instructive stretches and fitness exercises. 3) The back border of the park lines against train tracks!

Eastland Park is a small neighborhood park situated at the corner of Douglas and Chapel in East…read moreNashville and offers a simple, but good time outdoors. I came by for the walking path, which is .25 miles long and circles around the perimeter of the park. Inside that perimeter sits a bit of open green space, a covered picnic area, basketball course and a playground. There are no restrooms or water fountains here. The park is no frills and offers a small space for the neighborhood to get out and about in. Overall, keeps me outside and in the super walkable East Nashville neighborhoods, so I am a fan.

I stopped with my son so he could stretch his legs while running errands…read more This park has two play areas, one for smaller kids and another for bigger kids. There's also a small basketball court, a swing set, and field to run around. There isn't a designated parking area, just street parking. The park was pretty clean when we were here, except for a empty water bottles on the basketball court. This does seem like the neighborhood hot spot for dog bathrooms breaks so watch your shoes while running around in the field. There's plenty of trash cans here so hopefully people cleanup after their pets. My only real concern is the park is not fully gated in, so kids can easily run into the street and the cars driving near the park do not slow down. Stay vigilante!

Imagine. It's 1960. You are a member of the board of Metro Nashville Parks and Recreation. Your…read moreboard has dozens of dreams, and is about to enter the golden age of Nashville Parks, and unbeknownst to you, the number of Nashville parks will double in the next decade. One of the ideas that floats around and gets stuck is a big ole' regional park in Green Hills- something at least 40 acres. But, Green Hills experiences a boom in that same decade. Real estate prices soar, and it begins to look like Green Hills will never get their version of a Shelby Park. But then a property adjacent to John Trotwood Moore Middle School becomes condemned. In 1973, the Metro Parks Board, and the Metro Board of Education, couple up to pull the money together to buy the property and fix it up. Green Hills Park opened in 1972 to little fanfare. Being adjacent to a middle school, it had a playground, a soccer/multipurpose field, and a baseball field. In 2006, it received a 2006 remodel, including paved walking path, and additional playgrounds. It has over 13 acres, and is well worth a visit.

The park is in a great location for Green Hills and is frequented by many people throughout the…read moreyear. A dedicated group of volunteers called Friends of Green Hills Park has begun a revitalization effort within the park. Their goal is to improve the park experience in many ways, like adding structures, play features, & native plants. They are actively removing invasive trees, shrubs, and groundcovers and replacing them with native plants, which will bring more pollinators and birds to the park. The changes are noticeable and exciting. I look forward to seeing the park continue to improve. Our pollinators have struggled with so many yards being "Green Deserts;" They are green in color, but lifeless. We have vast, perfectly-mowed lawns and non-native shrubs pruned to look like meatballs. We plant very few native plants, so our birds and pollinators struggle to find food. Our birds need native plants to host their top food source, caterpillars! The volunteers are doing a great job and are happy to explain what they are doing and why it is important to our local ecosystem and sense of community. I'm so thrilled to think of butterflies, hummingbirds, native bees, and beautiful, flowering plants filling the park. Keep up the great work and thank you!

England Park was opened in 2014, with 11.25 acres sitting in the Nations area of town. This whole…read morearea was devastated during the record flood of 2010, and as you stand on Delray Drive, imagine most of these houses were underwater in 2010, with little more than their roofs visible out of the water. The city of Nashville banned any future development in floodzones, and the city and the taxpayers purchased over 60 properties affected in this area alone. This park was named after Martha and Andy England, an elderly couple who drowned in their home during the flood. The project was especially successful thanks to the folks at make-a-smile.org who built the playgrounds. The park has a beautifully paved walkway, a small playground, and some picnic tables. It runs concurrent with Richland Creek.

Small park near the house. Parking for about 5 cars or so but there are plenty of trees and picnic…read moretables. Nice little park if you live in the area and want to walk on a paved track. There's also a creek that runs right behind it.

What a wonderful area for kids, adults and dogs on leash. Great walking trail ... 4 nicely done…read morebasketball courts ... areas to sit and relax ... picnic area.

This property was originally a part of the Belle Meade Plantation, and owned by Walter O. Parmer…read more In 1927, bought 8.25 acres of land was donated to the Nashville School Board open a new school. Five acres were owned by Metro Nashville, and the three plus acres remaining owned by the city of Belle Meade. It was originally a one room school house with sixty students, but within a year added 4 classrooms. In 1931, Parmer School was the first Nashville school to get modern refrigerators. In 1940, enrollment expanded to over 350 students. By 1951, an additional 14 classrooms had been added. When school bussing and integration began changing the dynamics of Nashville schools in the 1970s, many people in Belle Meade began sending their children to private schools and Parmer School attendance dropped. By 1981, it only had 84 students, and was the least populated school in the county. The school closed in 1982, and it was used for storage for Metro Nashville Schools while people tried to figure out what to do with it. The city of Belle Meade discussed, at length, building housing or a park or selling the land to a private developer, but were unsure of effects on neighboring property values or the city's budget. There was debate over the legality of Metro Schools transferring the property to Metro Parks, as well as the jurisdiction of Metro Nashville versus Belle Meade over the property. An arsonist burned down the school in 1985, by way of six small fires set in different spots in the school. The red tape was finally cleared, and the property became a public park in 1986, leaving the stone and brick archway as a reminder of the school's history. Today, it hosts a playground, picnic shelter, baseball field, basketball court, and paved walking/jogging path.