New upgrades coming to at least 4 Hub City parks

JACKSON, Tenn. — The City of Jackson is home to 20 parks, but which ones take priority for improvements?

We spoke with the City of Jackson’s Parks and Rec Department and local councilmen to get insight on current updates.

Of Jackson’s 20 parks, at least four will see significant improvements, including a brand new park planned for Windy City Road, south of the fire station.

Upgrades include walking trail & restrooms at Shirlene Mercer, restrooms at Stella Duncan, and a parking lot & walking trail at Wallace Road Park.

According to Christi David, park operations manager for the city of jackson, a “needs assessment” is completed to determine which parks take priority for upgrades.

David said in the past three years, four playgrounds have been fully replaced.

“Those were all playgrounds that were absolutely needed to be replaced,” said David.

Accessibility is also a focus with efforts to improve ADA compliance across the parks. But not all parks are in great shape.

At Muse Park we observed potholes, divots in the road, and areas that have caved in—making it dangerous for drivers navigating the curves.

Councilman Frank McMeen for district five says he was unaware of the conditions of the roads at Muse Park.

“I will get that reported and we will get those places fixed,” said McMeen.

McMeen said the city has been focusing on several other parks during this grant cycle.

“Muse Park is scheduled for the next round of grant dollars that would come in 2027.”

Councilman McMeen believes the parks department should focus on drawing more visitors to Muse Park. However, during our visit on Tuesday before noon, we counted nearly 30 vehicles and saw residents enjoying the park.

Still, there were issues. The water fountains were not working, and we noticed trash and grilling debris near many of the pavilions.

“Until we spend some of this money and close out some of our current grants then we start focusing on future projects such as Muse,” said David.

All city parks in Jackson are open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. If you’re planning to use a bouncy house or host a group of more than 50 people, you’ll need a permit.

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