A picnic shelter, playground and even a dog park could soon be built at IC King Park in South Knoxville.
Before the county can begin the 70-acre expansion, they are opening the floor for community input.
A forum at the City County building caught the attention of Helen Coley. Coley lives just a few feet down the road from the proposed new entrance.
"It’s a beautiful place for a park and a great neighborhood for a park,” said Coley.
Owner of German Shepard, she is especially looking forward to the dog parks.
"I think the dog park will be great, they can run and play,” said Coley.
However, before ground breaks, she’s hoping the county will hear her biggest concern first.
"The curve is my main concern,” said Coley, “And the speed limit. The speed limit is too high for this area.”
She’s talking about what planners say will be a new safe entrance.
Right now, the main entrance is right off Alcoa highway where drivers must slow from 55 miles an hour in traffic to make a tight turn.
The county plan puts the new entrance and exit right off Maryville Pike. Coley believes the Maryville Pike entrance doesn't seem much safer than the current turn off Alcoa highway.
"I've seen too many deaths on this highway as it is, it's just a bad highway,” said Coley.
She hopes the county will work with TDOT to change the speed limit before the park is built.
“Traffic has to be lowered or it’s not going to be a safe entrance for nobody, especially children coming to a park,” said Coley.
Another concern she has is the question of who the park will bring out at night.
“Over this ridge here, where the cemetery is, that's where the drugs are,” explained Coley.
A nearby, heavily-forested area has attracted people on drugs, and even indecency.
In the park, planners are calling for open areas with more lighting that will keep the bad behavior out.
Coley is open to the new entrance, she's just hoping planners are open to her opinions on the project.
"Are they going to do what they say they are going to do? If they do then it’s going to be great,” said Coley.
Knox County will hold another community forum Thursday at Mount Olive Elementary School from 5-7pm.
They are applying for a grant that could provide up to $500 thousand for the development.