Gleason Downtown Revitalization
Notes and News
Helping Enhance the Gleason Community Through Clay:
From its beginning, in
June 2014, the focus of the Gleason Downtown Revitalization Committee
has been on the enhancement of downtown Gleason and the surrounding area
- including both City Parks.
During the past year the
Downtown Revitalization initiative has been involved in several
beautification projects that have focused specifically on downtown
Gleason. These projects have included the painting of fire hydrants and
planting flowers at various locations throughout the downtown area.
Perhaps the largest downtown revitalization project undertaken by
members of the Revitalization Committee has been the recent painting of the J & P Car
Care building at the corner of Cedar and Main streets. This service
station has a long history going back at least to the early 1950's and
represents one of downtown Gleason's most notable landmarks. This
downtown enhancement effort
provides visitors entering the downtown area with the most positive view
of downtown Gleason possible.
As a result of having a
successful year of funding, resulting from hosting several park events
and community calendar sales, other projects have also taken shape. One
such project has been an attempt to enhance Huggins Park after
several years of neglect.
Here, flowers, trees,
and a herb garden have been planted. And, a Disc Golf course has been
developed for all to enjoy. The Revitalization Committee has already
hosted an initial disc golf tournament - which had a very good turnout.
In terms of structural
modifications at the park, two lengthy sections of rusty chain link
fence were recently removed which had previously posed potential safety
concerns and been aesthetically unappealing.
Upon removing this
section of fence it was determined that the old fence should be replaced
by a new vinyl fence to separate the park area itself from the driveway
and parking area adjacent to the park.
Given the cost of this
fence, we were very fortunate that Imerys Ceramics graciously
volunteered to serve in the role of Corporate Supporter, by providing
the funds necessary for the purchase of the needed 190 foot section of
white vinyl fence.
This new fence for Huggins Park was formerly dedicated on
Wednesday July 29, 2015, with members of the Gleason Downtown
Revitalization Committee and a number of representatives from Imerys
Ceramics being present.
Charles
Anderson, President of the Gleason Downtown Revitalization Program,
receives a check in the amount of $1,500 dollars from Brent Eugley of
Imerys North America Ceramics (formerly KT Clay Co.) for the new vinyl
fence at Huggins Park.
Left Side: Imerys Ceramics Representatives:
Front Row: Left to Right: Kim Montgomery - Ball Clay Lab
Technician; Katy Lucas (dark green shirt/brown pants) - Geologist
Back Row: Left to Right: Stacy Collins - Ball Clay Technician;
Cruz Legens - Ball Clay Lab Technician; Eric Duke (white shirt)
Production Supervisor; Kerry Arnold -(EHS) - Environmental Health and
Safety Manager; Brent Eugley (with check) - Environmental Coordinator;
James Jarrett (right side with bright yellow shirt) - Ball Clay Quality
Control Manager/Product Development Coordinator.
Right
Side: Revitalization Committee Representatives:
Left to Right: Mayor Diane Poole (behind fence) , Charles Anderson-President
(receiving check), Rose Anderson, Gary Doster, James Jarrett (Imerys
Representative), Chief Jeff Hazelwood, Doris Owen-Treasurer, Jim Johnson
and Matt Cady.
The entire city of
Gleason would like to say Thank You to Imerys Ceramics for their very
generous donation to cover the cost of this beautiful new white vinyl
fence at Huggins Park
Individual and corporate
sponsor donations are greatly appreciated as we move forward into the
year, and make plans for 2016.
Gleason's First Disc Golf
Tournament Held at Huggins Park
Jim Johnson
GleasonOnline.com
As
a result of a generous gift from the West Tennessee Disc Golf Club
to the Gleason Downtown Revitalization Program and City of Gleason's
Park and Recreation department and, with the help of Mr. Luke Hughes of
Gleason, it has been possible to develop a disc golf course at Gleason's
Huggins Park for use by the people of Gleason and the surrounding area.
The design and development of the course was under the direction of Mr.
Luke Hughes, of Gleason, along with Chris Dodson, Will Trimble and Kent
Fothergill, all of whom are actively involved with this rapidly growing
sport.
The course is open to all Gleason citizens who are interested in the
sport and was set up to allow for competitive disc golf tournaments for
players of all ages.
Sponsored by the Gleason Downtown Revitalization Program,
Gleason's first disc golf tournament, the
"TaterTown
Throwdown" was held on Saturday, May 23, 2015.
Registration for the tournament began at 1:30. The registration fee was
$10, which included a free disc, bearing the "TaterTown Throwdown" logo.
All funds derived from this event will be used to support Gleason
Downtown Revitalization efforts.
Prior to beginning the tournament, a disc golf workshop was
conducted by Tournament Director Luke Hughes. This pre-tournament training session was open to all registrants
and
served as an introduction to the basics of disc golf, including rules of
the game, disc golf fundamentals, and an introduction to the new Huggins
Park course.
The tournament itself began at 3:30 and lasted for several hours, with
the 36 participants playing varying numbers of holes,
depending on their age.
The concession stand was open, serving water, soft drinks, hamburgers, cheese burgers, bologna and various
other tasty edibles.
Certificates were given for outstanding play in both the "Novice" and
more "Advanced" disc golf participants.
It
is hoped that this inaugural tournament will stimulate
participants to come out to Huggins Park and use the facilities to develop their disc golf skills and
enjoy playing the course with friends over the summer.
Be sure to check GleasonOnline.com regularly
for announcements of other disc golf tournaments that may be offered
this summer.
Tournament Registration: Only Ten
Bucks
With a Free Disc Included
Concession Stand - Open for
Business 
Luke Hughes Provides
Pre-tournament Disc Golf Workshop
Focusing on Fundamentals
Out on the Course
Click on the Above Graphic
for Story and More Tournament Pictures
Development of Disc
Golf Course at Huggins Park
As
a result of a generous gift from the West Tennessee Disc Golf Club
to the Gleason Downtown Revitalization Program and City of Gleason's
Park and Recreation department and, with the help of Mr. Luke
Hughes of Gleason, it has been possible to provide a disc golf course for use by the
people of Gleason and the surrounding area. The course is located at Gleason's Huggins Park, located off of West Main Street in Gleason.
The design and development of the course was under the direction of Mr. Luke
Hughes along with Chris Dodson, Will Trimble and Kent Fothergill, all of
whom are actively involved with this rapidly growing sport.
Plans are to have this course open to all Gleason citizens who are
interested in the sport and to use this facility to support organized
disc golf tournaments for players of all ages.
The
development of this disc golf course fits nicely with other plans of the
Gleason Downtown Revitalization Committee to enhance the existing
Huggins Park so as to make it more attractive and more suitable for an
increasing variety of community activities.
Current plans are to host Gleason's first disc golf tournament on the
afternoon of May 23, 2015. Prior to beginning the tournament, an
introduction and
training session will be offered that will provide an introduction to
disc golf and the Higgins Park course itself for those who are new to the
game.
Stay tuned to GleasonOnline.com for more detailed information regarding
these activities.
The Gleason Downtown Revitalization
Program is a 501c (3) Compliant, Non-Profit
Organization.
Tax Deductible Donations to
support " Downtown Revitalization" efforts can be made
by mailing a check to the "Gleason Downtown Revitalization
Fund"
Donations should be
sent to:
Gleason Downtown Revitalization Fund
P.O. Box 125
Gleason, Tennessee 38229
Gleason
Downtown Revitalization Fundraiser:
A Big - Small Town Success
James
H. Johnson
GleasonOnline.com
Charles Anderson, emcee, Mike
Snider and Ricky Morgan
On Saturday, August 2nd,
2014, a Fundraiser, designed to support Gleason Downtown
Revitalization efforts, was held from 5 until after 8 PM at Huggins
Park in Gleason.
The fundraiser was initially organized by the Gleason Downtown
Revitalization Committee (Members: Charles
Anderson, Ron Arnold, Mary Margaret Beasley, Andy Carroll, Gary
Doster, Police Chief Jeff Hazelwood, Jim Johnson, Doris Owen, and Mayor Diane
Poole) and focused on raising funds to support initial
downtown revitalization projects that can provide the foundation
for grant applications to fund larger projects.
The evening began with an opening prayer, provided by Mr. Jacky Esch
and the National Anthem, wonderfully sung by Mr. Wendell Verdell.
The program consisted of gospel music, generously provided by
"Witness Southern Gospel of McKenzie, Tennessee, as well as
Gleason's own Mike Snider, widely known for being a regular on the
Grand Ole Opry, as
it is commonly known and referred to, and formerly a regular on the old Hee Haw television
show as well as having received other honors associated with the
country music industry. Additional musical entertainment was also
provided by Ricky Morgan of The Great Pretenders, Wendell Verdell
and Charles Ross and family of Gleason. Each of these individuals
and groups provided their services freely in support of this
initiative.
Those in attendance were provided with plenty of great food,
including both BBQ plates and hot dogs from
Big Daddy's BBQ, Highway 79,
McKenzie, Tennessee. Soft drinks, bottled water, as
well as snow cones and desserts were also available at the
concession stand.
All in attendance had the opportunity to win more than 20 door
prizes, such as gift cards and a variety of other items provided by
numerous donors. Numerous attendees purchased chances to win various
prizes ranging from gift certificates, to bicycles, to a Winchester
Repeating Arms 12 gage shotgun, along with 5 boxes of shells and
electronic noise-suppression ear muffs.
With approximately 400 total in attendance, including lots of people
from Gleason and the surrounding areas, others coming from further
away, and more than a dozen others who were candidates for local,
and state offices, this event has to be judged as having been a huge
success.
Not only did the citizens of Gleason come out in numbers to
support this important event, but many also made cash donations
during the evening. Others supported this initiative by simply
coming to enjoy the entertainment and fellowship with friends, while
enjoying the excellent food and beverages and buying tickets
for the various prizes that were offered. Numerous other
individuals, groups, and businesses
made significant financial contributions, or provided goods
or services that were significantly discounted or given
freely for this event.
|
Valued Supporters:
Final Flight Outfitters, Union City; Big
Daddy's BBQ, McKenzie; Owen Brothers, Gleason; Pepsi Cola,
Paris; Jim Johnson, Huntingdon; Coca Cola, Union City;
Flowers by Jan, Gleason; Aletha Jones, Gleason; Simply
Southern Restaurant, Gleason; Bank of Gleason, Gleason; WCMT
Radio, Martin; Salon 104, Gleason; Gleason Superette,
Gleason; Jerry Chestnut, General Manager of Boral Brick,
Gleason; J&P Exxon, Gleason; J & J Restaurant, Gleason;
Bryant Video, Gleason; Blossom and Blooms, Gleason; Tumbling
Creek Baptist Church, Gleason; Weakly County
Electric. |
It is heartening to learn that the funds derived from this Gleason
Downtown Revitalization Fundraiser were in excess of $4,000.
This figure seems to highlight
both the generosity of the citizens of Gleason, as a group, and the
degree to which they care for their community and want it to be all
it can be!
Candidates for Local, County, and
State Offices
Rose Anderson, Mayor Diana Poole,
Angie Hazelwood and Doris Owen
CLICK HERE FOR MORE
PICTURES
Gleason
Downtown Revitalization Committee: The Vision
In addition to
engaging in several beautification/restorative projects, such as
painting fire hydrants and making significant repairs to the
Senior Citizens Center to deal with termite damage, members of the Gleason
Downtown Revitalization Committee have been considering a number of other
projects designed to enhance the look of the downtown and related areas. Completing
projects such as these is seen as important in laying the foundation for
obtaining grant money to support other more costly revitalization projects.
An
initial part of this long term plan involves making a number of
major improvements to Huggins Park, which has seen very little use
in recent years. It is hoped that such improvements can make
Huggins Park a more suitable venue for activities such as open-air movies,
musical events, and perhaps additional sporting events, that
would allow families to enjoy wholesome activities and entertainment while
also spending time with friends.
Several other, somewhat longer term activities, involving the
downtown area are also envisioned. Here, the committee has been
exploring the possibility of acquiring an old caboose, the
necessary section of track, and moving the caboose to the site of
the town’s old railroad depot. The preliminary thinking
of the committee is that this old caboose could serve as a City of Gleason museum or,
possibly as Railroad
Museum to highlight the role the railroad has played in Gleason's
history.
Also
under consideration down the road a bit, is the development of a
large decorative brick wall with a flagpole, flower beds, and
seating area - which would be located in the downtown area - in the
vicinity of
the Gleason Hardware store on Cedar Street. Initial blueprints for
this project have been drawn up by Jan's Plans of Gleason. Jerry
Chestnut, General Manager of Boral Brick, has also agreed to help us
obtain the brick necessary for this project. Tentative plans are to
use scrap metal from old Gleason railroad tracks in the construction
of the arches of the wall - to highlight the important role the
railroad has played in Gleason's history.
A preliminary view of
this decorative wall can be seen in the blueprints provided below.
An ongoing goal of this
Committee is to keep Gleason Citizens appraised of the deliberations
of the committee and up-to-date regarding the progress of the
revitalization of the downtown area.
Gleason Board Endorses Downtown Revitalization Initiative
At
a recent meeting of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, Gleason resident Charles Anderson
spoke on behalf of the newly constituted Gleason Downtown Revitalization Committee.
Mr. Anderson noted that we all take
great pride in our small town and always want it to look its best. He
went on to say that unfortunately, Gleason hasn't kept
up with the times when it comes to the downtown area, as compared to other towns.
While other city's are making improvements, Gleason's downtown area is
moving in the opposite direction.
Mr. Anderson indicated that the focus of this committee
will be on sprucing up the City of Gleason in all ways possible in order to make Gleason a
more attractive destination for visitors. He stated that the Committee
hopes to get all citizens involved in turning the downtown area around and making
it a more enjoyable place to visit.
He suggested that the purpose of coming
before the Board was not to ask the city for money but simply to get support
from the board. He said that the committee hopes to use grants and
individual donations to fund specific projects.
Some initial ideas for possible improvements include
improving sidewalks/parking/awning in front of the school, a new LCD electronic
billboard for the school, Flashing Safety
Lights in school zones, restoring a Railroad Caboose to commemorate the old long
& forgotten train station, new park benches/flower planters, hand painted murals
on walls of buildings (looking for volunteers for artwork), the construction of a fountain, and potentially the development of a farmers
market.
The Mayor and Aldermen expressed their
excitement regarding the committee's ideas for improving the Gleason community and voted unanimously to support
this new initiative. Source: Dresden Enterprise.
