Morris Park, an urban oasis, set for upgrades
“This really is a keystone that holds this whole neighborhood together,” City of Memphis Chief Operating Officer Doug McGowen said Monday, Sept. 13, 2021 at the groundbreaking for updates to Morris Park. St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral is visible in the background. (Rob Moore/Daily Memphian)
An urban park in the Medical District is getting a long-awaited renovation.
Part of the city’s $200 million “Accelerate Memphis” plan, which the Memphis City Council authorized in February for investments in neighborhoods and communal spaces, Morris Park is getting a series of improvements, including a new open gathering space and upgraded playground equipment.
Located at Poplar Avenue and North Manassas Street, Morris Park sits between Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and Victorian Village.
“Morris Park is obviously a very significant park in this city for many reasons, for the neighborhoods that it interconnects, for the people who use it on a daily basis,” Nick Walker, director of the Memphis Division of Parks and Neighborhoods, said at a groundbreaking ceremony Monday, Sept. 13.
The Medical District park is also a neighbor of the Hospitality Hub campus, which, through a partnership with the City of Memphis and philanthropic donors, offers services to individuals experiencing homelessness and in need of temporary housing.
A rendering shows how improvements to Morris Park, which stands at Poplar and Manassas, will look. (Courtesy Ritchie Smith Associates)
“We have a day facility that provides world-class service to people who are experiencing homelessness and helps them navigate to a new solution,” Memphis chief operating officer Doug McGowen said. “It is an innovative approach that is not seen in very many cities, and Memphis is leading the way there.
“And then this place, this park that serves Memphians of every walk of life,” he said. “This really is a keystone that holds this whole neighborhood together.”
The city is working with the Memphis Medical District Collaborative and the Community Redevelopment Agency on its plans for the neighborhood park, which were developed in 2018.
In addition to the playground equipment, the city plans to spend around $1.5 million to improve the park’s basketball court and drinking fountains.
“People want cleaner, greener and more vibrant public spaces” said Rory Thomas, president of the Memphis Medical District Collaborative. “They want to improve the quality of life.”
Topics
Morris Park Victorian Village medical district Memphis Division of Parks and Neighborhoods Nick Walker Hospitality HubRob Moore
Rob Moore covers North Mississippi for The Daily Memphian. He holds a B.A. and an M.A. in English from The University of Memphis.
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