Clarksville Liberty Park and Marina
Seasonal flooding of the Red and Cumberland Rivers had long prevented Clarksville from realizing the potential of its riverfront. SmithGroup addressed this problem head on while helping the city find a solution for new marina development. The resulting design transformed Clarksville's waterfront into a regional recreational destination and beloved community asset.
Client
City of Clarksville
Location
Clarksville, Tennessee
Markets/Services
Civil Engineering, Community & Regional Parks, Landscape Architecture, Marinas & Harbors, Parks & Open Spaces, Parks & Promenades, Waterfront, Waterfront Plans
Liberty Park and Marina are a testament to the benefits of SmithGroup's interdisciplinary approach. The park and marina were carefully engineered to withstand flooding. After excavating 880,000 cubic yards of material from the marina basin—enough to fill the Titans' Nissan Stadium—the material was used to resculpt the old, underdeveloped parkland and elevate select portions of the site, creating new development plots outside the floodplain.
In addition to the marina, the new park features a boat launch, athletic fields, beautifully detailed park structures and event pavilions, an outdoor amphitheater, and a trail system. Its fishing pond—a local favorite—is designed to provide recreation, wetland mitigation, stormwater management, and native landscape and habitat restoration.
The Wilma Rudolph Pavilion and adjacent amphitheater create a dynamic community events and performance space along the river.
We extended the City’s riverwalk system, and created new destination public space, event facilities, and environmental education opportunities.
"With over 30 years of working with architects and engineers, I can honestly say my experience with SmithGroup has been the BEST." - Jim Durrett, Former Clarksville Chief of Staff
