NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Community members in West Nashville celebrated the reopening of Brookmeade Park along the Cumberland River.
Two years ago, the city worked to relocate as many unhoused individuals as possible when they closed down a homeless encampment at the park.
Only Thursday could Dede Byrd really take in the greenway's calming sounds.
"It is scenic. It is beautiful. It is awe-inspiring," said Byrd. "I am a founding member of Reclaim Brookmeade Park, when there were people here for over a decade who were being abused. They were dying from their homelessness."
By early 2023, people experiencing homelessness living at Brookmeade Park received services to place them in housing, and Metro Parks shut the park down.
After a million-dollar project restored Brookmeade Park, the new gates opened.
Police spoke about the cameras, routine aerial patrols, and automatic gates that prevent overnight access.
"Our park officers will start and end their shifts here at the park to make sure everyone is able to safely exit the park," said Capt. Greg Davis with the Metro Nashville Police Department.
Davis said police installed temporary cameras along the greenway to provide further protection.
Byrd said she would like to see the greenway expanded down the Cumberland River.
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