Newport receives Municipal League award for Excellence in Parks and Recreation

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, the city of Newport was faced with numerous challenges to repair the damage, restore infrastructure for citizens, and conserve the natural environment both locals and visitors enjoy. 

As part of the recovery process, the Newport Parks and Recreation Department engaged with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry on a streambank restoration project that has become a model for conservation, education, and community resilience for small communities as well as strengthened bonds within city government.  

For their commitment to environmental restoration and conservation that also improves recreation for local residents, the Tennessee Municipal League (TML) is pleased to present the city of Newport with an award for Excellence in Parks and Recreation. The award will be presented at TML’s 86th Annual Conference held at the MeadowView Conference Resort & Convention Center in Kingsport, Tenn. 

Both Newport’s flagship Newport City Park and the Newport Riverwalk are located alongside the Pigeon River, which also bisects the city itself. In the wake of Helene, the river overflowed its banks, flooding much of the city. When the waters receded, there were notable changes to the streambanks that put properties along the river – including the park – at further risk. 

By partnering with the Division of Forestry to restore the streambank, Newport was able to leverage specialized expertise, technical guidance, and resources that may not have otherwise been as readily accessible at the local level. With no need to engage third-party consultants on the work, Newport was also able to save time and money on the project while maintaining high standards for environmental restoration and sustainability. 

The Newport Parks and Recreation Department looked within the ranks of the city’s other departments to provide labor and know-how, streamlining implementation of the project, reducing duplication of work, and ensuring that restoration strategies are effective for everyone involved. This has also led to the development of new camaraderie among employees from different departments.  

The project focused not just on stabilizing the banks of the Pigeon River but also ensuring that underlying environmental issues were addressed rather than temporarily patched. Beyond visual improvements, the project aimed at improving water quality, restoring natural areas, and ensuring recreation areas were safer and more accessible and resilient for both residents and visitors.  

The project will also save the city money in the long run, implementing erosion control and restoration strategies proactively rather than waiting for another disaster. The project reduces future maintenance costs, prevents further land loss, and avoids expensive repairs through the use of native vegetation and sustainable practices.   

A small, at-risk community, Newport has shown that bringing on board the right people, leveraging resources, and prioritizing collaboration, fiscal responsibility, and community well-being can accomplish big goals and set communities up for future success. While Newport officials were already strained by the toll the recovery had put on their small government, officials said they found by stepping out of their comfort zone, agreeing trust in state partner, and believe in the future and resilience of their community, they were able to accomplish long-term goals that had once seemed out of reach.  

Now, the restoration project has reshaped the way Newport thinks about collaboration, stewardship, and its role providing services to the public. It has renewed the commitment of city employees to face challenges, work together, and deliver success previously thought impossible. The Division of Forestry has also used Newport as a model for what small cities can accomplish, even in the face of unprecedented tragedy.