Goals achieved in 2023 and plans for 2024.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
The Community Development Department ended with a productive 2023 with projects from technology upgrades and website redesign to new construction from the ground up. Let’s now take a dive into everything that 2023 had to offer with what is coming in 2024.
The new website with all new mapping was a major upgrade to how the city can now market to possible prospects all around the country. This new technology was used in showcasing the city and its available properties at trade shows and website publications. The city and the Economic Development Department were highlighted on livability.com as a “Hidden Gem Among Nashville Suburbs.” This highlight opened the city to many different readers and businesses that the city might not have been in front of. With all this updated information, it is our hope that one person or one business will find our “Hidden Gem” and want to make it their home.
Many new companies now call Goodlettsville home, and we are happy to welcome them with open arms. The city experienced very steady growth in 2023 with both residential and commercial being the bulk of growth. Projects such as Bojangles, Loden Surgery Center, Range USA, and 7-Eleven just to name a few opened in 2023. The city, along with Metro Nashville, got the experience of opening one of the most advanced elementary schools in the state of Tennessee. Most of the residential growth came from townhomes, apartments, and single lots in subdivisions. The residential growth should be sustained over the next couple of years with most of those projects breaking ground in 2023 with anticipation of 2024-2025 completion time frames.
With all the growth in 2023, the city hopes to build on that in 2024 with projects underway. In the first quarter, the city anticipates the completion of BJ’s Wholesale, Sherwin Williams, and Old Hickory Credit Union along with buildings one, two, and clubhouse at StoneBridge Lofts. The projects that are set to commence and/or be completed in 2024 are Dollar Tree, Hilton Tru, Comfort Suites, and McBee’s Coffee N Carwash just to name a few. We look forward to updating you on all the information in the upcoming second quarter edition. Thank you for being the “GOOD” in Goodlettsville.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
Responses
The Department responded to 4,771 calls for service in 2023 which averages out to 13 per 24-hour shift.
This number holds steady, the year over year increases that tell the story of a very busy engine company. On last comparison with our Sumner County neighbors, GFD is twice as busy as Hendersonville when broken down by station and three times as busy as Gallatin. We always rank in the top 10 busiest houses in Davidson County.
Training
The department’s training is incredibly important to maintain the high level of emergency medical care as well as safe operations at emergency scenes. To that end, the department produced over 2,000-man hours of training in house with over 1,000 hours more being conducted off site.
Planning for the future
The Department is expecting in the first quarter of 2024, to take delivery of a replacement fire engine that will serve as the department’s primary response apparatus. This upgrade will allow the current primary truck to be placed in reserve while it is still a very reasonable 8 years old and this strong pair should last around 20 years into the future. Previously, the reserve apparatus with which GFD maintains 100% in service fire protection, was a pair of 25-year-old fire engines.
In late 2023, the City retained the services of an architectural firm to begin drawing the long-awaited Fire Station #2 for the City of Goodlettsville. Station 2 will help divide and conquer the tremendous call volume that GFD experiences and give us a safer number of Goodlettsville firefighters with which to attack fires rapidly and efficiently as they occur.
PARKS AND RECREATION
In 2023, the Parks and Recreation Department achieved notable growth and transformation through numerous and varied projects, each having a significant impact on the community. The installation of Shelter 8 at Peay Park created the perfect spot for people using the splash pad to take a break and relax in the shade. The shelter also provides a rentable space for those looking to host large gatherings. Another noteworthy achievement was the renovation of the pickleball and tennis courts at Peak Park. With the addition of an ADA compliant sidewalk and water fountain, the courts were transformed into a multi-use facility accommodating a variety of activities for the Goodlettsville community. The three dedicated pickleball courts and two multi-purpose courts are always bustling with activity, and the renovated facility continues to be a source of pride for the department.
Pleasant Green Park saw an increase in foot traffic that had been lacking for three years. The reopening of the Pleasant Green Pool brought over 10,000 patrons to the park, something that has been missed by the community since 2019. Coming out of COVID, we found ourselves in a situation like many across the nation where lifeguards were few and far between. After a plea on Facebook with our community, the positions were filled for 2023, and the pool was officially reopened. This exciting accomplishment was a benefit to many.
At Moss-Wright Park, we installed four sand volleyball courts, which were dedicated to the parks system in March. The courts serve as the home base for many sand volleyball tournaments throughout the year as well as recreational league play. Fenway’s Park, the dog park within Moss-Wright Park, received some much-needed upgrades thanks to a Dog Park Dash grant from the Boyd Foundation. The $25,000 check was presented to the city in September of 2022, and the enhancements were completed in the spring of 2023. The expanded fencing areas for dogs to run and play, as well as the site amenities such as shade and additional benches, are a hit with both the dogs and their owners. The soccer and football fields spent the second half of the year with new technology. A robot paint sprayer was purchased to help reduce staff hours lining fields. This exciting addition to our department will allow the Parks maintenance team to focus on other areas of the parks.
On April 27, a brand new playspace was opened at Brooks Park thanks to a partnership with KABOOM! and MAPCO. Over 200 volunteers came together to build the playground, which was officially open for play on May 2. In November, this playspace was recognized by the Tennessee Recreation and Parks Association with a Four Star Award of Excellence for projects under $500,000. Our department was extremely grateful and honored to be recognized across the state for the work that went into the project.
The year 2023 was a time of growth and transformation paving the way for an even more exciting year in 2024.
As we move into 2024, we are dedicated to providing an exceptional experience for our community members. On the horizon is the installation of Rachel’s Garden Playground at Peay Park. This state-of-the-art playground will offer a wide range of exciting activities for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy.
Furthermore, we are excited to announce the installation of a disc golf course that will link North Creek Park to Brooks Park. This course will provide disc golf enthusiasts with a challenging yet fun experience. Other planned upgrades and improvements include the installation of lighting at the volleyball courts located at Moss-Wright Park and resurfacing of the gymnasium floor at the Delmas Long Community Center within Peay Park.
In addition to these exciting upgrades, we will also expand our regular programs and add new community events. Through surveys, we plan to further gauge the interest of our community to gain a deeper understanding of what is desired from our department. This will provide more opportunities for our community to come together and enjoy an active and engaged lifestyle.
This is just a sneak peek of what’s in store for 2024. We invite you to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay updated on the latest offerings from Goodlettsville Parks and Recreation. With a wide range of facilities and programs available, we encourage you to join us and create your own experience in Goodlettsville!
POLICE DEPARTMENT
The Goodlettsville Police Department had an outstanding year in 2023 including several goals achieved. These included the first time ever Accreditation Award through the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police, along with a 6th straight year in crime reduction and a crash reduction of over 20 percent. The department also acquired a federal grant through the Violent Crime Intervention Fund that enabled the department to purchase 3 mobile surveillance platforms with no cost to the City of Goodlettsville. The Police Department did some restructuring that allowed for inter-departmental movement as well as additional promotions; this has enabled the department to operate more effectively and efficiently.
As we move forward in 2024, we are hopeful for another great year with objectives we hope to achieve. We are planning for a possible addition/renovation to our existing building as well as seeking grant funding for additional personnel and the creation of a future traffic division to keep working toward safer roadways and crime reduction. We will continue to utilize new technology to improve our response to crimes as well as crime deterrence. Also, we are slated to be fully staffed for the first time in 12 years which is a major accomplishment in law enforcement across the United States right now.
TOURISM DEPARTMENT
The Tourism Department, also known as Visit Goodlettsville, accomplished several noteworthy projects throughout 2023. These include assisting in the creation of the captivating Mural and Arts Around Town project with new murals and wrapped utility boxes, launching the new user-friendly trip planning guide and Visit Goodlettsville app, and introducing the city’s new mascot, Parker the Squirrel. These achievements demonstrate our commitment to creativity, innovation, and providing quality experiences for our locals and our visitors.
Visit Goodlettsville continues to actively promote the city through multiple marketing channels, including group tour and travel conferences, digital marketing campaigns, bulletin boards on interstates, and advertisements in local and regional publications such as USA Today Go Escape Southeast, AAA Living, and Livability.com. In addition, the department has implemented new digital marketing campaigns for 2024 through targeted digital displays, Spotify audio displays, paid social media on Facebook, search engine marketing, and more.
Historic Sites
Mansker’s Station and the Bowen House had a remarkable year in terms of tour admissions, with a total of 5,712 tours, marking an 8% increase from the previous record year of 2022. Heritage Days is a long-standing event where multiple historic demonstrations take place all in one day. To make the Heritage Days events more accessible, we added an extra day for the first time last year, making it a total of three days. This decision led to an increased attendance of 50% who were able to enjoy the Heritage Days experience. We are gearing up for the 2024 Heritage Days scheduled for 3 days in April.
We had a brand-new roof installed on four cabins at Mansker’s Station to ensure the protection of these cabins for many years to come. This helps maintain the overall condition of the cabins and protects any valuable artifacts or historical items housed within.
The Old Stone Bridge, a significant landmark, will be getting interpretive signage installed in the first quarter to provide guests with a detailed understanding of its rich history. This new addition will allow visitors to gain a deeper appreciation of the Old Stone Bridge and its role in Goodlettsville’s heritage.
Visitor’s Center
For calendar year 2023 the Visitor’s Center was able to welcome guests from 43 different states and 14 other countries, which is quite impressive for a city of 18,000 residents!
We installed an exhibit in the Visitor’s Center that highlights American Indian culture. This free exhibit highlights the lives of those who inhabited this area long before it was settled by Europeans. A mixture of captions, images, original artifacts, and detailed replicas show what life looked like for these oft forgotten people.
A large kiosk was added for anyone to search for local places to shop, eat, stay, things to do, etc. The selected locations can be added to a “plan” and sent directly to your phone. We plan to add additional kiosks in 2024 in other city buildings.
Farmer’s Market
We celebrated the 6th year of hosting the outdoor Farmer’s Market for 23 weeks beginning the first week of May and ending the first week of October with nearly 15,000 attendees and just under 50 vendors over the market season. By accommodating vendors for varying durations, we are able to create a dynamic and engaging atmosphere that keeps customers coming back and ensures their enjoyment throughout the season. We appreciate the dedication of vendors who choose to join us, whether it is for a single day, multiple days, or the entire season.
2024 Wind Up
In 2024, we will continue to promote and market the vibrant and lively City of Goodlettsville. Our aim is to provide an open door to both locals and visitors, inviting them to explore and experience the unique and welcoming vibes of this city. To further this goal, the Tourism Department is coordinating this new Good Vibes quarterly publication that will serve as a comprehensive guide to all the exciting events, initiatives, businesses, individuals, and attractions that shape Goodlettsville. Our approach is centered on the belief that both visitors and locals are equally valuable, and we strive to create an inclusive, welcoming environment that accommodates everyone. •