Construction is set to begin on improvements to Charjean Park after city officials broke ground on the project Monday morning.
The park is located close to the intersection of Airways and I-240, adjacent to Airways Middle School. The 18-acre park is now an undeveloped field of grass with few trees.
Plans for the park will add a walking trail, basketball courts, a pavilion, a playground, a new parking lot, new trees, and barbecue grills. The project is budgeted to cost a little more than $582,000.
On hand for the ground breaking Monday morning were Memphis City Council member Wanda Halbert and Memphis Mayor A C Wharton who both noted that upgrades to the park have been a long time coming. Administrators and students from Airways Middle were also at the ceremony.
Improvements to the park are expected to be complete by this fall.
Charjean Park, Denver Park in Frayser, and Tchulahoma-Holmes Park in South Memphis will all get major upgrades this year. Twenty-five other Memphis parks will see more minor improvements in 2014.
