Heritage Park the name for Batey Farm property in Hendersonville. Where development stands

• Heritage Park approved as the name for Batey Farm property in Hendersonville being redeveloped into a city park.

The Batey Farm properties purchased by Hendersonville and a nonprofit with the intent to turn the approximate 73 acres into a city park has a name and hopefully momentum in its development.

Heritage Park is the name approved by Hendersonville’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen after several steps.

The city owns the lower 35 acres of the property with a $3 million purchase in 2018. The goal at that time was to convert the former Batey Farm grounds to a passive park.

Friends of Indian Lake Peninsula bought the upper 38.41 acres for $1 million raised through donations from more than 800 donors, board member Jeff Cundiff said.

“There are nice parks in other parts of the city, but not here,” Cundiff said. “The intent is for everyone in the community to enjoy it.”

Friends of Indian Lake Peninsula has already used grant money and volunteer efforts to start work on several trails. Cundiff estimates trailway is about 60% finished.

Completed work includes:

• Hiking: 0.8 miles
• Multipurpose hiking and biking: 0.3 miles
• Mountain biking: 1.2 miles.
• Farm property mowed natural trail: 1 mile.

The Friends recently received a $160,000 grant from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation to be used toward construction of a 1,600-foot long and 5-foot-wide trail, site amenities, a trailhead kiosk and signage. 

The city and nonprofit will continue to seek more grants to build out the trail system, create parking and develop other amenities.

“We want to get portions open to the public as soon as possible, but we want to continue to seek (grant) funding” to keep costs as low as possible to the city, Hendersonville Parks and Recreation Department Director Andy Gilley said.

Eventually, Friends of Indian Lake Peninsula plans to turn over its portion of the Batey Farm land to Hendersonville when a conservation easement is established to prevent future development at the site. The nonprofit will continue to partner with the city on development.

The top of the property also has a view that includes Old Hickory Lake and downtown Nashville, which Cundiff said could lead to some type of viewing structure.

An existing farmhouse structure could also be used as an event venue.

Reach Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com or 615-726-5939 and on Twitter @ AndyHumbles.