Milton Roberts Community Center reopens after $1.5 million renovation
Published February 7, 2023; 12:17 p.m.

KNOXVILLE -- Mayor Indya Kincannon, members of City Council, community partners and an enthusiastic cluster of fun-loving children cut a ceremonial ribbon on February 6th and officially reopened the Milton Roberts Community Center.

This hub for East Knoxville recreation and community gatherings has undergone a dramatic top-to-bottom $1.5 million renovation: New floors, including a beautiful new wooden basketball court / gymnasium, a new roof, new windows, new bleachers, and new appliances, furniture and games.

“Apart from the walls and the foundation itself, just about everything is new and better,” Mayor Kincannon said. “There’s no comparing the original Milton Roberts Community Center with the new one. This was a complete makeover.

“Why make this huge investment? Because children's play is important. Adult recreation is important. And so is offering community gathering spaces with meeting rooms, computers, printers, Wi-fi and more.”

The Parks and Recreation Department recently received a Connected Communities Grant from the Tennessee Valley Authority. The Milton Roberts Community Center is the first of 15 community / recreation centers that will receive TVA-funded technology upgrades, such as smart TVs and access to laptops and tablets, to go along with the Wi-fi, computers and printers available for public use.

The Milton Roberts Community Center features a modern playground, relocated and installed in 2019. Next door is the Holston-Chilhowee Ballfields, which boast five baseball / softball fields, batting cages, a football field and the one-mile paved Holston-Chilhowee Greenway.

Inside, the community center offers a gymnasium, a kitchen / multipurpose room, and a community meeting / recreation room.

Another new amenity is coming soon. The City’s newest dog park will open by spring, to be located just east of the community center and the ballfields.

The Milton Roberts Community Center hosts a free after-school program during the school year and a low-cost summer camp for children ages 6-12. In addition to youth programs, the center offers adult open basketball, pickleball and volleyball opportunities, as well as card and board game socials.

Due to the extensive nature of the renovation, the center has been closed for nearly three years. Programs were temporarily moved to other East Knoxville sites, and Parks and Recreation provided free transportation to children after school. But it’s comfortable and convenient for families living nearby to be back at their home community center.

“We thank everyone for their patience while the renovation work was underway,” Mayor Kincannon said. “We also thank our community partners. But we especially want to recognize the families, City recreation staff and the youth league coaches who work so passionately, year round, to create and embrace opportunities for our children.”