If you dream it, it can happen. If you build it, they will come.
Back in the early 2000’s what was then the Burks Middle School Soccer team became the district champions. The “kicker” was—they had no home field to play or practice on. For any Monterey students who wanted to play soccer, they had to play for Cookeville or other schools that offered the sports program.
In early 2022, it was the dream of then Mayor Nathan Walker to have a place for Monterey students to have their own soccer field. He began working with others and obtained a $200,000 appropriation from the State Legislature.
Finding a place to build the field was quite a task but the found that the new soccer field could be squeezed in at the “Black Bottom” Softball field, if it could be used as a multipurpose field.
Don’t fret.
Mayor Walker was serving out an unexpired mayoral term after the previous mayor had resigned. In Sept. 2022, he was elected to his first full term. Sadly, for the town, Just 47-years-old, Mayor Walker passed away due to a fast aggressive cancer. He passed from this life on Oct. 19, 2022, leaving two children to be raised by family and friends. Walker’s wife, Lori Beth, had preceded him in death on Aug. 31, 2021, from a short-term illness.
The dream lived on through Mayor Mark Farley, and now Mayor Alex Garcia. The regulation field has been built. Games are being played on it. Monterey board of mayor and aldermen have voted to upgrade the concession stand, to be complete with a new warranted metal roof. County Mayor Randy Porter is permitting the County Parks and Recreation Department to provide labor at no extra charge. Other upgrades are being made inside the concession stand, the restrooms, and hopefully, improved field lighting.
The Town of Monterey Board of Mayor and Aldermen have proposed a new name for the complex. “The Mayor Nathan Walker Sports Complex at Black Bottom Field.” A dream set into action. What are your dreams? Are you acting on them?
DID YOU KNOW? “Black Bottom Field” got its name because the Tennessee Central Railroad shops were located just over the railroad from the field. Each day, they would steam wash the engines inside and out, blowing coal soot everywhere. Ladies could not hang their washed clothes to dry because the soot would cover them. Residents could not wear white or light clothing because when they sit down in a chair, they would wind up with a “black bottom.
I love that Nathan will live on with his name on this field. We lost a wonderful young man & leader when we lost Nathan Walker.
A good thing happening at Black Bottom Baseball field. Let’s make it available for all to enjoy.