Guns In Parks Back On Metro Council Agenda

Channel News 5 Posted: Nov 17, 2009 10:20 PM CST By Chris Cannon NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Metro Council members will once again debate the controversial topic of guns in parks. Tuesday night, Councilman Sam Coleman introduced legislation that would allow guns in nine rural Metro parks. Last August, the full council voted 22 to 18 to opt out of a Tennessee state law and ban guns in parks. Coleman feels guns should be allowed in parks that are in rural parts of Metro Nashville/Davidson County. "They are isolated areas. They are away from the inner-city, around children and people that are recreating at concerts. It just makes sense to have that protection if you are a gun carrying permit holder," said Coleman. In October, Coleman asked the Metro Parks Department to compile a list of parks it deemed rural or isolated. Park administrators came back to council with the list of nine parks that included Alvin Beaman Park and Greenway on Little Marrowbone Road, Bells Bend Park and Greenway on Old Hickory Boulevard, Cane Ridge Park on Battle Road, Couch Tract on Old Hickory Boulevard, Cecil Rhea Crawford Park on Cane Ridge Road, Hamilton Creek Park on Bell Road, Morgan Road Property on Morgan Road, Peeler Park on Neelys Bend Road and Vulcano Tract on Culbertson Road. "If you are a gun carrying permit holder it makes sense to be able to carry your gun in those particular parks," said Coleman. The full council passed the new bill on first reading without debate. It comes up for a second reading at the next council meeting. Email: ccannon@newschannel5.com