Your Daily Guide

💰 How Does Nashville’s Budget Process Work?

Now that Metro Council’s annual budget hearing is behind us, it falls to Budget and Finance Committee chair Councilmember Kyonzté Toombs to take everyone’s feedback and come up with a substitute budget. On today’s podcast, Toombs discusses how the process works, and budget requests from community members and her colleagues. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]

• On Friday, Mayor O’Connell proposed five pieces of legislation he’d like Metro Council to consider, like funding the Office of Entertainment and Nashville After School Alliance. [Nashville.gov]

🔥 Did Negligence Cause the Library Garage Fire?

Metro Nashville’s insurer, Travelers, is suing the Nashville Downtown Partnership and its contractor Block by Block for alleged negligence that led to last year’s downtown library garage fire. While Metro owns the garage, NDP manages it, and allowed Block by Block to store fuel inside. The lawsuit estimates damages at more than $10 million. The garage remains closed, though Councilmember Sean Parker hopes the lawsuit is the next step in reopening it. [Nashville Banner]

• The litigation comes on the heels of a contentious council vote that rejected the NDP’s proposed budget by only one vote. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]

🪧 Residents Speak Out Against Data Centers

Hundreds of thousands of people have signed a petition against DC BLOX’s proposed data center beside the Nashville Zoo. South Nashville resident Drew Small took his opposition a step further by visiting neighbors with more information, and launching the website No New Data Centers. [WKRN]

• Small is encouraging community members to attend Thursday’s planning commission meeting and make their voices heard during the public comment period. [Instagram]
• It looks like the data center will be much larger than DC BLOX initially reported. [Nashville Scene]
• The zoo’s petition opposing it continues to gain momentum. [Change.org]
• Meanwhile, North Nashville residents have also started petitions opposing Fisk University’s proposed data center. [WKRN]

🌊 NDOT’s Flood Warning Pilot Program

The Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure is launching a flood warning pilot program on Old Glenrose Avenue in South Nashville. The program would close off flood-prone roads with automatic gates. The setup includes flood sensors, cameras, and real-time monitoring to track rising water levels. NDOT has yet to set a timeline for installation. [WKRN]

Summer is here, and there’s no better way to spend a hot summer day than in a pool. Here’s your guide to Nashville’s public pools, from community center dips to hotel rooftop destinations.

🏊 Metro Parks Swimming Pools

Metro Parks manages 10 public pools, both indoor and outdoor. While we used to have more, segregation led to the closure of some public pools, like Centennial Park’s.

Before heading out, check the community center’s schedule for open swim hours. While most Metro Parks pools are free, Wave Country and Centennial SportsPlex charge $10-$12 for admission. Centennial SportsPlex is running a membership deal for June, though keep in mind that their pool is closed on weekends. Many community center pools host children’s swim classes for as low as $4.

Also explore public pools in Williamson County and Rutherford County, and the Tommy Garrott Aquatics Facility in Gallatin.

🤽 Fitness Center Pools

Most YMCAs in Middle Tennessee have indoor or outdoor pools, and sometimes both. Use the search function to find out which facilities have pools. Membership is required, but you can apply for financial assistance, or receive discounts if you’re a senior, BlueCross BlueShield insurance carrier, or in the military (including veterans and retirees). Both current and prospective members receive a 20% discount through referrals.

The Gordon JCC in Bellevue also has great outdoor and indoor pools, and membership is open to everyone, regardless of religion.

👙 Hotel Pools

Did you know that many hotels in Nashville offer pool passes for locals? You can book hotel pool passes on ResortPass. Pool passes typically run $20-$75 a day. Some of our favorites include the Grand Hyatt, Margaritaville, Drift, White Limozeen at the Graduate, and our newest hotel pool, Salt Ranch, which is offering a swim club membership.

🩱 Water Parks

Nashville has three water parks: Nashville Shores, SoundWaves, and Wave Country. Wave Country is the cheapest option, and folks can bring their own food and drink. Tickets to Nashville Shores cost $50+ (grab a season pass if you plan to go more than once), and the water park has three different pools in addition to slides and other attractions. SoundWaves no longer offers day passes, but locals can get in without renting a hotel room by purchasing a party room, Crowd Surfer FlowRider Party, or Sun Deck Group Pass. These will cost you around $60-$100 per person.