From 1948-1980, Lynn View High School ingrained itself in the community, educating and bringing students together from seven different communities.
As the epicenter of sports, cultural and educational activities in Lynn Garden, the three-story building connected families from Bell Ridge, West View, Fort Robinson, Cedar Grove, Bloomingdale, and Orebank.
After the class of 1980 graduated, the building stopped housing high school classes and became Lynn View Middle School through 2003 and Tri Cities Christian School until 2008. Afterward, Lynn View became vacant and a memory of the great times the community had.
Hoping to see a revival of the kind of community pride that raged while Lynn View was the home to the Lynx, the City of Kingsport reopened the building as a community center in 2010. The Lynn View Community Center has become a passion project for HMG’s director of rehabilitation Dr. Alan Meade, who serves as the Lynn View Advisory Committee chair.
“I think the community spirit is here,” says Dr. Meade, now in his fourth term as a member of the advisory committee. “When you talk to some of the committee members on the advisory team, they love it. They reflect fondly on this school and when they attended, and they love the community and the Lynn Garden. There’s a great spirit here, and everyone is so passionate about making their community successful.”
The City of Kingsport has put its money where its heart is, spending more than $3 million since 2010 to upgrade and add new facilities.
With the help of Holston Medical Group, the community center was awarded a three-year grant from Project Diabetes that assisted in track renovation, a new playground, a basketball court and pickleball court.
“From a health and wellness perspective, this is ideal,” Dr. Meade says. “The track has allowed more people to come in and exercise. And next spring, our track will be the welcoming host of the 2022 Healthy Kingsport Annual Wellness Walk.”
Dr. Meade’s work coincides with HMG’s “Mission into Motion” initiative which promotes volunteers to serve not-for-profit charities, churches and schools. HMG volunteers have given more than 2,000 hours of time into programs and service on boards.
Wellness for All
The former school has undergone renovations to make all access points align with the Americans with Disabilities Act and accessible as a center for seniors.
The senior community has embraced the center as a meeting place and a central location for seminars and health classes. In the last couple of years, HMG geriatric medicine specialist Dr. Ronna New has held health classes here, and Dr. Meade has taught about caring for back injuries.
“Giving back to the communities we serve, outside the walls of our facilities, is so important in meeting the needs of our community,” Dr. Meade says. “It means so much to me that HMG supports these efforts, and I’m proud to be a part of the HMG team.”
“As a liaison to this advisory team, HMG has allowed me that time and opportunity to do this,” Dr. Meade says. “We’re looking for great accomplishments that we soon will have beyond the track and playground.”
Though part of Lynn View houses a senior center, the building is welcoming to residents of all ages from the community and into neighboring states. The location has also held bicycle safety classes for kids, introducing the value of the community center to children and families.
“The Lynn View Community Center is not just for the Lynn Garden neighborhood, and we want everybody in Kingsport and the surrounding area — even southwest Virginia — to come, enjoy the facility, enjoy the programs that are here and take advantage of this wonderful neighborhood,” says Kitty Frazier, the Kingsport Parks and Recreation manager.
The Eastman Volleyball leagues, baseball and softball programs, and football programs call the Lynn View Community Center home.
In addition to holding wellness classes for citizens of all ages, the model train club meets at the community center, and the Kingsport Carousel carvers maintain a studio to build and repair the carousel animals.
An average of 50,000 people have found activity, safety and security at the center annually.
More to Come
The City of Kingsport has funded landscaping around the building and added lights to the football field. Bleachers have been renovated and replaced so that the football stadium can return to its former glory.
A baseball field has also been upgraded, and a mural depicting accomplishments of the city was recently completed.
There’s still more on the horizon. Within the next year, a pickleball court and a ½ basketball court will be added.
“I still have a couple of things I’d like to see happen,” Dr. Meade says. “The first would be a theater. I’d like to see the theater rebuffed and revitalized and rebuilt so that we can use that.”
Dr. Meade adds that he’d like to include a cafeteria with a kitchen for the senior center.
As with so many projects across the country, COVID-19 impacted the progress at Lynn View Community Center. With the reopening, the parks and recreation department is thrilled to welcome more and more citizens back to the building. For now, portions of the Lynn View Community Center and some surrounding parks can be rented for reunions, to teach classes or for family parties.
“COVID dramatically affected our ability to provide any programs inside – after school and senior programs and rentals,” Frazier says. “Our doors are now open and we’re at full service again. We invite people to come out and get involved! We always have projects in motion and community support and engagement is critical to our success.”