Plans for the largest acquisition toward implementation of the city’s Open Space Plan of 600 acres on the Stones River and along the Stones River Greenway have been announced by Mayor Karl Dean. Named the Stones River Farm property, it would connect three other major pieces of Metro parkland and open space through greenways and waterways to establish a 1,500-acre regional park system comparable in scope to Warner Park in west Davidson County.

“Just as city leaders had the vision to set aside park land for Centennial, Shelby, Warner and Hadley 100 years ago, preserving this vast, beautiful acreage helps establish a grand park for future generations to enjoy,” Dean said. “Nashville’s Open Space Plan identified this type of property as a high priority, and the city now has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bring it into our park system.”

The Stones River Farm property was first identified in the 1990s as a green space priority for a regional park. The land features almost four miles of river frontage, including a highly scenic bend in the Stones River at its confluence with the Cumberland River.

The tract of land is adjacent to the Metro-owned Ravenwood property and is across the Cumberland River from the 648-acre Peeler Park and Taylor Farm, also owned by Metro. The park would directly serve the Donelson, Hermitage and Old Hickory communities in northeastern Davidson County, and existing greenways connect it to downtown Nashville.

Legislation was filed with the Metro Council on Dec. 7 for an option to purchase the property. A contract on the property has been negotiated and obtained by The Conservation Fund, a national nonprofit organization that specializes in facilitating deals between landowners and local governments. Subject to Metro Council approval at its Dec. 18 meeting, Metro would purchase the property from The Conservation Fund in early 2013.