NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — West Meade neighbors are demanding answers about the future of the closed Hillwood High School, a sprawling 30-acre property they hope will benefit the community again.
Residents say they pay some of the highest property taxes in Nashville, yet they’ve been waiting three years for city leaders to respond to their suggestions.
When I brought those concerns to the school district, I learned of a short-term plan that surprised even well-informed neighbors.
A spokesperson for Metro Nashville Public Schools told me a small, two-classroom pre-K center is planned for the site for the 2026-2027 school year, pending board approval. A larger center is possible if the city funds it.
The spokesperson also said the site is already serving multiple purposes, including graduations, and could be used temporarily for a future West Meade Elementary replacement. However, the district is not seeking community input on other uses.
It has been three years since the Hilltoppers played at Hillwood High School, but neighbors remember the energy as if it were yesterday.
"You heard the crowds cheering, you heard the football players knocking and you heard the band," Mit Voecks said.
Voecks grew up nearby and now serves on the West Meade Neighborhood Association. She is eager to know what comes next.
"We reach out constantly. Constantly to the mayor, council people, to MNPS and it is amazing how many different answers you get with what's going to happen to this property," Voecks said.
Neighbors say access to the Metro-owned property has been limited, with some tennis courts locked. While some fields are now used by Hume Fogg and MLK high schools, neighbors say they deserve a voice in the bigger picture, especially since West Meade has no community center or park, unlike most other Nashville neighborhoods.
"A lot of people are frustrated over here because we pay some of the highest taxes in Nashville, but we don't get anything for our taxes," Voecks said.
While some courts and the track are open, neighbors say that is not enough. They want more, or at least a larger share of the property.
"Why let this thing sit here and deteriorate? It's not fair to the community to let it sit here and drive by it and see it continue to go down and go down and go down," Voecks said.
If you could talk directly to city leaders, what would you ask them? Let me know in an email: Hannah.McDonald@NewsChannel5.com. I want to help.
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