County unveils replacement statue at Tank Strickland Park
By Ken Lay
The sultry conditions couldn’t temper the joy Wednesday afternoon as Knox County Parks and Recreation unveiled the replacement of the statue that had been stolen from an East Knoxville park.
Residents and community leaders braved the heat as the county replaced a statue at Tank Strickland Park. The original statue of two children reading on a park bench was stolen from the park in 2024 and never recovered.
Thomas “Tank” Strickland was a Knox County Commissioner from 2002-10. He passed away in 2023 at age 70.
The statue was replaced nearly a year after it was stolen. Terry Strickland, Tank’s widow, was present at last week’s ceremony, along with Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs, Knoxville City Mayor Indya Kincannon and state Representatives Sam McKenzie and Dave Wright, who both served on the county commission with Strickland.
“It was my honor to serve with Tank on the county commission for two years and it was my honor to nominate him as the first Black chairman for the county commission,” McKenzie said.
Jacobs said that the effort to replace the statue exemplified the spirit of Knox County.
“This effort showed the heart and the vigor that make our community, Knox County, the best place in the world to live, work and raise a family,” Jacobs said. “This is a testament to what happens when you have a community of beliefs and shared values.
“I just want to say ‘thank you’ to all the people who made this happen.”
Terry Strickland said that her late husband loved the community and the park.
“When our grandkids were in town, we brought them here,” she said. “Tank loved this park and he loved this community. This is bittersweet, but I have some great memories.”
Through a partnership with the Knox County Public Library, measures are being taken to make sure that the current statue won’t be stolen as a security camera has been installed in the park.
Knox County CAC provided refreshments after the ribbon-cutting ceremony, which was emceed by former Knox County Commissioner Dr. Dasha Lundy.
