"Visitors are encouraged to continue avoiding contact with the water and to keep pets away from the lake while the advisory signs are posted." Metro Parks put that line in its October 9 update on Lake Watauga. That came just under six weeks after Centennial Park opened a new event pavilion on the edge of that same lake.
Phase Three cost $12 million and was built on top of two earlier phases totaling $21 million under a master plan from 2010. It moved the park's daily center toward Park Plaza, 31st Avenue North and the lake. The cafe, the pavilion, the new entrance and the paths are all open now. Some of what the plan promised is still on the way, though, and the lake that ties the new pieces together is under a water advisory this month. Your fall Saturdays at the park depend on knowing which parts are finished and which aren't.
The Park Has a New Front Door on Park Plaza
The first change shows up behind the wheel. The Centennial Park Conservancy's construction page lays out the new traffic pattern:
- 27th Avenue North now runs straight into Park Plaza and past the new Croquet Cafe.
- The old entrance near the Centennial Art Center is exit-only now.
- You still reach the Art Center from 25th Avenue North.
- New paths around Lake Watauga link the west and east sides of the park. They pass the Event Pavilion, the cafe and the Sunken Garden on the way to Park Plaza and 31st Avenue North.
If you've always come in by the Art Center, you'll be routed out that way now, not in. FOX 17 reported that the new Park Plaza entrance was designed to make driving in from North Nashville easier. The Conservancy's own wording is careful. It says the north side is open to the public and that the revitalization is "anticipated to be complete by the fall of 2026." Expect some finishing work to still be visible.
What the Croquet Clubhouse Became
The new entrance leads straight to the old Croquet Clubhouse at 2530 Park Plaza, which dates to 1963. It's now the Croquet Cafe, and it opened August 29, 2026, with the rest of the north side. NewsChannel 5 called it Centennial Park's first full-service food spot.
The menu is built for picnics. It includes chicken salad croissants, pimento sandwiches, veggie wraps, salads, paninis, hot dogs and picnic boards, plus soft serve, smoothies and locally roasted coffee. According to the cafe's site, it's open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends.
Two details matter more than the menu. The Centennial Park Conservancy runs the cafe as a nonprofit in partnership with Metro Parks, and the proceeds go back into park improvements. The building also has public restrooms, plus indoor seating and an outdoor courtyard. FOX 17 noted that restrooms were something visitors had been asking for in park surveys. Those restrooms are why the north end now works for a long afternoon, not just a quick lap.
A Pavilion Built to Face the Water
A short walk along the new paths brings you to the Centennial Park Event Pavilion. It's 6,465 square feet, it replaced the old event shelter on Lake Watauga, and it's the first new structure in the park since 1963. It seats more than 400 people for a banquet and holds 1,250 standing. The Conservancy says it opened to the public August 29, and opening-day coverage on Nashvegas put the ribbon-cutting at 10 a.m. that Saturday.
The public calendar has filled in slowly. Celebrate Nashville billed its Scarritt Bennett stage as the pavilion's inaugural guest at the October 3 festival. Next up is the United Way Season of Sharing Kick Off, set for Saturday, October 24, from 10 a.m. to noon. Nonprofit partners will be there to talk about volunteer opportunities. The Conservancy lists the pavilion's address as 2520 Park Plaza.
Metro first issued water-sampling notices for Lake Watauga on September 21. The October 9 follow-up was better news. Testing found low toxin levels "not considered a health threat," treatment is ongoing, and Metro expects cooler temperatures to help. Metro Parks is working with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation on monitoring. More testing is planned, and the advisory signs are staying up for now. The paths, the pavilion and the cafe courtyard are all open. Only contact with the water is discouraged, and if you bring a dog, that's the rule to keep in mind on the lake loop.
What's Finished and What's Still Penciled In
The Conservancy describes the pavilion as a venue "for a variety of programs, including Big Band Dances." Read that as a plan more than a schedule. Here's where each piece of Phase Three stands as of October 12, 2026:
- Croquet Cafe: Open daily, with posted hours and public restrooms.
- Event Pavilion: Open to the public since August 29, with public events on the calendar.
- New entrance and lake paths: Open. Use 27th Avenue North to get in, and the Art Center entrance is exit-only.
- Private pavilion rentals: Not open yet, as far as public pages show. The Conservancy's private events page says permits will be available "shortly," that Metro Parks runs the venue with the Conservancy, and that inquiries go to the Conservancy. The page isn't dated.
- Big Band Dances: These are a future use of the pavilion. The 2026 series ran June 13 through August 15 at the Parthenon Ellipse or the Centennial Art Center, and it ended before the pavilion opened.
- 440 Greenway link: Metro's greenway projects page lists a 0.2-mile extension along Park Plaza, crossing 31st Avenue, as in procurement. Groundbreaking is expected in the fourth quarter of 2026, which hasn't been confirmed.
The greenway is the piece that would change how people reach the north side. The new lake paths already run toward Park Plaza and 31st Avenue North. FOX 17 reported they were designed to connect with the future 440 Greenway expansion, but that segment hasn't been built yet. For now, the paths end at the street.
The Rest of October, Starting From the Cafe
Most of the park's fall calendar now has a restroom and a coffee counter within walking distance. Here's what the Conservancy and the Parthenon have scheduled through mid-November:
- Through October 30: The International Artists Exhibition at the Centennial Art Center, featuring work by international artists who live in Nashville.
- Saturday, October 17, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Nashville Humane's Dog Day Festival, with a Doggie Fun Zone, a Kids Zone and dog costume contests. The listing gives the address as 2500 West End Avenue. With the lake advisory in place, it's a good day to keep dogs on the lawn and off the shoreline.
- Saturday, October 24: The United Way kickoff at the pavilion from 10 a.m. to noon, and the Walk to End Lupus Now from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
- Tuesday, October 27, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Stroll & Roll, a walk led by a naturalist.
- Friday, October 30, 7 to 11 p.m.: Night at the Museum: Halloween at the Parthenon.
- Sunday, November 8, 7 to 9 p.m.: Soulful Sounds in Nashville at the Parthenon.
- Saturday, November 14, 7 to 9:30 a.m.: The Walk to End Alzheimer's.
Weather has already cut into the season once. The Fall Tennessee Craft Fair closed on October 10 because of forecast flooding and high winds, then reopened October 11 at 10 a.m., according to Tennessee Craft. Event pages are the place to check on a windy morning. For the lake, the signs are still posted, and Metro says more updates will follow as testing continues.
Hosting is the lens Tammi Weed brings to Nashville real estate, and a park that just added a cafe, restrooms and a 400-seat pavilion is a big deal for the homes around it. If you're curious how a refreshed Centennial Park fits into living near West End, or into presenting a Midtown home to buyers who'll walk these new paths, we'd love to talk. Schedule a White‑Glove Consultation.
