KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE)- Thursday the city of Knoxville held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the completion of phase one at Augusta Quarry.

“We’re here to celebrate the completion of the first phase of improvements to Augusta Quarry which is at Fort Dickerson Park the city has been in a partnership with the Aslyn Foundation to improve the aesthetics and access to this area,” said Rebekah Montgomery the Urban Wilderness Coordinator for the City of Knoxville.

Phase one of the project featured a new entrance for the park. It also gave better access to the Quarry and new much-needed parking lot.

This project is actually the second item for Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero. After she made swimming in the quarry legal a few years ago.

“For years there were concerns about people swimming I mean the water is very clean we knew that but just for safety reasons because it is a huge deep pit there were concerns about liability and such but after we worked through that it’s really no different than swimming in Norris lake or swimming you know in the rivers that are deep,” said Rogero.

Phase one of the project cost $1.77 million dollars. No word on when phase the third and final phase will be completed for the park.