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ME. YOUR TV WILL START IN 30 SECONDS.[Call to Order]
GOOD AFTERNOON. THIS IS THE GRADUATE REGULARLY SCHEDULED, UM , MEETING OF THE, UH, PARKS AND[Roll Call]
SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE AND COUNCILWOMAN CINDY FOWLER. UM I CAN'T TELL WHO'S ONLINE. I'M JOINED IN CHAMBERS BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON, COUNCILWOMAN RUI AND COUNCILMAN BAKER. OH, OK. AND THEN, UM, JOIN US VIRTUALLY AS COUNCILMAN J COY ARTHUR, COUNCILWOMAN MARILYN PARKER AND COUNCILMAN PAT MULVIHILL. AND WE'VE GOT, UM ONE PIECE OF LEGISLATION ON THE AGENDA TODAY AND THEN WE HAVE, UM UM, THE SPECIALIST DISCUSSION FROM THE, UM PARKS CONSERVANCY. I THINK I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL. UM THE SECOND ONE FIRST. SO THAT IS R DASH 036-24 RESOLUTION RENAMING SOUTH CENTRAL PARK TO TAYLOR BERRY PARK. DO I HEAR A MOTION? PROBABLY. BUT IN SECOND UM, I IT[1. R-036-24 A RESOLUTION RENAMING SOUTH CENTRAL PARK TO “TAYLOR-BERRY PARK. Action Required By: October 2024 Sponsors: Phillip T. Baker (D-6) ]
LOOKS LIKE, UM, COUNCILMAN BAKER . IS THIS YOUR LEG LEGISLATION? YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO THAT? YES THANK YOU. I'M SORRY. YES, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THIS IS A, UH, A REQUEST DIRECTLY FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT. THAT PARTICULAR PARK IS IN THE TAYLOR BARRY NEIGHBORHOOD, AND SO, UM, WE ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL OR TAYLOR BERRY NEIGHBORHOOD. AND WE WANNA MAKE THIS CHANGE. AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE. THANK YOU. UH IT'S YOUR EVERYONE'S SUPPORT ON THIS CHANGE. THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANYONE ON THE LET'S SEE. NONE UH, THIS IS A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A VOICE VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY A NOSE LIKE SIGN. AND THIS WILL GO TO, UH, THE CONSENT CALENDAR. UM THE NEXT ANIMAL IS OUR SPECIAL DISCUSSION. IT IS ID 24-0235 OLMSTEAD PARK CONSERVANCY, UM M LE GEORGE FROM O. OLMSTEAD PARKS CONSERVANCY IS WITH US. AND IF YOU WOULD, UM, INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.CAN YOU HEAR ME? LEILA GEORGE HOMESTEAD PARKS CONSERVANCY. NICE TO HAVE YOU HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU. I'M THRILLED TO BE HERE. UM I'M GONNA SEE IF ALL THIS WORKS, UH AND I CAN GO THROUGH THE SLIDES, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE SPOKEN TO METRO COUNCIL. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME. UM I AM THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF OLMSTEAD PARKS CONSERVANCY, AN ART ORGANIZATION WAS FOUNDED IN 1989 BY THEN MAYOR JERRY ABRAMSON AT THE URGING OF A GROUP OF CITIZENS MOST LIVE NEAR CHEROKEE PARK. I THINK WE'VE ALL SEEN THE, UM PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE 1974 TORNADO RECENTLY, AND THEY WERE FRUSTRATED THAT NOT
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ENOUGH HAD BEEN DONE TO REPAIR CHEROKEE PARK. BUT THERE WERE ALSO A LOT OF PLANNERS, CITY PLANNERS AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS ON THAT GROUP. AND SO THEY RECOGNIZE THAT THE VALUE IS NOT JUST CHEROKEE. BUT THE ENTIRE OLMSTEAD PARK SYSTEM AND WHAT WE HAD WAS UNIQUE AND WORTHY OF PROTECTION. FREDERICK LAW, OLMSTEAD, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, FAMOUSLY BEGAN HIS CAREER WITH A, UH WINNING DESIGN FOR CENTRAL PARK IN NEW YORK CITY. HE BELIEVED THAT, UM PARKS WERE COMMON RIGHT OF EVERY CITIZEN. THEY WERE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR THOSE LIVING IN CRAMPED URBAN ENVIRONMENTS WITH LITTLE ALTERNATIVE MEANS TO EXPERIENCE THE HEALING POWERS OF NATURE FOR BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH. THE CONCEPT WE ALL CERTAINLY, UH, EXPERIENCE FIRSTHAND DURING COVID. SO HE DID NOT DESIGN CENTRAL PARK JUST AS A PRETTY BEAUTIFUL GREEN LAWN FOR THESE PENTHOUSE APARTMENTS ON PARK AVENUE CENTRAL PARK ACTUALLY HAD A DAIRY, UH, SO THAT CHILDREN HAD ACCESS TO FRESH MILK. HE SAW PARKS REALLY PLAYING A LARGER ROLE IN PROVIDING A SOCIAL SERVICE. I THINK IT'S REMARKABLE TO CONSIDER HOW FAR AHEAD OF HIS TIME HE WAS WHEN IT CAME TO RECOGNIZING THE VALUE THAT PUBLIC PARKS PLAY IN SOCIETY. SO HE STARTED HIS LANDSCAPE CAREER IN CENTRAL PARK IN NEW YORK, AND HE CLOSED OUT HIS CAREER WITH THE BILTMORE ESTATE AND OUR PARK SYSTEM. HE WAS INVITED HERE IN 1891 BY A GROUP OF COMMUNITY LEADERS TO DESIGN A PARK SYSTEM.CENTRAL PARK HAD BEEN WILDLY POPULATED POPULAR IN CITIES EVERYWHERE ACROSS THE COUNTRY WANTED IN ON THE ACTION. THEY ALL WANTED A GREAT PUBLIC PARK, BUT WE GOT MORE. HE HAD DONE THREE PARK SYSTEMS BEFORE TO A NEW YORK STATE AND THEN THE FAMED EMERALD NECKLACE IN BOSTON. HE LOVED THE A LARGE PARK SYSTEM WHERE YOU COULD SPREAD THE USAGE OUT. EACH SPACE FELT DIFFERENT AND FAR MORE PEOPLE HAD ACCESS. SO HE PROPOSED THREE LARGE FLAGSHIP PARKS CHEROKEE IN THE EAST IROQUOIS IN THE SOUTH AND SHAWNEE IN THE WEST, CONNECTED BY PARKWAYS. SHAWNEE WAS THE MOST FORMAL OF ALL THE PARKS. IT HAS THE LARGE GREEN LAWN FOR FIELD GAMES AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS WIDE BOULEVARD SUITABLE FOR PARADES AND ACCESS TO THE RIVER FOR ACTIVE RECREATION. IT HAS A ROSE GARDEN THERE. IT DID HAVE A ROSE GARDEN THERE, WHICH WAS THE MOST FORMALLY PLANTED AREA IN THE ENTIRE PARK SYSTEM. CHEROKEE PARK WAS DEVOTED ALMOST SOLELY TO PASTORAL BEAUTY LANDSCAPES WORTHY OF MASTERPIECE ART. IT HAS BARE GRASS CREEK RUNNING THROUGH IT IN THE INNER PART IS WELL SHIELDED FROM SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS. IROQUOIS IS THE LARGEST AT ABOUT 750 ACRES, NOT INCLUDING THE GOLF COURSE. AND IT WAS KNOWN AS OUR YELLOWSTONE PARK. IT HAS MAJESTIC VISTAS AND DENSE WOODLANDS. IT IS A PLACE OF SYLVAN BEAUTY. SO ONE THING THAT I FIND SO REMARKABLE IS IF YOU THINK FROM RIGHT HERE, RIGHT WHERE WE ARE SITTING, YOU CAN GET TO 300 ACRES OF SHAWNEE PARK 400 ACRES AT CHEROKEE PARK AND UNDER 10 MINUTES, NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS SERVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE, AND WE ALL LOVE GREAT PLAYGROUNDS AND BASKETBALL COURTS. BUT WHAT WE HAVE WITH OUR THREE LARGE FLAGSHIP PARKS IS WILD NATURE PLACES WHERE YOU CAN TRULY ESCAPE THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF CITY LIFE AND BE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY NATURE. I THINK THAT IS INCREDIBLY UNIQUE TO OUR CITY. SO WHAT MAKES OUR PARK A SYSTEM AND NOT JUST A COLLECTION OF PARKS ARE OUR PARKWAYS. WE HAVE SIX OF THEM CONNECTING THE THREE FLAGSHIP PARKS. WE HAVE STANS BE IN WAYSIDE AT THE INTERSECTION, ENABLING THE CONNECTION OF SOUTHERN PARKWAY TO IROQUOIS PARK. THERE IS NOW A PLAN FOR BROADWAY ALL THE WAY TO CONNECT CHEROKEE AND SHAWNEE PARKS, WHICH WOULD CREATE A GREEN MULTIMODAL RING AROUND THE CITIES, SOMETHING THAT OTHER CITIES WOULD DREAM OF HAVING. SO FREDERICK LAW, OLMSTEAD RETIRED IN THE LATE 18 HUNDREDS, AND HIS SON, JOHN CHARLES OLMSTEAD TOOK OVER THE LAW OF A PROJECT HE FILLED IN OUR SYSTEM WITH SMALLER, WELL, SOMETIMES SMALLER , SOMETIMES LARGER, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS SO THAT MORE PEOPLE HAD ACCESS TO QUALITY PARKS WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE. MANY OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS GREW UP AROUND THEIR OLMSTEAD PARKS AND CARRY THE SAME NAME. YOU CAN SEE SHELBY PARK VICTORY PARK, SHAWNEE CENTRAL OR CHICKASAW. I MEAN, ALL OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, REALLY ARE ROOTED WITH OLMSTEAD PARK. SO FOR ALMOST 50 YEARS, OUR CITY INVESTED IN THE OLMSTEAD PARK SYSTEM THROUGH MULTIPLE MAYORAL ADMINISTRATIONS, PERIODS OF ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY OUR CITY INVESTED IN THESE PUBLIC SPACES, PAYING FOR LAND, INFRASTRUCTURE, TREES AND STAFF. SO I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE LUCKY THAT OUR CITY FOREFATHERS HAD THE LEADERSHIP AND VISION TO INVEST IN WHAT WE HAVE THE LARGEST AND MOST FULLY REALIZED PARK SYSTEM THAT OLMSTEAD EVER DESIGNED. WE SHOULD ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE STILL LUCKY TO HAVE IT. OUR PARKS HAVE NOT BEEN SOLD TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER. TURNED OVER TO JCPS AS SHELBY PARK WAS ALMOST, UH YEARS AGO. THESE ARE AMAZING ASSETS THAT BELONG TO EVERYONE IN OUR CITY, AND IT IS ALL OF OUR JOBS TO PROTECT THEM AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE HERE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. ONCE YOU LOSE A PARK, YOU CAN'T GET IT BACK. SO I'M GRATEFUL TO THIS COMMITTEE AND METRO COUNCIL AS A WHOLE FOR PRIORITIZING INVESTMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF
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OUR PUBLIC PARKS. I THINK IT REALLY IS CRITICAL WORK. OUR OLMSTEAD PARKS ARE PRIMARILY IN THE URBAN CORE OF OUR CITY. SO THAT MEANS THE AVERAGE PARK USER IS MORE DIVERSE, UH, MAYBE LESS LIKELY TO HAVE ACCESS TO A VEHICLE TO DRIVE ELSEWHERE, LIKELY AS A LOWER LIFE EXPECTANCY AND INCOME LEVEL. THIS IS WHO OUR PARKS WERE DESIGNED TO SERVE, AND IT DRIVES THE URGENCY THAT WE WORK WITH TODAY. OUR MISSION, SINCE 1989 HAS REALLY REMAINED UNCHANGED.WE ARE HERE TO PROTECT LOUISVILLE'S OLMSTEAD PARK SYSTEM. IT'S WHY WE WERE FOUNDED TO ADD ANOTHER LAYER OF CARE TO OUR PARKS AND TO PROTECT THEM. AND THAT IS STILL WHY WE EXIST TODAY. SINCE WE WERE FOUNDED. WE HAVE WORKED WITH OUR PARTNERS AT LOUISVILLE PARKS AND RECREATION TO INVEST OVER $60 MILLION IN OUR PARKS SINCE YOU ALL APPROVE THE BUDGET, AND YOU UNDERSTAND MORE THAN REALLY ANY OF MY OTHER AUDIENCES EVER HAVE THIS WORKS? UM I'M GONNA EXPLAIN A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THIS. SO THIS $60 MILLION NUMBER IS REALLY THE AMOUNT THAT WE PROVIDE WITH PRIVATE DONATIONS. IT IS MAYBE FEDERAL GRANTS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED DIRECTLY AND THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT THAT WE REQUEST OF THE MAYOR EACH YEAR FOR THE CAP. BUDGET SO THERE HAS BEEN MORE THAN 60 MILLION THAT HAS COME IN. MAYBE THROUGH MID YEAR BUDGET CYCLE ADJUSTMENTS, YOUR NDF FINES, OTHER POTS OF MONEY THAT I'M NOT EVEN THINKING ABOUT. BUT THIS IS REALLY ABOUT AS GOOD AS I CAN, UH, DO TO COME UP WITH THIS LIST SO YOU CAN SEE THE PARKWAYS HAVE GOTTEN A LOT.
REALLY UP UNTIL THE PAST FEW YEARS. OUR INVESTMENT HAS BEEN VERY EQUITABLE, UM, BUT REALLY DIVIDED BETWEEN THE TOP THREE FLAGSHIP PARKS, CHEROKEE. UM IROQUOIS AND SHAWNEE HAVE GOTTEN THE BULK OF THE FUND. SO IT WASN'T REALLY A PART OF TOWN THAT DIDN'T SEE INVESTMENT IN RELATION TO THE OLMSTEAD PARKS. IT WAS THE SMALLER NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS THAT DIDN'T SEE AS MUCH INVESTMENT. I THINK ALL THE FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT HAVE COME INTO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAVE MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE. I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE THAT ALGONQUIN IT'S NOW FOURTH ON THE LIST. THIS IS A VERY CONSERVATIVE NUMBER FOR ALGONQUIN. IF WE KNOW THAT 11 MILLION WAS BUDGETED FOR ALGONQUIN AND NORTON POOLS, I JUST PUT 5.5 MILLION HERE. I THINK, UM ALGONQUIN PROBABLY IS GETTING A BIGGER CHUNK OF THAT MONEY. ALGONQUIN COULD BE MORE THAN IROQUOIS CHEROKEE BY THE END OF THE DAY WITH THE POOL. UM CHICKASAW, YOU SEE, THAT NUMBER HAS A LOT OF MONEY BAXTER SQUARE THAT'S REALLY DRIVEN BY THE NEW COMMUNITY CENTER THAT'S BEING CONSTRUCTED THERE NOW. SO SOME OF THESE SMALLER NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS GETTING A LOT OF INVESTMENT NOW, UM, WHICH WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF, AND EXCITED ABOUT. UM SO OUR WORK HAS REALLY EXPANDED SINCE WE WERE FOUNDED. WHEN WE STARTED, OUR WORK WAS REALLY WHAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT.
WE RAISED PRIVATE DOLLARS TO LEVERAGE CITY FUNDING TO INVEST IN OUR PARKS. SINCE THEN, WE HAVE REALLY EXPANDED. WE DO A LOT OF THE DAY TO DAY WORK IN OUR PARKS. SO WE CATEGORIZE THIS IN FOUR BUCKETS, PARK PROJECTS, STEWARDSHIP, OUTREACH AND ADVOCACY AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING. PARK PROJECTS. WE WORK WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT DAILY JASON CANWELL IS ON MASS SPEED DIAL. AND I THINK WE, UH, TALK TO EACH OTHER ABOUT AS MUCH AS WE TALK TO ANYONE ELSE. SO WHAT WE DO IS WE MEET IN THE WINTER AND TALK ABOUT WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE FOR THE BUDGET THE NEXT CYCLE. WE HEAR FROM CONSTITUENTS ON PARK CONCERNS EVERY DAY. I KNOW YOU ALL HEAR FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS ABOUT PARKS EVERY DAY. IT'S REALLY ONE OF THE PRIMARY THINGS THAT PEOPLE REALLY CARE ABOUT. SO WE TAKE THAT INPUT. UM WE MEET AND DISCUSS THE PROJECTS THAT WE THINK ARE THE MOST URGENT AND IMPACTFUL GET OUR LIST LINED UP WITH EACH OTHER. THEN WE CAN, UH, COMMUNICATE WITH THE NEIGHBORS, SO WE TALK TO THEM. MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ON BOARD WITH THE PROJECT AND WE GET LETTERS OF SUPPORT FROM VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS OR SUPER USER GROUPS. SARAH WOLF, WHO IS OUR DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH AND ADVOCACY, THEN LIKELY REACHES OUT TO YOU ALL. UH, WE SCHEDULE A MEETING WITH THE METRO COUNCIL PERSON AND WHOSE DISTRICT THAT PARK PROJECT IS AND ENSURE SUPPORT FROM THEM. THAT MEANS BY THE TIME WE GO TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND MAKE A REQUEST WE'VE MET WITH ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS AND REALLY GOTTEN A LOT OF BUY IN FROM ALL THE UM, PARTNERS TO DEMONSTRATE SUPPORT FOR THE PROJECT, SO THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. THESE ARE A FEW HIGHLIGHTS. YOU CAN SEE. UM TYLER PARK, WE TOOK FOUR TENNIS COURTS AND MADE TWO TENNIS COURT. UM A COUPLE OF PICKLEBALL COURTS BASKETBALL COURT CENTRAL PARK. WE DID A HUGE, REALLY PHENOMENAL FULLY 80 A ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUND. PAVILION AT CHEROKEE AND THE RESTORATION OF THE LILY POND AT SHAWNEE PARK WITH NEW CHESS TABLES WAS FUN. SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 45 CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS OF SOME SOUSER SCOPE GOING ON IN 15 OF OUR PARKS RIGHT NOW, SO THERE IS A TON OF WORK. UM, THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR OLMSTEAD PARKS. I'M JUST GOING TO TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF THEM. UM ONE THAT I THINK IS REALLY, REALLY EXCITING IS CHICKASAW PARK JUST BECAUSE IT DEMONSTRATES SO MUCH COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP. I THINK THERE ARE, UM THERE'S $5 MILLION BEING INVESTED RIGHT NOW ACROSS NON DIFFERENT PROJECTS
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WITHIN THE PARKS WITH FUNDING FROM AT LEAST EIGHT DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, SO THERE IS A LOT HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME. IT'S INCREDIBLE MOMENTUM. CHICKASAW CELEBRATED 100 YEARS LAST YEAR, SO IT'S A REALLY WONDERFUL WAY TO HONOR THAT HISTORY. UM THIS IS AN IMAGE HERE OF A PROJECT THAT'S REALLY BEEN DRIVEN BY THE NATURAL AREAS DEPARTMENT OF LOUISVILLE PARKS AND REC. GREAT SUPPORT FROM WILDERNESS LOUISVILLE AND WE'RE PLAYING KIND OF A SUPPORTING ROLE. THIS IS THE NATURE PLAYGROUND WITH THIS LOOKOUT THAT, UM, LOOKS OVER THE OHIO RIVER. IT IS FANTASTIC. I MEAN, IT IS ONE OF THE COOLEST PROJECTS HAPPENING IN OUR PARKS. WE'RE SUPPLEMENTING WITH A LOT OF LANDSCAPING AND MAYBE SOME MATERIALS AND HELPING WITH THE DESIGN FOR THE NATURE PLAY EQUIPMENT. UM, BUT IT'S JUST A REALLY COOL PROJECT, SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT EVERYTHING HAPPENING IN CHICKASAW. ONE PROJECT THAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT . THERE IS, UM, A PLAN TO HONOR CHICKASAW'S MOST FAMOUS PARK USER. AND, OF COURSE, OUR FAMOUS SON FROM LOUISVILLE, MUHAMMAD ALI. WE ALL KNOW THE STORY OF HIM GOING BACK TO CHICKASAW AND RUNNING IN HIS, UH, BOASTFUL WAY AND HIS FULL OLYMPIC GARB AND HIS GOLD MEDAL. SO WE DID A SURVEY OF CHICKASAW PARK USERS A FEW YEARS AGO TO SEE WHAT THEY WANTED TO SEE HAPPEN ON THEIR PART. WHAT KIND OF INVESTMENT UM, THE NUMBER ONE THING WAS BATHROOMS AND THE LODGE. SO THAT WAS OUR PRIORITY FOR FUNDING. BUT SOMEBODY WROTE IN WITH AN IDEA FOR A BUTTERFLY AND BEE GARDEN TO HONOR MUHAMMAD ALI AND I THOUGHT, WELL, WE THAT'S A POLLINATOR GARDEN. WE DO THAT STUFF ALL THE TIME. SO UM, WE TALKED WITH SOME FRIENDS AT GLENVIEW GARDEN CLUB BECAUSE THE GARDEN CLUB OF AMERICA WAS CELEBRATING, UH, FREDERICK LAW, OLMSTEAD'S 2/100 BIRTHDAY LAST YEAR. WITH OTHER NATIONAL PARTNERS. SO WE'VE GOTTEN ABOUT $40,000 TO DO A HUGE LIKE 1 TO 3 . ACRE UH, POLLINATOR MEADOW THERE AT CHICKASAW, RIGHT BY THE POND TO HONOR MUHAMMAD ALI.ELLIOT IS ANOTHER FANTASTIC PROJECT. UM IF I LOOK AT WHAT 5 MILLION COULD, UH, GET DONE, AND TRIG USA? IT'S ASTONISHING TO THINK THAT 3 MILLION IS GOING INTO A PARK OF 15TH OF THE SIZE.
UM BUT ELLIOTT HAS A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON, AND, UM, HAPPENING IN THAT PARK SO YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT. THIS IS THE DESIGN THE MASTER PLAN. WE STARTED THIS IN 2020 REALLY GETTING INPUT FROM NEIGHBORS. SO WE FIND OUT WHAT'S WORKING IN THE PARK. WHAT'S NOT WORKING? WHAT? WANT TO SEE, WE TALK TO A LOT OF RESIDENTS AT ELDER SERVE. THERE'S DIFFERENT SCHOOL GROUPS THAT USE IT. THERE'S THE LOUISVILLE GATORS PEE WEE FOOTBALL LEAGUE. SO TALKING TO ALL THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE PARK ALL THE TIME. WHAT DO THEY WANT? WHAT DO THEY NEED? AND THEN WE MARRY THAT WITH THE ORIGINAL OLMSTEAD DESIGN SO YOU CAN SEE THIS IS A REALLY FORMALLY DESIGNED PARK AND KIND OF THE TOP RIGHT QUADRANT AND THE BOTTOM RIGHT QUADRANT. THOSE WERE LIKE MEN'S AND WOMEN'S GYMNASIUMS. SO IT WAS ACTIVE RECREATION ALREADY. SO WHAT'S IS DIFFERENT, BUT THE DESIGN REALLY FOLLOWS THAT ORIGINAL DESIGN INTENT, UM, FROM THE OLMSTEAD FIRM. SO THE GENTLEMAN ON THE RIGHT HERE ARE, UH, POURING THE SPRAY PAD, SO IT'S GONNA GET A NEW SPRAY PAD. UH, BICYCLE, UM, BASKETBALL COURT ADULT FITNESS STATION SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE AT CHICKASAW PARK PLAYGROUNDS. PRETTY NEW, BUT THIS IS GONNA BE A NEW SPRAY PAD AND THEN FIXING UP THE PAVILION AND BATHROOMS, TREES, LANDSCAPING, ALL THAT GREAT STUFF. WHOOPS SO THEN WE ALSO, UM DO A LOT OF WORK ON OUR OWN THAT WE FULLY FUND AND MANAGE. SO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS SO MUCH MONEY RIGHT NOW THAT THEY'RE SITTING ON IN SO MANY PROJECTS THAT IT REALLY DOES LIFT A BURDEN OFF THEM TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE PROJECTS ON OUR OWN. SO THESE ARE TWO EXAMPLES OF PROJECTS THAT WE FULLY FUNDED WITH. NO UM CITY INVESTMENT AND MANAGE SO THE RESTORATION OF HOGAN'S FOUNTAIN WE DID COORDINATE WITH THE METRO ART COMMISSIONER ON WHEN THEY WERE GOING TO RESTORE THE STATUE. AND THEN WE DID THE UM, SURROUNDING THE AREA LANDSCAPING, NEW COBBLESTONES AND ALL THAT REALLY HELPED WITH EROSION ON THE TRAILS BEHIND THERE IN THE WOODLANDS AND, UM, CREATING A MUCH SAFER ENVIRONMENT FOR A REALLY, REALLY BUSY AREA OF CHEROKEE PARK ON THE RIGHT IS THE LARGEST NATURAL PLAYGROUND IN THE CITY. WE DID THIS IN SHAWNEE PARK AND, UH, TOOK A LOT OF TREES AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT HAD FALLEN AND DIED IN THE PARK AND REUSED THEM AND REPURPOSED THEM TO MAKE THIS REALLY COOL. UM, HUGE.
PLAYGROUND THAT'S BEEN POPULAR. SO THE THIRD AREA OF WHAT WE DO OR THE SECOND AREA IS STEWARDSHIP, SO WE HAVE A NATURAL AREAS MANAGEMENT CREW, UM IN A LANDSCAPE CREW, SO THE NATURAL AREAS MANAGEMENT CREW DOES A LOT OF LIKE PRAIRIES, MEADOWS. THINGS LIKE THAT. YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE THESE SUPER CUTE GOATS, UH, THAT WERE AT IROQUOIS PARK LAST YEAR. SO WE DO A LOT OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH WITH DIFFERENT HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. UM THE GOAT PROJECT WAS DONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY. WE ALSO HAVE DONE A LOT OF, UH RESEARCH PROJECTS WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE AND BELLARMINE. THE PICTURE ON THE
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RIGHT IS CHEROKEE PARK. UH, THIS IS AFTER THE TORNADO, SO THIS IS AN AREA THAT WAS REALLY DECIMATED BY THAT TORNADO. YOU CAN SEE THE TREES ARE REALLY PRETTY YOUNG IN THERE, BUT IT WAS FILLED WITH HONEYSUCKLE. SO AFTER 20 YEARS OF WORK, IT'S REALLY, UH, RESTORED AND IS QUITE LOVELY. SO I'M PROUD OF ALL THAT WORK THAT WE'VE GOTTEN DONE THERE. LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT IS THE OTHER PART OF STEWARDSHIP . SO WE DO THE DESIGN, THE INSTALLATION AND THE MAINTENANCE OF A LOT OF OUR FORMAL LANDSCAPE BEDS. THESE TWO MIDDLE PICTURES ARE, UM, WORK THAT WE DID AT TYLER PARK. THE PARKS DEPARTMENT CAME TO US A FEW YEARS AGO AND SAID THERE, YOU KNOW, SQUEEZED FROM A PERSONNEL STANDPOINT, AND THEY JUST COULDN'T DO ALL THE LANDSCAPE. BAD MAINTENANCE ANYMORE. SO WE HAVE TAKEN ON ALL OF THAT. REALLY FOR OUR 17 OLMSTEAD PARKS, WE DO ALL THE LANDSCAPE. THAT YOU SEE IN THE PARKS. WE ALSO DO ALL THE BENCH INSTALLATIONS, TREE PLANTING THINGS LIKE THAT. AND THEN LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT WITH A CAPITAL. L IS WHAT THEY SAY. SO LIKE THE NORTH OVERLOOK AT IROQUOIS, WE MAKE SURE YOU CAN SEE OUT AND SEE THE CITY SO KIND OF VISTAS AND, UM, VIEW SHEDS. WE MANAGE THOSE THE THIRD BUCKET OF WHAT WE DO IS OUTREACH AND ADVOCACY. SO SARAH WOLF LEADS THAT FOR WORK FOR US, AND I KNOW THAT ALL OF YOU KNOW, SARAH PROBABLY SHE IS OUR MAIN CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION WITH PARK NEIGHBORS USERS, UM GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS. SHE ATTENDS MEETINGS CONSTANTLY. UM AND SHE WORKS NOT ONLY WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS BUT WITH USER GROUPS. SO MAYBE THE EQUINE TRAIL ASSOCIATION OUT AT IROQUOIS OR WEST LOUISVILLE TENNIS CLUB AT CHICKASAW PARK, UM, KENTUCKY. MIKEY ASSOCIATION AND THEN DIFFERENT COMMUNITY GROUPS LIKE ALGONQUIN COMMUNITY.UNITED ELDER SERVE KENTUCKY SHAKESPEARE, LOUISVILLE BALLET, SO REALLY CONNECTING WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE USING OUR PARKS TO ENSURE THAT THE PARKS ARE MEETING THEIR NEEDS, UH, THEY ACT AS ANOTHER SET OF EYES AND EARS ON THE GROUND FOR US, AND THEY CALL US WHEN THINGS AREN'T WORKING. UM VICTORY PARK IS THE FIRST FORMAL FRIENDS GROUP THAT WE EVER DEVELOPED. WE DID THE MASTER PLAN FOR THIS PARK AND PROBABLY LIKE 2015, OR 16 MET WITH THE NEIGHBORS FIGURED OUT WHAT WAS WORKING OR NOT WHAT THEY WANTED TO SEE, AND THEN MARRIED THAT WITH THE HISTORICAL OLMSTEAD DESIGN FOR THE PARK. THIS WAS DURING A PERIOD WHERE A LOT OF FOUNDATIONS AND COMPANIES RECOGNIZED THAT INVESTMENT HAD BEEN AN EQUITABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THEY WERE REALLY ATTRACTED TO PROJECTS IN WEST LOUISVILLE, SO WE HAD A GOAL OF DOING ONE COMPONENT OF IT. MAYBE THE BASKETBALL COURT OR THE PLAYGROUND, BUT EVERYBODY WANTED TO INVEST IN VICTORY PARK, SO WE GOT ENOUGH MONEY TO DO THE ENTIRE WELL, THE NEIGHBORS WERE THRILLED. THEY WERE LIKE NOBODY EVER ASKED US WHAT WE WANTED AND THEN TURNED AROUND AND GAVE IT TO US, SO THEY WANTED TO KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING. SO WE FORMALIZE THIS GROUP OF NEIGHBORS INTO FRIENDS OF VICTORY PARK. UM WE DID FURTHER ENHANCEMENTS. WE RESTORED THE LODGE BECAUSE THEY WANTED A PLACE REALLY FOR MEETINGS AND EVENTS. UM WE SUPPORT THEIR EVENTS ALL THE TIME, WHETHER IT'S VICTORY PARK DAY, OR, UH, THEY DO. HALLOWEEN PARTIES. TURKEY GIVEAWAYS. WE REALLY SUPPORT WHAT THEY ARE DOING IN THE PARK IN TURN. YOU CAN SEE THEY COME OUT AND SUPPORT US. SO THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT IS JUST NEIGHBORS WHO WALKED OUT OF THEIR FRONT DOOR SAW US IN THE PARK PLANTING AND CAME OVER TO HELP. UM WE HAVE THAT ALMOST EVERY TIME WE WORK AT VICTORY.
THOSE NEIGHBORS ARE ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. SO THIS IS A REAL SUCCESS STORY ON POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS THAT CAN BE MANAGED WHEN YOU REALLY WORK WITH THOSE NEIGHBORS IN THE PARK. WE'VE EXPANDED THAT PROGRAM WE NOW HAVE FRIENDS OF, UM CENTRAL PARK, IROQUOIS PARK BINGHAM, SHELBY TYLER. AND ELLIOTT PARK. SO WE'VE YOU KNOW, ALL THE PARKS ARE DIFFERENT. ALL THEIR CONCERNS ARE DIFFERENT. UM SOME OF THEM WANT MORE PROGRAMMING. SOME OF THEM WANT, UM, HELP PICKING UP TRASH. I'M LOOKING AT BETSY. THAT'S IROQUOIS PARK. USERS ARE OUT THERE EVERY DAY PICKING UP TRASH FOR US. SO UM, WE'RE REALLY FORTUNATE TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO CARE SO MUCH. UM AND THEN THE LAST THING WE DO IS COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING. SO A LOT OF TIMES AS I MENTIONED THAT SUPPORTING OUR NEIGHBORS EVENT, SO TYLER PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AS 1/4 OF JULY PARTY, WE SUPPORT THAT, UM, VICTORY PARK DAY HERE ON THE BOTTOM AND ON THE RIGHT.
WE'VE DONE THE, UM FALL FESTIVAL AT SHELBY PARK. YOU CAN SEE, UH, AN ACTIVATION AT ELLIOTT PARK IN THE BOTTOM, UH, LEFT WITH A BICYCLE CREW. THAT'S THERE ALL THE TIME, SO WE REALLY SUPPORT WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING AND TRY TO MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM. WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF PARTIES ON OUR OWN. SO WE DO POP UP EVENTS. WE DO FREE PLAY EVENTS. WE DO HAY RIDES. WE'VE KIND OF MOVED AROUND DIFFERENT PARKS. AND THEN THE PHOTO ON THE LEFT IS ONE OF OUR VOLUNTEER PROJECTS. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF VOLUNTEER GROUPS THAT COME OUT WHETHER IT'S FROM COMPANIES OR SCHOOL GROUPS. AND THEN WE HAVE JUST EVERY DAY. UM INDIVIDUALS WHO WANT TO HELP AND SUPPORT OUR PARKS. SO WE HAVE 73
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ACTIVE PARK STEWARDS. THOSE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH A SIX WEEK TRAINING PROGRAM WITH US HAVE THEIR OWN AREA THAT THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR. WE SUPPLY THEM WITH ALL THE TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT THEY NEED, AND THEY GO ON THEIRWN FE TIME AND TAKE CARE OF THEIR LITTLE SPACE, SO IT REALLY DOES ALLOW US TO GET MORE DONE AND ALLOW SOME OF THESE AREAS, UM, REALLY, TO SEE A MUCH HIGHER LEVEL OF CARE. AND THEN FINALLY, THE LAST THING UM, IS WE HAVE PURCHASED PROPERTY, SO WE NOW ARE THE PROUD OWNERS OF 25 ACRES OF LAND . THAT IS RIGHT NEXT TO CHEROKEE PARK. UM ABOUT ALL TO VSA, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE MY YEAH. SO THIS IS CHEROKEE PARK RIGHT HERE. SO IT UM, IS JUST KIND OF SURROUNDED BY CHEROKEE. ALL THIS AREA IS WOODLAND. IT HAS BARE GRASS CREEK FLOWING THROUGH THERE, AND PEOPLE USE IT AND TREAT IT AS IF IT WERE PARK WITH TRAILS, SO IT WAS REALLY OUR GOAL TO PROTECT THAT SPACE. UM WE'RE IN THE FINAL STAGES OF DEVELOPING A MASTER PLAN FOR THIS PROPERTY RIGHT NOW THAT WILL UNVEIL NEXT MONTH AND WE HAVE PUT VOLUNTARY RESTRICTIONS ON THIS PROPERTY SO THAT IT IS A PUBLIC PARK IN PERPETUITY. UM SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DOING, UM, ON OUR OWN. I FEEL LIKE WE'RE FINALLY GROWN UP, SO I JUST SHARED A LOT OF INFORMATION WITH YOU, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.HAVE ABOUT WHAT WE DO. WE PROJECTS IN OUR PARKS. THANK YOU , LEILA. I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. IT WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION. I'M SURE THERE'S UM QUESTIONS FROM SOME OF THE, UM OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS. UM, HOLD ON JUST A SECOND. UM, COUNCILMAN TO CORY ARTHUR. THANK YOU. CHAIRWOMAN AND THANK YOU, LEILA. I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING THAT SERV TOY DOES.
AND THE VICTORY PARK, CALIFORNIA NEIGHBORS ARE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR WORK AND SARAH'S WORK.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM PARKS FOR ALL THE LAST RECOMMENDATION TALKS ABOUT A CO ORDINATED STRATEGY. WITH NONPROFITS AND LOUISVILLE PARKS AND REC. I KNOW WE'RE KIND OF IN LIMBO WITH THE DIRECTOR SEARCH. BUT I'M CURIOUS SINCE THE ACTION PLAN WAS RELEASED, HAS THERE BEEN AN EFFORT? TO BRING IN CONSERVANCY, THE PARKS ALLIANCE WILDERNESS, LOUISVILLE WITH PARKS AND REC TO FORM BEST PRACTICES, GET TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER, MOVING FORWARD TO IMPLEMENT THE PLANS. THE SHORT ANSWER IS NO. UM, I WILL SAY THAT INFORMALLY. I WORK CLOSELY WITH BROOKE AND PRESANT, WHO RUNS UH, THE PARKS ALLIANCE AND PRESANT WITH WILDERNESS LOUISVILLE, SO WE COMMUNICATE AS A TEAM. UH, WE'VE BEEN IN SORT OF THIS WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP GROUP WITH PARKS AND REC AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS LIKE WATERFRONT PARK. UM, FOR A LONG TIME, SO WE DO TALK ABOUT PROJECTS. I THINK THE PROJECTS THAT WE DO ON THE GROUND TEND TO OVERLAP MORE WITH WILDERNESS LOUISVILLE JUST BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING HAPPENING IN CHICKASAW, FOR EXAMPLE, SO HAVE WORKED WITH THAT TEAM A LOT WITH SPECIFIC PROJECTS. BUT BECAUSE THE PARKS ALLIANCE, UM WORK IN THE PARKS, THEY FOCUS ON PARKS THAT ARE NOT OLMSTEAD PARKS. SO THERE'S THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ANY PROJECTS WHERE WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER. UM I CAN SAY THAT WE ARE THE THREE OF US. BROOKE CHANT AND MYSELF, ARE PART OF THE BLOOMBERG HARVARD GROUP THAT'S BEEN WORKING ON, UM , TRYING TO INCREASE PUBLIC SAFETY IN OUR PARKS. SO WE'VE BEEN MEETING ON THAT SO THINK THAT THERE'S A GOOD COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR ORGANIZATIONS. UM PARKS, ALLIANCES, HIRED A GENTLEMAN TO DO A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND HE'S BEEN MEETING WITH SARAH. SO THERE IS COMMUNICATION, BUT THERE HASN'T BEEN ANYTHING THAT HAS COME FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO TRY TO, UM, LEVEL SET ANY OF THAT, I GUESS. THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. UM, COUNCILMAN HUDSON. THANK YOU. CHAIR. THANK YOU. YEAH. CURIOSITY QUESTION. UH, YOU MENTIONED THE WORK YOU DID ON POS PENALTY. YOU WORK. WAS THE PAVILION, THE TEPEE, UH, PART OF THAT PROJECT, AND IF SO, DO YOU HAVE AN UPDATE ON ON WHAT THAT IS SO WHAT WE D WAS REALLY JUST THE FOUNTAIN. SO IT WAS ON THE OTHER SIDEF TH STREET. UM WE DID NARROW THE DRIVING LANE AND THINGS LIKE THATBUT IT DIDN'T INVOL THE T THE SHELTER THERE. UM THAT HAD BEEN ROSSHE STREET. UM I DO KNOW THAT IT WAS FAULT LIKE IT WAS ACTIVELY COLLAPSING. AND I UNDERSTOOD THAT SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS AT THIS POINT. IT'S NOT THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY , RIGHT. THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER
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PROJECTS THAT ARE A HIGHER PRIORITY FOR BOTH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND FROM HOMESTEAD PARKS CONSERVANCY RIGHT NOW, I THINK THAT AT SOME POINT IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS CERTAINLY THERE NEEDS TO BE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, BECAUSE, UM THAT PLAYGROUND IS OUTDATED AND THE SPRAY PAD IS CERTAINLY OUTDATED. SO THAT ALL NEEDS THE WHOLE AREA NEEDS TO BE REDONE. SO THERE NEEDS TO BE A PLAN FOR KIND OF THAT WHOLE SECTION. UM WHICH WOULD PRESUMABLY INCLUDE SOME SORT OF SHELTER TO TAKE THAT SPOT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN COUNCILWOMAN RUI.THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, LEILA, I THINK BACK TO WHEN THE FRIENDS OF IROQUOIS PARK WAS JUST A BUNCH OF PEOPLE AND WE GOT YOUR PHONE NUMBER, AND WE INUNDATED YOU WITH TEXT MESSAGES. AND YOU SAID NO START SENDING ME TO SARAH WOLF INSTEAD. SO WE'VE COME A LONG WAY SINCE THAT. YES AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WAY OLMSTEAD HAS WORKED TOGETHER AND YOU TALK ABOUT HOW YOU WORK WITH METRO PARKS. AND ALTHOUGH I KNOW FROM BEHIND THE SCENES, I KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT WHERE MONEY IS COMING FROM EVERYTHING ELSE. BUT IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT FROM THE FRONT, IT ALL JUST SEEMS SO SEAMLESS. GOOD TO SEE THAT THAT THAT YOU ALL ARE BOTH WORKING TOGETHER, AND THINGS ARE BEING ACCOMPLISHED TO HELP PROTECT OUR PARKS AND MAKE THEM BETTER. I'VE GOT TWO QUESTIONS. FIRST ONE YOU TALKED ABOUT THE PLAYGROUND UP THERE IS OUTDATED. WHAT MAKES AN OUTDATED PLAYGROUND? I THINK PLAYGROUNDS HAVE A LIFESPAN. LIKE MANY OTHER THINGS. SO YOU ALL PROBABLY HEARD ABOUT SENECA PARK PLAYGROUND, RIGHT? LIKE THINGS WERE BREAKING. AND SO WHEN IT BREAKS, YOU KIND OF TAKE THAT. OFF UM, SO THEY JUST HAVE A NATURAL LIFESPAN, PROBABLY OF 20 YEARS OR SO. THE SPRAY PADS THAT ARE THERE ARE THE OBELISK. JUST THE CONCRETE OBELISK THAT COMES UP. UM MS D HATES THEM BECAUSE IT'S JUST WATER RUNNING CONSTANTLY. UM SO IT'S JUST REFRESHING. THAT WHOLE AREA IS NEEDED. OK THANK YOU AND LOOKING AT THE PICTURES OF VICTORY PARK AND REMEMBERING ALL THE NEGATIVITY AROUND VICTORY PARK AND THEN ALL THE MONEY THAT'S INVESTED. HOW'S IT HOLDING UP IS THE, UH, SOCIAL FABRIC AND EVERYTHING AROUND THERE IS THE VANDALISM GONE DOWN. HOW'S THAT WORKING? IS IT BETTER BECAUSE OF ALL THE MONEY AND THE COMMUNITY INPUT? I WOULD SAY THAT I MEAN, ABSOLUTELY LIKE WE DON'T HAVE ISSUES AT VICTORY PARK THE WAY WE HAVE IT SOME OF OUR OTHER PARKS WITH VANDALISM OR GRAFFITI OR THINGS LIKE THAT, AND I THINK A BIG PART OF IT IS THAT PEOPLE HAVE OWNERSHIP OVER THAT PARK. UM IT BELONGS TO THEM, NOT TO ME. GOVERNMENT IT IS THEIR PARK AND SO THEY TREAT IT DIFFERENTLY. I MEAN, I WAS AT THIS WAS WHEN I STARTED I'D BEEN HERE, PROBABLY A YEAR AND I WAS AT SHELBY PARK AND I WAS IN A DRESS, SO I CERTAINLY LOOKED AT A PLACE ON THE PLAYGROUND AND THIS CAR DROPS BY AND HE ROLLS DOWN HIS WINDOW AND SAID, ARE YOU WITH OLMSTEAD PARKS CONSERVANCY AND I WAS LIKE, YEAH, AND HE SAID I LIVE BY VICTORY PARK AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE. THAT PARK HAS NEVER LOOKED BETTER AND UNNOTICED. SOME CEILING TILES FELL DOWN. SO IF YOU ALL NEED HELP CLEANING IT UP, YOU JUST LET US KNOW AND WE'LL OVER AND HELP YOU SO IT'S JUST IT IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT ATTITUDE. UM I JUST THINK IT IS ABSOLUTELY ONE OF OUR GREATEST SUCCESS STORIES. GOOD. I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? UM, COUNCILMAN MULVIHILL. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU, LEILA FOR BEING HERE. UM CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT YOU? YOU MENTIONED JUST IN YOUR BRIEF REMARKS THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH OTHER AGENCIES ABOUT SORT OF PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES. CAN YOU TOUCH ON THAT, UH, AS A KID, UH, WHO USED TO THIS IS MANY YEARS AGO. I'M GONNA SHOW MY AGE, BUT THERE USED TO BE PARK RANGERS, UH, GEORGE ROGERS CLARK PARK, IN FACT, HAD A PARK RANGER. I KNOW IT'S NOT AN ELSTEAD PARK. UM, HAS THERE BEEN TALK ABOUT REINSTITUTING THAT OR OR HAVING MORE OF A PRESENCE. I KNOW ONE THING THAT WE'VE DONE OR ATTEMPTED TO DO YOU KNOW YOU GET SOME CAMERAS AND THAT SORT OF THING AS AS KIND OF DETERRENT IN IN VARIOUS PLACES WHEN YOU HAVE PROBLEMS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK IS VERY UNFORTUNATE IS IN SOME PARTS IS BATHROOMS AREN'T BE AREN'T ABLE TO BE USED BECAUSE THEY'RE DESTROYED. TORN UP. THEY'RE HAVING TO BE REDONE. OVER AND OVER. SO UH, WE USE UH, PORTALS INSTEAD. SO I JUST BE CURIOUS ABOUT SOME OF THE INITIATIVES THAT YOU YOU MAY BE WORKING ON IN THAT ENDEAVOR AND THEN I GUESS IF THERE'S UH UH, A FINANCIAL ASK OF THIS COUNCIL OR THIS GOVERNMENT WHAT THAT MIGHT BE IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. SURE SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR ORGANIZATION HAS TALKED ABOUT. FOR A LONG TIME. UM WHETHER IT'S AMBASSADORS OR RANGERS OR WHAT
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THAT LOOKS LIKE, UM, I THINK IT'S DIFFERENT IN EVERY CITY IN EVERY COMMUNITY. SOME PEOPLE HAVE POLICE FORCES THAT ARE WITHIN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT. SOME OF THEM HAVE KIND OF SPECIAL PARK FORCES WITHIN THEIR REGULAR POLICE DEPARTMENT. SOME HAVE AMBASSADORS, SO THERE'S ALL DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO IT. UM THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IN THIS, UH BLOOMBERG HARVARD GROUP THAT WE'VE BEEN, UM, WORKING WITH. WE'RE MAKING FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS, PROBABLY IN JUNE. I WOULD GUESS, BUT THAT IS DEFINITELY ON THE TABLE. UM I HAD SOMEBODY CALL ME TODAY ABOUT AN ISSUE SHE SAW AT SENECA PARK, AND SHE SAID I CAME FROM CHICAGO AND WE USED TO HAVE PARK RANGERS . I HAVEN'T SEEN A SINGLE PARK RANGER SINCE I'VE MOVED HERE AND I SAID, WELL, THAT'S BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THEM, UM PERSONALLY, I THINK SOME SORT OF COMBINATION LIKE THERE'S THE, UM AMBASSADORS THAT YOU SEE ON BARDSTOWN ROAD OR IN, UM BEACHMONT AND DOWNTOWN THAT PICK UP TRASH. THEY ANSWER QUESTIONS. I THINK SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WHERE YOU HAVE A CONSTANT PRESENCE OF SOMEONE WHO CAN POINT YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR THE PLAYGROUND OR CHECK THE BATHROOMS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, CLEAN AND STOCKED AND PICK UP TRASH AND WEED AND WHATEVER ELSE BUT THEN CALL FORCE IF NEEDED. IF YOU NEED SOMEBODY WITH A BADGE TO COME OUT BECAUSE SOMEBODY IS BREAKING THE LAW OR SOMEBODY NEEDS MEDICAL ATTENTION , UM, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE SOME UNIT THAT'S SPECIALIZED FOR THAT TYPE OF SITUATION. THANK YOU. AND I KNOW WE HAVE, UH, A POLICE A BUSY POLICE FORCE. AND SO THAT SOMETIMES I THINK WE HAD ISSUES WHETHER IT BE PARKING OR MOTORCYCLES OR A TV S GOING THROUGH THE PARKS, WHICH THEY'RE NOT DESIGNED TO DO. ACTUALLY, THERE'S SIGNS THAT SAY IT. UH, BUT THEY DON'T GET HIGH PRIORITY. SO I THINK LOOKING AT MAYBE AMBASSADORS OR OTHER FOLKS WHO CAN, UH, LEND A HAND WOULD BE WOULD BE HELPFUL. UM, BECAUSE I MEAN, EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT OUR PARKS. THEY'RE GREAT THROUGHOUT THIS COMMUNITY, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE USABLE FOR EVERYBODY. SO I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. AND I AGREE, I. I HAVE BEEN, UM ASK AND REALLY FEEL LIKE THAT. WE NEED TO HAVE PARK RANGERS. I THINK THAT IT'S UM THE ANSWER TO A LOT OF OUR ISSUES. UM I DON'T SEE ANYONE ELSE IN THE QUEUE. UM I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. IT'S VERY INFORMATIONAL. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK. YES.WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU. ALSO HAVE, UM LITTLE ONE SHEETS FROM OUR ANNUAL REPORT. YEAH, THOSE DOWN OR I'LL JUST, UM.
WITH NO OTHER BUSINESS BEFORE US WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.