June 2011 - Parks & Recreation - 67

The Parklands at a Glance

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Louisville's Mayor Greg Fischer believes the Parklands of Floyds Fork will attract international attention. " The Parklands of Floyds Fork is a city-changing
project involving committed partners and the citizens of Louisville, " Fischer says. " With David Jones
and his son, Dan, providing leadership for creating
4,000 acres of new parks that include part of the Louisville Loop, we build on our legacy of Olmsted parks
and parkways. In the 1890s when city leaders committed to creating a park system for Louisville, they
gave us a tremendous foundation of green space.
" With the 100-mile Louisville Loop, the 18 Olmsted Parks and six parkways, our 6,400-acre urban
forest, and our other 104 parks, the Parklands puts
Louisville on the map for tourism, improves property values, and makes Louisville a truly green city, "
Fischer continues.  " It is a global best practice that will
draw interest from around the world in how parkland
can shape a city of the future. "
21st Century Parks CEO Dan Jones summarizes the impact of the Parklands of Floyds Fork: " As a
community project, focused on the development of
public amenities, it creates new spaces available for
use by all members of our community. When Frederick Law Olmsted developed the idea of the American
public park in the 19th century, he saw parks as critical infrastructure for a diverse and rapidly changing
democracy. That importance will not diminish as we
move into the 21st century. " 

Mark Young of Columbus, Ohio, is Chair of the

NRPA Park Resources Network. To follow the progress
of the Floyd's Fork project, visit http://theparklands.
org/ and http://21cparks.org/

	

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paths, bark parks.
Numerous facilities for family picnics and community events
Accessible fishing holes, canoe
launches, ball fields and much more

Funding
Construction cost: $75 million. Funds raised to date for development and
land acquisition: $100 million+
■■ $50 million from local individuals,
■■ Louisville Metro appropriated
corporations, and foundations)
$1.5 million for the project's first
playground
■■ Federal transportation appropriation provided $38 million for park ■■ $10 million received from the
development
state of Kentucky

Timing
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Construction on the first demonstration project, the Creekside
Playground and Sprayground, began in summer 2010 and will
open in spring 2011.

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Phase I construction to begin in
summer 2011
The Parklands to open in phases,
beginning in 2012, with the entire
system scheduled to be open by
2015.

Administration
21st Century Parks currently manages the park development process and
through the establishment of an annual fund and endowment will be responsible for park operations and maintenance in the future .

Environmental Attributes
The Parklands will create a significant urban habitat corridor that will stretch
15 miles within Louisville's boundaries, linking together what are today scattered fragments of forest. It will protect and enhance the landscape for numerous species of plants and animals, including:
■■ 25 species of reptiles and
■■ 19 species of mammals such as otamphibians
ters, flying squirrels, mink, and
beaver
■■ More than 40 species of fish
■■ 20 species of rare freshwater
■■ 138 species of birds
mussels
■■ 450 species of native plants, including the endangered Kentucky
■■ Federally endangered gray and
glade cress
Indiana bats

www . N R P A . O R G

J U NE 2 0 1 1

Parks & Recreation	 65

quadrant photography

Community Impact

100 miles of new trails for hiking,
biking and horseback riding
22 miles of canoe trail along
Floyds Fork Creek
Children's playgrounds, walking
June 2011 - Parks & Recreation

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