A Year in Review
A Fully Committed Lexington
Inspiration from the civic commons in 2023
Be inspired in the new year with reflections from cities across the country using their civic assets to build trust, connect people of all backgrounds and deliver more resilient communities. Today, the second in our series of photo essays reflecting on the past year of progress features the civic commons work in Lexington.
Elevating the community and history in Splash! at Charles Young Park
In July more than 500 individuals, spanning neighborhood youth, elders, elected officials, philanthropic donors and community supporters, united to commemorate the grand opening of downtown Lexington’s inaugural splash pad, Splash! at Charles Young Park. This celebration extended beyond the introduction of a new playspace, serving as a tribute to the enduring significance that this historic park has held for the neighborhood over nearly a century. It marked a collective acknowledgment of what the park has meant to the community and its commitment to being a cherished space for families and future generations.
From the project’s inception, it was evident that the unique achievements of the park’s namesake Brigadier General Charles Young, a distinguished African American military officer and diplomat who was born enslaved in 1864, would serve as a guiding influence in the park’s redesign. The meandering low-flow water feature is an abstract, naturalistic representation of Young’s complex and compelling life, coupled with a timeline that outlines the water feature and interpretive signs providing additional information to interested visitors. This park is not just a testament to design, but a thoughtful narrative paying homage to a remarkable individual.
The neighborhood residents also expressed their desire to have the significance of the historic park itself and the neighborhood integrated into the project. Charles Young Park holds the distinction of being the second park designated specifically for African Americans in Lexington, marking a pivotal moment in the city’s history. The creation of the park represented a significant stride towards providing equal recreational opportunities for the African American community and offering a dedicated space for gatherings, celebrations and community events. The incorporation of interpretive signage and a community-inclusive approach throughout the project underscores how Charles Young Park is deeply rooted in the community, emphasizing the importance of shared history and collective engagement in shaping a public space that reflects the values of inclusivity and equality.
Rocking out with equitable climbing: Northeastern Park
In March, Lexington’s Division of Parks and Recreation opened a major new amenity in Northeastern Park focused on bringing Kentucky’s rock climbing legacy into the city’s East End neighborhood, which has been experiencing a growth in parks and green space through public and private funding and grants. Perched atop a hill a few blocks from Charles Young Park and across the street from the picturesque views of Thoroughbred Park, Northeastern Park provided a unique opportunity to explore ideas outside standard playground features.
Lexington Parks and Recreation first identified this park as a priority for updates based on its master plan and the condition of existing play structure equipment. Working within a diverse neighborhood that has been historically under-resourced, staff gathered community feedback for new amenities in the park through online and paper surveys distributed to homes, businesses, apartment complexes and during in-person events. The staff heard that many in the community wanted to see more climbing features in the park.
Inspired by resident input and an article on racial equity in the rock climbing field, Lexington Parks and Recreation’s team worked to create an experience that could remove the high barrier for entry to climbing and the need for equipment. The designers used photos of the rock formations from nearby Red River Gorge to create boulders that mimicked natural Kentucky rock. Since the park opened in March, it regularly sees activity from area climbers looking for challenges as well as neighborhood kids and families exploring the sport. Lexington Parks and Recreation began offering Introduction to Climbing (Bouldering) classes at the park in September and has planned future collaborations with climbing organizations.
Town Branch Park — a milestone year
Located in the heart of downtown Lexington, Town Branch Park is a land-reuse project set to transform 11 acres of asphalt parking into Lexington and Central Kentucky’s signature green space. Town Branch Park is a nonprofit organization led by a committed group of community volunteers who privately raised over $39 million to fund the project and is guided by over 16,000 public input comments.
After years of planning, fundraising and designing, Town Branch Park broke ground this past fall. Asphalt has been demolished and work to restore the stream banks of Town Branch Creek itself is underway. The coming months will see the installation of new plants, construction of the permanent stage and performance lawn, children’s play areas, water features and dog park and placement of public art. In 2025, this world-class, diversely programmed green space adjacent to the newly renovated Central Bank Center and Rupp Arena will begin welcoming all.
Sustainability revealed: Integrating water management and native ecologies in downtown
One year after the ribbon-cutting ceremony inaugurating Town Branch Commons, visitors to the downtown bike and pedestrian trail are greeted by blooming flowers, tall native grasses swaying in the wind, and the harmonious sounds of birds singing, crickets chirping, and water bubbling in nearby water features. What was once a landscape dominated by unwelcoming asphalt and concrete has transformed into a small natural haven amidst the bustling downtown.
Town Branch Creek, now largely concealed beneath downtown’s dense urban environment, receives a significant portion of the city’s stormwater runoff. To mitigate these effects, Town Branch Commons seamlessly integrates water management and native ecologies through a network of bioswales and rain gardens for stormwater storage, conveyance, and filtration. Recirculating man-made water features mimic natural stream beds, offering visitors an immersive and educational experience of water.
The Town Branch Water Walk public education initiative can be explored by walking or biking the trail or from the comfort of one’s home to learn more about the history and sustainable aspects of the Town Branch Commons. Made possible through support from the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government’s Stormwater Quality Projects Incentive Grant Program, interpretive signage along the downtown trail is supplemeneted with online materials and videos, digging into topics such as hydrology, geology, transportation, and the history that inspired the design.
A few incredible environmental stats from Town Branch Commons:
- 2,450 tons of native limestone, 2,600 sq. ft. of pervious pavers and over 3,200 cubic yards of urban rain garden soils installed
- Over 330 native trees planted, tripling the number along the corridor
- Over 2,280 native shrubs and 39,600 native grasses, perennials and groundcover planted
Record-breaking spending on public spaces in Lexington: Through public & private investments
Lexington Parks and Recreation is utilizing an unprecedented capital investment of over $28 million from the American Rescue Plan Act to fund 68 projects including playgrounds, trails, sports courts, new facilities, infrastructure improvements and aquatics upgrades. Guided by the Parks Master Plan, locations and priorities were selected based on community recreational needs, with a special focus on park equity, access and inclusion. As 2023 draws to a close, Parks is celebrating that over half of these projects are complete and the benefits of this historic investment are being experienced citywide.
Lexington’s massive public investment in parks and green space is being matched by the private sector, much of which has happened in partnership with the public sector. A significant portion of these investments is taking place at either end of Town Branch Commons. To the west, Town Branch Park recently completed a $39 million fundraising round for the park’s capital construction costs. To the east, Splash! at Charles Young Park has raised close to $1 million in private funding through the Blue Grass Community Foundation, including donations from the Knight Foundation, Kentucky American Water and others.
Educating and uplifting our community
In the fall, Lexington Public Library hosted Undesign the Redline at its downtown location. The exhibit, curated by Designing the We and underwritten by the Lexington Public Library Foundation, explored national and local instances of institutionalized racism from enslavement through today. The exhibit was designed to show the impact that historical policies continue to have today and explores the cycle of racism in public policy. Topics included redlining, restrictive covenants, Black hamlets, urban renewal, drug enforcement, environmental justice, gun violence, affordable housing and much more.
In conjunction with the exhibit, the Library hosted a community read of Richard Rothstein’s The Color of Law and hosted dozens of programs related to the book. Two in particular helped first time homebuyers navigate the process, which were offered in both English and Spanish. The series culminated with an author event with Dr. Rothstein along with his daughter and co-author, Leah Rothstein, as they discussed The Color of Law and its sequel, Just Action, in partnership with the Blue Grass Community Foundation and the University of Kentucky.
Undesign the Redline was incredibly impactful for all of Lexington. Thousands of people visited the exhibit, and it inspired countless conversations about how we can be better. Lexington’s Commissioner of Housing Advocacy and Community Development referenced Undesign in his presentation to City Council about income discrimination and public comment surrounding the issue also demonstrated what the community learned through the exhibit. Lexington’s Division of Planning staff, nonprofit executives, philanthropists, library staff and the general public all demonstrated a greater understanding of our racist history. Now that we know better, we can do better.
Reimagining the Civic Commons is a collaboration of The JPB Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, William Penn Foundation, and local partners.
