Parks Should be Safe. Investment is the Answer.
Olmsted Parks Conservancy
Connecting nature and neighborhood for thirty years.
In the wake of the tragic April 15 shooting in Chickasaw Park, community leaders gathered for a unity rally on April 16 to discuss what can be done about violence in Louisville.
"Fix the simple things - because I know the recipe for disaster. It's idle time, lack of surveillance and darkness. That equals chaos," declared Dr. Aretha Fuqua, President of The West Louisville Tennis Club. "Get some lighting in these isolated parts of the park. Nobody is doing anything in the light-everything is done in the dark. We know what we know."
Louisville invests significantly less in public parks than peer cities. According to the Parks for All study by Parks Alliance of Louisville, public spending on parks totals $40 per resident in our city, while similar cities spend $107 per resident. Olmsted Parks Conservancy works to bridge the gap between the funding that our Olmsted Parks receive, and the funding that they deserve.
"We stand with the users of Chickasaw Park and demand that action be taken to ensure our parks are safe spaces for everyone in our city," Olmsted Parks Conservancy President and CEO Layla George, MBA said in a statement.
"We ask Mayor Craig Greenberg to include additional funding in his upcoming budget to install additional lighting in Chickasaw Park. We advocate for a Park Ambassador program to build relationships with park users and to ensure the safety of those visiting all our parks.
We advocate for increased park programming and active community centers. Teenagers need safe places, too. They need places to build relationships and their skills, hang out with friends, and find mentors. Teens deserve a future with hope and possibility."
The people of Louisville deserve safe parks. Investment is the answer. See Layla George's full statement: We Stand With Our Friends In Chickasaw Park - Olmsted Parks Conservancy