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Photo: Louisville Metro Council
Councilwoman Vicki Aubrey Welch (D-13) is inviting everyone to come out and share their thoughts and ideas on the proposed Fairdale Village Center Planning Project at a special community workshop on Tuesday, July 31.
“The Fairdale Village Center is a unique, vibrant, and attractive neighborhood center proposal that is both a gateway to the Jefferson Memorial Forest and a destination unto itself,” says Welch. “This workshop is a way to learn more about the project and at the same time gives the community the chance to offer their thoughts on what Fairdale should like in the future.”
The community workshop will be held at the Fairdale Branch of the Louisville Free Public Library at 10620 W. Manslick Rd. from 3:00pm to 7:00pm. This will be an open house forum with presentations on the Fairdale Village Center at 4:00pm and 6:00pm.
With the construction of the Fairdale Roundabout, Welch says this project will seek to build on the area’s momentum. It will further develop Fairdale’s unique sense of place, enhance the village center’s green space and green infrastructure, explore opportunities for economic development, and plan for upgrades to the area’s streets and sidewalks.
“The future development of Fairdale is one of my top priorities because this is home to generations of families. This project will build upon the recommendations of the 2006 Fairdale Neighborhood Plan,” says Welch. “I want the community to get involved and express their thoughts on what makes Fairdale special and how we can continue to improve the quality of life for everyone.”
This process is being managed by Louisville Metro’s Office of Advanced Planning and a team of local consultants from Taylor, Siefker, Williams Design Group. The focus area is primarily composed of the Fairdale Village Center Form District with further attention being given to the major roads leading up to the new roundabout. The project is anticipated to take about six months.
For more information about the Community Workshop, contact Councilwoman Welch’s office at 574-1113.
Councilwoman Mary C. Woolridge (D-3) is inviting everyone to come out to the Annual Community Unity and Back To School Festival on Saturday, August 12th in Algonquin Park for some great summer fun. It will be a fun filled afternoon and evening for the entire family and a way to help kids get ready to go back to school.
“I am very pleased that the community once again sees Algonquin Park as an important place for all the neighborhoods in the area. The individuals who love the community stepped up to be lifeguards so the Algonquin Pool could be opened when all the other pools were opened and the pool would not open late,” says Woolridge. “As a way of saying thank you, we want to have a little fun and help children in need have a good start to the new school year.
The Annual Community Unity and Back To School Festival will get underway from 1:00pm to 8:00pm in Algonquin Park located at Cypress and Burwell Streets.
There will be a Back to School Back Pack and School Supply giveaway starting at 2:00pm. 500 back packs will be given away while they last. The backpacks will include rulers, notebooks, folders, pencil pouch, glue stick and more supplies.
All children must be accompanied by an adult to receive a backpack and supplies.
The festival will also feature food from Mack Bar-B-Que and free hot dogs beginning at 2:00pm until they are gone, compliments of Councilwoman Mary C. Woolridge.
There will be music from Eddie Abraham 4:00pm to 5:30pm and the very popular Unlimited Band 6:00pm to 8:00pm.
Metro Parks will be on hand providing inflatables, face painting, balloons and other activities for the kids.
Everyone is encouraged to bring their lawn chairs, kick back and enjoy a great summer day in Algonquin Park.
“This is truly a community event with a purpose: making sure our children are ready for school and helping our families. We also want the community to have a chance to enjoy themselves with a little fun in Algonquin Park which is such a great asset to the community,” says Woolridge. “I hope everyone will come out and join us.”
For more information about the Annual Community Unity and Back To School Festival, contact Councilwoman Woolridge’s office at 574-1103.
Mayor Greg Fischer is inviting all local faith leaders to sign on to a new online tool designed to better connect faith-based organizations with each other and Louisville Metro Government.
The Mayor’s new Faith Directory also will allow city leaders and staff to communicate information; hear concerns and suggestions; and to establish a list of venues for possible events and programs.
The Mayor will announce the new directory during a press conference at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8 at Metro Hall, just before a 1:30 p.m. forum for area faith leaders. All faith leaders are invited to join.
(Sign on to the new directory)
The Mayor said the new directory is an extension of the city’s #BeThe1 efforts to engage citizens, business leaders and faith organizations in ways to help prevent violence in our community.
“Our faith leaders are at the forefront of our compassion efforts in Louisville, and they are important partners in sharing and supporting our long-term violence prevention efforts,” the Mayor said. “This directory will create a more sustainable mechanism for communication. We will use it to keep the leaders and their congregations and constituents apprised of what we’re doing, including faith forums and other events where they can share their advice on what else we can be doing.”
Metro’s Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods is working with the Mayor’s community engagement team and others to establish the directory, which invites faith groups to provide information ranging from their leadership, contact information, available meeting space and location.
Faith leaders can sign on by completing a survey at http://louisvilleky.gov/BeThe1.
For more information or to RVSP for Tuesday’s forum, contact Community Engagement Specialist Althea Jackson at (502) 574-1050, or althea.jackson@louisvilleky.gov.
Olmsted Parks Conservancy is recruiting volunteers to help enhance Elliott a 109-year-old park located between 28th and 29th street, a block north of Broadway in Louisville’s west end. Its four acres of land sandwiched between residential properties and commercial serves as a gathering to play basketball and horseshoes and play on the playground.
The Conservancy seeks help with weeding, mulching trees and playground, painting and other general cleanup around the whole park. With the goal of enhancing the park for the neighborhood to further enjoy. People interested in helping are asked to register online at the Events page at http://www.olmstedparks.org/ or call contact Sarah Wolff at (502) 456-8125.
Volunteers can help in Elliott Park on these dates:
July 22, 2017 from 10:00am- 12:00pm
July 25, 2017 from 6:00pm – 8:00pm
On July 29, Dreamsetters United, an organization empowering youth, have committed time at Elliott Park with 40-50 teens and young adult volunteers. “We are extremely excited about renovating Elliott Park in hopes that the community can come together in a nice place which in theory will help minimize the amount of crime in the area. We just want to help bring the community back together,” stated Hassan Latifalia, Founder, Dreamsetters United.
As early as 1863 the land now known as Elliott Park, was used as a recreation area. In the late 1870 it was home to the Eclipse Baseball Club, pro and semi-pro teams. The park was destroyed by fire in 1892 and the park stayed vacant until 1906 when parks commission took over the deed from the city. Then in 1908 the Olmsted firm was hired to create a design for the park. The park was named Elliott Park after Theodore Elliott donated the land.
Elliott Park is a popular area for the Russell neighborhood. Olmsted Parks Conservancy is committed to keeping the park as a welcoming greenspace until funds are donated to create a plan for future renovation.
Gov. Matt Bevin yesterday met with more than 400 faith leaders and concerned citizens at Louisville’s Western Middle School to address the epidemic of violence that is gripping the heart of Kentucky’s largest city.
He invited churches and other community groups to commit to “adopt” an inner-city neighborhood block to visit 2-3 times per week over the course of the next year—respectfully walking the perimeter in teams of 3-10 individuals to pray for and get to know local residents.
“I truly believe we’re going to see a difference in this city,” said Gov. Bevin. “I personally believe in the power of prayer. I’ve seen it evidenced in our community and across others.”
“Don’t lose sight of this: these are the sons and daughters of Louisville and Kentucky,” he said. “We owe it to each other to have each other’s back on this.”
Please click the following links to access pertinent resources:
- Presentation from Gov. Bevin’s “Reclaiming Our Communities” message
- Maps of Louisville-Jefferson County homicides: 2015 | 2016 | 2015-17
- Listing of potential Louisville-Jefferson County neighborhood blocks to “adopt”
“Do we still need economic, political and law enforcement solutions? Of course we do,” noted Gov. Bevin. “This will not take their place but we feel it will make a real difference.”
For more information or to commit to “adopt” a block, please contact Adrienne Southworth at reclaim@ky.gov.
Five members of the Louisville Metro Council are seeking public comment on the proposed 2017 -2018 Capital and Operating Budgets at a special community meeting on Monday, May 22nd at the Louisville Urban League.
Councilmembers Jessica Green (D-1), Mary C. Woolridge (D-3), Barbara Sexton Smith (D-4), Cheri Bryant Hamilton (D-5), and David James (D-6) are inviting their constituents to come out and share their thoughts on what should be in the upcoming budget.
“It is important to me that the citizens of District 1 have a voice in this budget process because for far too long, they have felt ignored and left out,” says Green. “I want everyone to have an understanding not only of what the process is, but what is actually in the budget in order to be able to advocate for what citizens in my community want and need.
“Everyone knows there are not unlimited resources so we invite the community to help us set priorities for funding that improves the quality of life of our residents,” says Hamilton.
“We want to reach out to everyone. It is important that we hear from folks in the neighborhoods, homeowners, and business owners.” says Sexton Smith. “We have to rely on the public to give a perspective we may not be aware of when it comes to priorities and we want to make it easier for them to participate and ask questions.”
The Metro Council Budget Committee has already begun its hearings on the budget and will spend the months of May and June reviewing Metro Government needs before a vote on June 22nd.
The Budget public meeting will be held at the Louisville Urban League, 1535 W. Broadway from 6:30pm to 8:30pm.
“We need public input into the 2017-2018 Louisville Metro Recommended Budget from the community and I am happy to make the effort to hear from taxpayers. I know it is not always easy to come downtown to City Hall due to parking constraints,” says Woolridge. “I hope everyone will attend this community meeting regarding Mayor Greg Fischer‘s Budget. Tell us what you would like to see in this Budget.”
“Bringing the budget public input process from City Hall to the community to hear what the citizens have to say about the budget is a vital step in this process,” says James. “It’s your money and we need to know how you feel about how we are spending it.”
As a way to help Metro Police and keep homes and families safe, Councilman Brandon Coan (D-8) and Councilman Bill Hollander (D-9) are partnering with officers of the LMPD Fifth Division to sponsor a Neighborhood Watch Workshop and Drug Toss on Wednesday, May 24th.
This workshop is a focused effort to increase the number of Neighborhood Watch Programs in both districts.
“We are offering citizens the tools and training to help the police keep District 8 safe. My goal is for fifty percent of all the blocks in District 8 to have registered, effective block watches by the end of 2020, and we will host these workshops quarterly until we get there,” says Councilman Coan.
The workshop will be held at the Douglass Community Center Gymnasium beginning at 6:00pm.
“Fighting crime takes everyone – police officers but also engaged residents. Getting involved in a Neighborhood Watch program is a great way to get to know your neighbors, make everyone aware of their surroundings and help our officers prevent and solve crimes,” say Councilman Hollander.
The event will teach individuals how to organize effective block watches and mobilize neighborhoods to work with police to keep everyone safe. Residents and business owners will get a chance to meet some of the officers who patrol their area while they train on how to form a good neighborhood watch program.
The workshop will also provide an opportunity for citizens to drop off old and unneeded prescription drugs to LMPD at the event for safe disposal.
For more information about the Neighborhood Block Watch and Drug Toss, contact Councilman Coan’s office at 574-1108 or Councilman Hollander’s officer at 574-1109.
