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Olmsted Parks Conservancy has received a $49,949 grant from the PNC Foundation to build a new PNC Music Garden in Shelby Park.
Shelby Park is a sixteen-acre park designed by the Olmsted Firm in 1907. It was named for Kentucky’s first governor, Isaac Shelby, and is the only park in Louisville designed in conjunction with a Carnegie library. Today, the park offers many amenities including two playgrounds, a splash pad, basketball and tennis courts, walking paths, and an iconic bandstand. The Shelby Park Neighborhood Association is very active in the well-being of this historic green space.
The new PNC Music Garden, which will open in April 2019, will include ten outdoor musical instruments. The instruments will line both sides of a fully accessible pathway that connects the two existing playgrounds, for older and younger children respectively. This addition will complement programming offered by the Academy of Music Production Education and Development (AMPED), which is run out of the Shelby Park Community Center. AMPED is a free youth music program that provides a safe environment for young minds to explore their creativity through the power of music.
“The PNC Music Garden at Shelby Park will not only connect the existing play spaces with a fully accessible engaging feature, but will also deepen the connection between the neighbors and their park,” said Layla George, Olmsted Parks Conservancy’s president and CEO. “The Shelby Park neighborhood exemplifies the spirit of inclusivity and having an inclusive play space feels right at home here. We are grateful for the continued partnership with the PNC Foundation and their support which made this project possible.”
The new space is funded by the PNC Foundation in support of PNC Grow Up Great®, a bilingual $350 million, multi-year initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life.
“We look forward to working with the Shelby Park community to provide enriching opportunities for preschoolers to explore and discover the world around them,” said Chuck Denny, PNC regional president for Louisville.
The PNC Music Garden was designed by Chris Fry from Play Pros of Kentucky and Indiana formerly Countryside Play Structures. An exclusive Landscape Structures dealer and authorized installer. Play Pros dedicates a majority of their time and efforts to inclusive play.
“We believe every child has a right to build priceless memories of childhood through play,” said Fry.
An official ribbon cutting will be held at Shelby Park on Tuesday, April 2 at 10:00AM.
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
President David James (D-6) is calling for volunteers to join with the Olmsted Parks Conservancy to help do some community cleanup work at Victory Park on Saturday, July 28th.
“Over the last few years, we have seen a wonderful transformation of Victory Park into a great park for the neighborhood. My office is encouraging everyone to come out and help us maintain the beauty of this nice community park,” says James.
The President and the Olmstead Parks Conservancy will host a volunteer clean up event on Saturday beginning at 10:00am.
Volunteers will do some beautification efforts with landscaping and clean up including painting around the Lodge of the park. Gloves and tools will be provided and volunteers will also be treated to lunch after the cleanup.
“This is a fun event and I would call on everyone who has seen the changes we have made in Victory Park to come and join to keep this park a nice place for everyone to enjoy,” says President James.
If there are volunteers who would like to learn more about this effort, they can go online to www.Olmstedparks.org to register. You can also contact, President James office at 574-1106 for more information.
Olmsted Parks Conservancy offers in-depth training for individuals who want to exercise their mind and body while helping the Frederick Law Olmsted Parks. Those interested will learn how to identify a variety of plants, best practices for invasive plant removal, proper planting techniques, the history of the Frederick Law Olmsted Parks and more!
Once trained these “Park Stewards” are volunteers who extend an extra hand to help in the Olmsted-design parks, restoring natural areas; improving general park landscapes; helping to lead other volunteers in projects; and helping with community outreach.
Volunteers looking for a way to get involved with their community need only be over 18 years old and be ready to enjoy learning more about their city’s Olmsted Parks.
Louisvillian Jane Tyler has been a Park Steward since 2012. Tyler said, “Volunteering in the Olmsted Parks allows me the opportunity to learn, be involved, make new friends and stay in close contact with Louisville’s beautiful natural surroundings.”
An information session to learn about the Park Steward training will be Tuesday, August 15, 2017 6:30pm-7:30pm. The three Saturday training sessions will begin August 19, 2017. The first two sessions will be held at the Conservancy’s office located on 1299 Trevilian Way. The third will be a hands-on park tour. For more information and to register, contact Sarah Wolff at sarah.wolff@olmstedparks.org or (502) 456-1623.
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.
