Louisville City Wire

Alberta O. Jones Park officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the completion of phase one of Louisville’s newest public park. The project has united California Neighborhood residents and community partners in transforming nearly seven city blocks of vacant property into a vibrant public greenspace.

Under the leadership of the nonprofit Parks Alliance of Louisville and a community-driven planning process, residents chose everything from recreational amenities to naming the park after Alberta Jones—a pioneering Louisville attorney and civil rights champion.

To date, the Parks Alliance has secured more than $5.8 million from dozens of supporters to build phase one of Alberta O. Jones Park with a lead multi-million-dollar gift from siblings Augusta Brown Holland, Brooke Brown Barzun, and Owsley Brown III, whose support is spearheading phase two as well. Of their groundbreaking gift they said: “Our dad, Owsley Brown II, worked a few blocks from this park for 40 years. As an engaged citizen, he worked hard to try to make things in our community a little bit better each day. Alberta Jones lived a brave and pioneering life devoted to that idea before it was tragically cut short. So, it’s our sincere wish, in her honor and in our dad’s spirit, that this park brings joy and respite to its neighbors, making days better for years and decades to come.”

The new park is located along Maple Street between Dr. W.J. Hodge and 25th Streets, an area severely impacted by historic flooding in 2009. To improve public health and safety, MSD secured a FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant, enabling homeowners in high-risk areas who chose to participate to sell their property at pre-flood value and relocate. The homes were then razed, and the land permanently conserved as greenspace to prevent future residential flooding. MSD collaborated with the Parks Alliance, Louisville Parks and Recreation, and community members to transform the site into a high-quality public park. 

The first phase includes all the features residents identified as most important: walking paths with fitness stations, a lawn for outdoor events and athletics, picnic shelters and grills, an outdoor classroom, pollinator garden, and free 5G Wi-Fi. Wiring parks with internet access is a top priority of Mayor Craig Greenberg and this is the first park in the city to feature the next generation of cellular network technology. 

The site is anchored by a music-themed playground. “This stunning new playground is arguably the finest neighborhood play space in Louisville,” said Brooke Pardue, President & CEO of the Parks Alliance of Louisville. “It is the first in Kentucky designed by Earthscape, one of the premier natural playground companies in North America. It celebrates music-making with giant musical notes and a soaring climbing tower that looks like an unfolding sheet of music. With direct input from neighborhood families and the critical support of PNC Foundation’s grant of more than $200,000, this amazing playground will delight children of all ages, interests, and abilities.”

One hundred trees will be planted in the coming weeks by Brightside Foundation, a high priority in a neighborhood where temperatures soar from urban heat island effect. In addition, pollinator and rain gardens will be planted next Spring.

“City parks are a vital part of what makes Louisville’s neighborhoods vibrant and healthy,” said Mayor Greenberg. “They improve mental and physical health, help the environment, spur economic development, and build social connectedness. That’s why my administration has made it a top priority to ensure every resident has equitable access to high-quality greenspace and Alberta O. Jones Park is a significant step in the right direction. I congratulate the people of the California Neighborhood, the Parks Alliance, and the many generous donors to the Alliance for their commitment to make this vision a reality.”

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was held in the park’s performance pavilion which features a mural honoring Alberta Jones comprised of hundreds of photographs submitted by people from the community. The base image is an original portrait by local artist Joshua Bleecker commissioned by the Alliance in partnership with Louisville Visual Art. “When people visit this park, they will see themselves in the life, labor, and legacy of Alberta Jones,” said District 4 Council Member Jecorey Arthur. 

Jones was a trailblazer from West Louisville born in 1930. She was the first Black woman to attend the University of Louisville’s School of Law and to pass the Kentucky Bar. She opened a law office on West Broadway just blocks from the park site and negotiated the first professional boxing contract for Muhammad Ali, then known as Cassius Clay. In 1965, she became the first woman appointed a prosecutor in Jefferson County. A staunch civil rights activist, Jones participated in the March on Washington and formed the Independent Voters Association of Louisville, renting voting machines to teach Black Louisvillians how to vote. Tragically, Jones’ body was found in the Ohio River in August 1965 and her murder remains unsolved. 

For Flora Shanklin, naming the new park in honor of her big sister Alberta Jones brings a measure of healing and tremendous joy. “Words cannot describe how happy and grateful I am. This is the greatest recognition she has ever received, and it will be permanent and everlasting,” said Shanklin. She said the new playground is especially meaningful as Jones was devoted to the welfare of children. 

Other major contributors include James Graham Brown Foundation, Louisville MSD, Gheens Foundation, Legacy Foundation of Kentuckiana, PNC Foundation, Impact 100 and the L.L. Jones, Sr. Charitable Fund. Congressman John Yarmuth secured a federal Community Project Grant, and Louisville Metro Government designated Community Development Block Grant funding to make the project possible. In addition, Louisville Metro funded extensive road and sidewalk improvements surrounding the new park.

Fundraising continues now to raise an additional $2 million to complete phase two of the park which will add another 15 acres to the site. For more information or to contribute to this effort, please visit ParksAllianceLou.org.

 Original source can be found here.