LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- New life is coming to Elliott Park with a sprayground, dining plaza, walking paths and more.

The first step of revitalization happened Tuesday as Mayor Craig Greenberg broke ground on the project.

Elliott Park is in the Russell neighborhood, two blocks from the new West Louisville Norton Hospital. Elliott Park is one of seven parks in the Olmsted Park Conservancy's historic park system. Once called Eclipse Park, it was the original home to the Louisville Eclipse and the Louisville Colonels of Major League Baseball until 1892, when a fire at the ballpark forced the owners to build anew nearby. 

The project, which will cost nearly $3 million, was funded in several ways:

  • $725,000 raised by the Olmsted Parks Conservancy from local donors, including the James Graham Brown Foundation and LDG Development
  • $650,000 from former Mayor Greg Fischer's fiscal year 2022 budget
  • $500,000 allocated by Fischer from American Rescue Plan funding
  • $1.1 million approved by Metro Council in 2023 at Greenberg's recommendation

"This is a sign of hope that I have been looking for and hoping for for this community," Metro Councilwoman Donna Purvis said. "We've had so many people say there's no way in the world the West End can come back. Well, this is living proof that we are coming back."

Olmsted said the restoration plan will be broken down into three focuses:

  • Accessibility: The design will improve movement for people of all abilities visiting and using the park amenities
  • Equity: The design will cater to all park users and be flexible for various activities and gathering sizes
  • Sustainability: The design will improve existing amenities and preserve valuable landscape features, like mature trees

"Elliott Park is one of 17 parks in Louisville’s Olmsted Park System, a network of green spaces that bring nature into the city," Layla George, president and CEO of Olmsted Parks Conservancy, said in a news release Tuesday. "The Olmsted Brothers developed Elliott Park according to Frederick Law Olmsted’s vision of accessible green space as the antidote to urban living. This transformative project will re-establish Elliott Park as a Russell landmark for community building and outdoor recreation."

Greenberg said as Louisville neighborhoods evolve, the parks need to as well. He said parks serve the needs of the community, and that's what Elliott Park will do.

The project is expected to be completed by next fall.

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