$30 million could transform Shepherdsville and its city park

SHEPHERDSVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Tuesday's sunny skies brought with it several families to Shepherdsville's city park along the Salt River. Dozens of kids played on the lone playground that sits on the several acres that lack many amenities that other city parks offer.

Darrell Probus was sitting on a bench in the shade watching his niece nephews have a good time and run some energy. But they and the others guests to the park could have much more to spend their energy on in the coming years.

The city of Shepherdsville will use a $30 million lease agreement to fund several new projects, including a new aquatics center, 5K walking path, dog park, 2,500-seat amphitheater and more.

The Kentucky Bond Corporation (KBC) is providing the city with the $30 million to fund the projects, the largest project for the KBC:

Aquatics center with indoor Olympic-size pool
Splash pads
Soccer, baseball and football fields
5K walking trail
Dog park
2,500-seat amphitheater
Town square with benches, lighting and a new streetscape

"Most people have gone other places to enjoy the type of things they would like to have here," Shepherdsville Mayor Jose Cubero said Tursday. "That's going to be the most satisfying thing, that they're five minutes from anything that they want to do with their families in this community."

$15 million will be dedicated for land acquisition and building a new aquatic center. $11 million will be put toward upgrading the city park. And the remaining $4 million will be used to construct a town square and improve the downtown corridor.

"You have dreams, and dreams are only as full as the resources you have to make them happen," Cubero said. "And we're going to make them happen."

The city said the project could get started sometime this fall. All three projects will happen simultaneously.

"Bullitt County has a bad name as it is, and Shepherdsville is part of Bullitt County," Shepherdsville resident Suzie Franke said Tuesday. "So if it looks better, maybe we can start getting rid of the bad name that Bullitt County has."

The KBC, managed by the Kentucky League of Cities (KLC), provides fixed-rate city bonds with no out-of-pocket fees. According to a news release Monday, more than half of Kentucky cities have used bonds like these to build parks, city halls, fire stations and upgrade technology.