New multi-use community center could be coming to south Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A gap for residents in south Louisville may be getting filled with a new, multi-use community center that is in the works.

Louisville Parks and Recreation operates 15 community centers across the city, but only a handful serve the southern part of Louisville. Residents currently face about a 22-minute drive between the Sun Valley Community Center and the Beechmont Community Center.

The two existing facilities in the area also serve specific groups. The Metro Arts Community Center focuses on arts programming, while the Wilderness Road Senior Center is geared toward older adults.

Now, Louisville Parks and Recreation is studying where a new community center should be built and what residents want it to offer. The city hired a consulting firm to lead the study and recently launched a public survey to gather feedback.

Funding for the study was approved as part of this year's city budget.

"We want to make sure that we're hearing from a representation of the entire community in that area of the county so that we know that we have a good idea of the voices out there and what those needs are and what people want to see in a community center," said Parks and Recreation executive director Michelle King.

According to the leaders with parks and recreation, the average age of community centers within the city is around 60 years old.

District 12 Councilman Jonathan Joseph said he's been pushing for a center in the area since he took office. He said he's standing up for his district and for south Louisville and is urging residents to make their voices heard too.

"One of the things we hear oftentimes on Metro Council on the south end is that we struggle to be able to have opportunities for the youth, and this is just a great opportunity to be able to do something that could be invested for our youth and for their families to come," Joseph said. "We deserve to be able to have different things in this area of town, all around town, for everyone."

You can click here to fill out the survey.

"This is not going to be a one-person decision by any means," Joseph said. This is a community center, and hence you need to have the community input and involvement in it."