LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A new pocket park is coming to life in the Highlands. A neighborhood took an abandoned space and turned it into a green attraction.
Beechwood Park is located at 1620 Beechwood Avenue, near Tyler Park and Mid City Mall on Beechwood Avenue. Community members designed it into three parts.
"I think it's important to preserve green space," Jo Shipley, who plants flowers in the park, said.
Beechwood Park, a new pocket park, is located in the Highlands. (WDRB photo)
Shipley said six homes used to sit in what's now the pocket park. She also said, in the '60s, the houses were torn down to expand a parking lot.
"If you look around, you'll see that the sidewalks that lead to the old homes and you'll notice that there's some large stones in a couple of areas in the park," Shipley said. "Those are actually foundation stones from the houses."
People on Beechwood Avenue decided 10 years ago that they wanted to flip the overgrown weeds into Beechwood Park.
"We've had these porch parties and people drink wine, drink beer and look over there and said, 'Hey, let's do something,'" Brian Caudill, who started sourcing funds for the park, said.
Caudill started sourcing funds and together the neighborhood created the nonprofit, Friends of Beechwood Park.
In 2016, the owner of Mid City Mall bought the 1/3 of an acre and leased it to the group for a dollar.
On the right, there's a nature play area. In the middle, there's a soon-to-be classroom area. On the left, there's a pollinator garden, home to milkweed, cup plants and more.
Beechwood Park, a new pocket park, is located in the Highlands. (WDRB photo)
"Those are all native plants and attract pollinators, butterflies, bees, wasps and hummingbirds. The way we plant the garden, it's what's called a succession garden. So, we have a continuous stream of blooming plants. In the fall, we'll have Asters and Goldenrod -- the state flower," Shipley said.
Beachwood Park also has a 120-foot tall pecan tree, original to the property.
Louisville Metro Neighborhood Development fund grants have funded the majority of the project. So far, they've spent more than $30,000 on putting together the park.
"It's just a feeling of pride that we've actually done this as a community group ourselves," Caudill said.
Metro Councilmember Ben Reno-Weber represents the district where the park is located.
“This is our community investing in its own social infrastructure, and I love it both for itself and for the example it sets for what happens when people come together for a common goal," Reno-Weber said.
Caudill says Kentucky State Senator Cassie Chambers Armstrong has played a large part in the park's success behind the scenes.
"Beechwood Park is special because shows how neighbors and volunteers can come together to build a place that in turn builds community. I am so grateful for the many people who have worked--and continue to work--to make Beechwood Park the special place that it is," Armstrong said.
The very densely populated area has now turned into a sanctuary for the neighborhood.
Beechwood Park, a new pocket park, is located in the Highlands. (WDRB photo)
"We were very fortunate to get that grant and it's a key part of the park, to have a quiet peaceful area where you can sit and just admire nature," Shipley said.
Everyone is welcome to this park but by next school year, Bloom Elementary, which sits right around the corner, will be able to use this pocket park as a classroom experience.
"It's important for children to have nature accessible to them at an early age, both from the pollinator garden standpoint, where they can see the importance of pollinators in our food chain, and also the nature play area, which the thing about nature play area is it actually stimulates creativity from kids," Shipley said.
Caudill said they'll be digging by the end of the month to start construction on the classroom area.
To learn more or to donate to their non-profit, click here.
Copyright 2023 WDRB Media. All rights reserved.
