LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- What was once an abandoned space in Louisville's Highlands neighborhood is now a pocket park.
A ribbon-cutting is planned this weekend for Beechwood Park. It is located at 1620 Beechwood Avenue, near Tyler Park and Mid City Mall on Beechwood Avenue.
Community members designed it into three parts to include a nature play area and a pollinator garden filled with milkweed and cup plants.
In the center, there's a classroom area for anyone that wants an outdoor space and for students from nearby Bloom Elementary.
“Hopefully, the Bloom elementary kids will remember this for a long time, and they grew up in the neighborhood bring their kids here later on," said park organizer Brian Caudill.
Beechwood Park was once an abandoned space in Louisville's Highlands on Beechwood Avenue near Mid City Mall. (WDRB Image by Molly Jett) Aug. 18, 2023
Louisville Metro Neighborhood Development fund grants have funded the majority of the project. They've spent more than $65,000 on putting together the park.
“We are really pleased to showcase this. It is a community effort," Caudill said. "People come in and sit and read and talk. It's just a great feeling to do this. You know, we need to preserve these green spaces, as small as they are, but still, it's important."
Six houses used to be on the site but were torn down in the 1960s. Some sidewalks and foundation stones are still part of the site. A 120-foot tall pecan tree original to the property is also part of the park.
Beechwood Park is open, but they are looking for an artist to paint a kid-themed mural on the bordering concrete wall.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 20 from 2 - 5 p.m. with games for children. Monnick Beer Company will also be on site.
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