Urban park in downtown Louisville opens to the public as part of LOUMED District

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A grand opening was held for a new park in downtown Louisville Wednesday morning.

LOUMED Commons on East Chestnut Street near the hospitals is now open for visitors.

Crews broke ground in May at the site of the former Community Correctional Center, which was torn down to create the park. LOUMED stands for Louisville Medical & Education District, which spans 22 city blocks and 9.6 million square feet of occupied space downtown.

The new, one-acre public park is designed to serve people who work, study, receive care or visit downtown Louisville.

"LOUMED Commons embodies the spirit of community within our district," Nadareca Thibeaux, executive director of LOUMED, said in a news release Wednesday. "It was created for the people who make LOUMED thrive, including our 18,000 health care professionals, educators and other employees, nearly 13,000 students and more than 1.5 million annual visitors. Whether someone wants to take a break, enjoy lunch outdoors or simply recharge, this park offers a place to do that."

It has a tree canopy and native plantings, shaded seating, gathering areas, and space for food trucks, with flexible areas for future events and community programming.

The urban park is part of a $560 million revitalization creating the LOUMED District.

Anchored by Norton Healthcare, UofL Health, the University of Louisville and Jefferson Community & Technical College, LOUMED is a planned medical and education district covering a large section of the city's downtown core.

To learn more about LOUMED, click here.

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