Get ready to take a longer walk in the park

Olmsted Parks Conservancy picks design group for the Beargrass Preserve Master Plan

Outdoor image with a cloudy sky and semi-bare trees with slopping green hills

There are voluntary restrictions on the Beargrass Preserve land to ensure it will be a public park forever. | Photo provided by Olmsted Parks Conservancy

In December of 2021, the Olmsted Parks Conservancy received its largest financial gift in history to the sum of $8 million from Louisvillians Norman and Belita Noltemeyer — who have lived in the Cherokee Gardens neighborhood for 20+ years.

The nonprofit parks organization, working to revitalize Louisville’s seventeen Frederick Law Olmsted-designed parks and six parkways, used the money to buy ~25 acres of land from the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary — that’s about the size of six Walmart Supercenters.

Olmsted Parks dubbed the newly acquired land and expansion project the Beargrass Preserve at Cherokee Park. And after a little over a year of searching for a design group to take on the project, which is the first of its kind in over 130 years, it has selected Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group for the job.

Large rock faces jet out over a hill with green trees surrounding them. — Olmsted Parks Conservancy will also demolish the outdated buildings on the site and collect public input for how the forthcoming park plan can serve the community.

In addition to working with the parks system to keep the master plan community-informed (an Olmsted Parks policy), Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group will also collaborate with several other firms to help integrate history, culture, and ecological processes that protect and restore the biodiversity of the area into the design.

Here’s who else is on the planning team:

So what happens next? Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group will get their ducks in row by surveying the existing conditions of the land to determine what is possible and what might be a setback. Then, they will work to create layouts for public and stakeholder meetings, as well as gather feedback for a preferred alternative design.

If you want a glimpse into what the Beargrass Preserve might look like, here are a few other Taylor Siefker Williams’ designs:

Big Four Station in Jeffersonville, IN
The 100-mile Louisville Loop
J-town’s forthcoming Veterans Memorial Park

Get in on the action by donating to the historic expansion.

What park features would you like to see at the Beargrass Preserve?

A. Playground structures
B. Hiking trails
C. Outdoor fitness equipment
D. Public art, monuments, and water features

SHARE YOUR PARK PLANS

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Thursday, Feb. 16

Comedy Night | Thursday, Feb. 16 | 7:30-9 p.m. | Gravely Brewing Co., 514 Baxter Ave., Louisville | Free | Have a laugh with regional comics at this music-themed brewery.

Friday, Feb. 17

Masters Series: Twin Barrel with New Riff and Ten20 Brewery | Friday, Feb. 17 | 6-8:30 p.m. | The Frazier History Museum, 829 W. Main St., Louisville | $32-$38 | Try two New Riff Distillery expressions and two beers from TEN20 Craft Brewery at this tasting experience.
Family Fun Night | Friday, Feb. 17 | 7-9 p.m. | Mary T. Meagher Aquatic Center, 201 Reservoir Ave., Louisville | Free | Make a splash with the whole family at this indoor swimming pool in Crescent Hill.

Saturday, Feb. 18

Great Backyard Bird Count! | Saturday, Feb. 18 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Louisville Nature Center, 3745 Illinois Ave., Louisville | $15 | In this guided hike attendees will report birding observations using the world’s largest biodiversity-related citizen science project, eBird.
Dieu du Ciel! Péché Day 2023 | Saturday, Feb. 18 | 2 p.m. | Holy Grale, 1034 Bardstown Rd., Louisville | Free | Try beers from Montreal, Canada during this stout event hosted at only 31 bars around the world — plus a few kitchen specials to pair.
Dita Von Teese: GLAMONATRIX | Saturday, Feb. 18 | 7:30 p.m. | Louisville Palace, 625 S. 4th St., Louisville | $35-$125 | See this popular burlesque performer in a modern variety show.

Tuesday, Feb. 21

A Taste of The Highlands, Mardi Gras! | Tuesday, Feb. 21 | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | Highlands Community Campus, 1228 E. Breckinridge St., Louisville | $50 | Sample food from Louisville restaurants paired with Elijah Craig cocktails.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

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What’s in: Healthy nutrition supplements that actually taste good

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Jessica and Scott have 21+ years of higher education under their belts and understand the physiologic importance of proper nutrition. | Photo provided by Derby Fit

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Weather

67º | Thunderstorms | 86% chance of rain

Announced

Grammy-nominated country music star Jason Aldean is headed to The Ville this fall on his “Highway Desperado Tour.” The concert will be held on Friday, Oct. 20 at the KFC Yum! Center. Tickets start at $49.75 and go on sale this Friday, Feb. 17 at 10 a.m. (WDRB)

Open

A new sports bar is open near Fourth Street Live! in the former Hiko-A-Mon restaurant (416 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd.). Parlay shakes up eight different signature cocktails and also offers local craft beer. The food menu features nachos, wings, and specialty hot dogs. 🌭
New-to-market coffee shop Barista Parlor is now pouring in the lobby of the 500W tower downtown. It’s the first location outside of Tennessee for the brand and features a two-story atrium facing Jefferson Street. Stop in Monday-Saturday for espresso drinks and pastries like muffins and cookies.

Development

Yesterday, LDG Development broke ground on the new, affordable housing apartment complex The Eclipse. Located in the Russell neighborhood, the complex will have 280 units and offer a variety of services to those in need. Construction is expected to last two years before welcoming residents. (WHAS11)

Biz

After closing in January due to flooding, Carmichael’s Kids on Bardstown Road is back open. The children’s bookstore will resume normal hours just in time for its weekly storytime on Thursdays and Fridays. 📚

Outdoors

If you live in Douglass Hills, city officials are urging residents to not feed the geese. The Canadian birds are apparently causing quite a mess near Crosby Middle School and Warren Walker Park. Until they migrate north, coyote decoys will be used to try to deter them away from the area. 🦢

Sports

The UofL men’s and women’s basketball teams will sport new uniforms in their upcoming games to commemorate Black History Month. The design features a cream color — a nod to the cultural term “cream of the planet” that refers to Africa’s natural resources — and Kentucky’s state flower, the goldenrod. (WHAS11)

Jobs

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream. Both legendary walk-up ice cream shops, Dairy Del and Dairy Kastle, are hiring seasonal scoopers in preparation for each of their spring openings. So the question is, are you team Dairy Del or Dairy Kastle? 🍦

Travel

Ready to plan springtime adventures? A ~3 hour flight from LOU, Greenville, SC is filled with natural beauty, outdoor activities + dining delicacies. Pro tip: Order a free Visitor’s Guide to start planning your trip, and check out VisitGreenvilleSC’s Instagram for itinerary inspo.*

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Call for artists 🎨

Applications now open for Art in City Hall

A white stone building in the French Second Empire style, using in Italianate motifs, stands over a busy city street.

Louisville’s City Hall was built between 1870 and 1873. | Photo by LOUtoday

Are you the Derby City Dalí? The Ville’s Van Gogh? The Falls City Frida Kahlo?

Louisville Metro Council + Louisville Visual Art (LVA) are now accepting applications for the annual Art in City Hall exhibition.

Here what you should know:

You must be a resident of Louisville + Jefferson County.
Submissions must be two-dimensional, but in any medium.
You can make up to 10 submissions.
The work of up to six artists will be displayed in the lobby, hallways, and other public spaces of City Hall from February 2025 through January 2026.
Each winning artist will receive $500.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025

Submissions will be reviewed by a committee that includes members of the Commission on Public Art, Louisville Metro Council, and Metro Government staff.

Think your work is the Monet for the money? Submit that Cézanne, and it might hang in the (Andy War)halls of City Hall.

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Katie.

Editor’s pick: Fish Fry season is upon us and that means churches across the city are gearing up to serve fried fish for Lent.

If you have a favorite spot for this annual Louisville tradition, we’d love to know.

And...if you’ve ever wondered why there are so many fish fries in Derby City, listen to this episode of Louisville Public Media’s “Curious Louisville.”

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Find out how Louisville scored on its bikeability.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Katie Molck, Britt Thorson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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