Spring has arrived at The Fork and 21st Century Parks continues to evolve and grow in many ways.
In this edition of "From The Fork," you will find exciting updates from The Fork project including a new partnership with the new Louisville Equestrian Center that will provide horseback riding opportunities for our visitors. After three years of discussions, 21st Century Parks recently completed formal agreements with Metro Parks and the City of Louisville regarding the management of three Metro Parks properties within The Fork. And we are thrilled to announce The Humana Foundation has made a generous $1 million commitment to the development of The Fork. You can read more about all of these advancements in this edition of the newsletter.
I hope you enjoy Bob Hill's contribution to this newsletter about the old Seaton Family cemetery and the Natural History Tidbit highlighting the spring wildflowers native to Floyds Fork. You will get a taste of the richness and diversity that the Floyds Fork Greenway provides with photos by Ted Wathen and watercolors by Dan Church.
On the design and construction front, we are currently working with the Kentucky Department of Transportation and the Federal Department of Highways to complete the NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) study. A detailed process, the NEPA study includes environmental, archaeological and historical evaluations of the more than 3,200 acres of The Fork project. Once this complex study is complete and the project is approved for construction, our architects at Philadelphia's Wallace Roberts and Todd and Louisville's own Bravura can begin design and construction documents. We are optimistic that this design phase of the process can begin this summer. We will keep you updated on our progress.
In the future, exciting outdoor opportunities will abound at The Fork. They include biking or strolling along The Louisville Loop, winding along a park drive across beautiful bridges, canoeing Floyds Fork, hiking quietly into a protected woodland, or assisting in the reforestation of stream banks along Floyds Fork. You may study natural history, play softball, or take your children to a playground after walking a mile on an exercise path.
The possibilities are endless, but they begin and end with your support. Thank you.
Warm regards,
Dan Jones
President and Chairman
21st Century Parks