♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> HELLO AND WELCOME TO INSIDE LOUISVILLE WHERE WE INTRODUCE YOU TO THE PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS THAT MAKE UP KENTUCKY'S LARGEST CITY.

I'M YOUR HOST, KELSEY STARKS.

THIS WEEK WE TAKE YOU TO WATERFRONT PARK.

WHAT YOU RECOGNIZE NOW AS 85-ACRES OF GREEN SPACE LINING THE OHIO RIVER AND DOWNTOWN LOUISVILLE WASN'T ALWAYS THAT WAY.

IT WASN'T THAT LONG AGO THAT WATERFRONT PARK WAS A WASTELAND OF SCRAP YARDS LINED WITH RAILROADS AND ABANDONED BUILDINGS.

NOW IT IS THE MOST VISITED DESTINATION IN LOUISVILLE, WELCOMING MORE THAN TWO MILLION PEOPLE EVERY YEAR.

IT'S A NON-PROFIT, PUBLIC PARK MADE POSSIBLE BY DONATIONS.

SO HOW DID THIS DRAMATIC TRANSFORMATION HAPPEN?

IN 1986 THE WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WAS FORMED AND THEY BROKE GROUND ON THEIR VISION IN 1992.

TO REDEVELOP THE WATERFRONT, BUT THERE WORK BACK THEN WAS JUST THE BEGINNING.

>> WHEN GEORGE ROGERS CLARK BEGAN TO ENVISION A COMMUNITY HERE IN 1780, HE HAD A REALLY INTERESTING IDEA.

HE SAW THE ENTIRE WATERFRONT AS REMAINING PUBLIC PROPERTY, ESSENTIALLY BECOMING A TOWN COMMONS.

>> A LOT OF THINGS GOING IN GOVERNMENT THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT.

WHAT HAPPENED IS THEY RAN OUT OF MONEY, SO THEY SOLD THE BEST PROPERTY IN THE WHOLE CITY WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN THE COMMONS.

IS.

>> I HOOIVE HERE ABOUT 40 YEARS AND I WAS AMAZED HOW LOUISVILLE FORGOT ABOUT THE OHIO RIVER.

LITERALLY TURNED THEIR BACK ON THE OHIO RIVER.

THERE WERE REFINERIES, A STEEL MILL, A MESS.

BIG SALT PILES AND FERTILIZER PILES.

>> ASPHALT TERMINALS ABANDONED WAREHOUSES.

>> A BAILING OPERATION WHERE CARS WOULD COME IN AND THEY WOULD SMUSH THEM DOWN INTO LITTLE CUBES.

>> IT WAS 85 ACRES OF NASTY.

>> WHEN YOU WOULD COME IN FROM INDIANA, YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION OF KENTUCKY AND LOUISVILLE WAS DREADFUL.

>> AND IT GAVE AN IMAGE OF A TOWN THAT WAS JUST NOT PROGRESSIVE, WAS NOT FORWARD THINKING.

HERE YOU HAVE THIS POWERFUL RIVER, AND YOU ARE TREATING IT LIKE IT'S UNIMPORTANT.

AND IT WAS A LONG TIME BEFORE WE STARTED BEING ABLE TO REALIZE WHAT THE POTENTIAL OF THIS WATERFRONT COULD BE.

>> OVER THE YEARS THERE, WERE A LOT OF DIFFERENT EFFORTS WHERE PEOPLE TRIED TO REGENERATE THE CITY'S WATERFRONT.

ALMOST ALL OF THEM FAILED UNTIL THE WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION GOT STARTED.

>> AND THE AUTHORITY TO SET UP A WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, THERE IS NO MENTION OF THE WORD PARK.

THE PARK CAME ABOUT THROUGH PUBLIC FORUMS.

>> AND LITERALLY, THOSE PUBLIC FORUMS DEFINED THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT.

>> NINE OUT OF 10 PEOPLE WANTED A GREEN SPACE.

A FEW PEOPLE SAID THEY WANTED A FLEE MARKET-- FLEA MARKET OR RESTAURANTS BUT MOST PEOPLE WANTED GREEN, GREEN, GREEN.

>> AND THEY WANTED A COMMON GATHERING SPACE.

>> AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID.

THEY SAID I WANT TO WALK HERE.

I WANT TO BIKE HERE.

I WANT TO PICNIC HERE AND I'M NOT SURE THEY UNDERSTOOD IN THEIR WILDEST DREAMS EXACTLY WHAT THIS WAS GOING TO BECOME.

AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE, EVEN THOUGH WERE ON OUR SIDE, MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOMEWHAT DOUBTFUL.

>> DESPITE THE DOUBTERS, THE WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OPENED PHASE ONE OF WATERFRONT PARK IN 1999... THAT'S 55 ACRES THAT INCLUDES THE GREAT LAWN, THE WHARF AND FESTIVAL PLAZA... A 900-FOOT WATER FEATURE AND WALKING PATHS.

IN 2004, PHASE TWO OPENED -- 17 ADDITIONAL ACRES WHERE YOU'LL FIND THE BROWN-FORMAN LAWN AND AMPITHEATER, THE ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND AND RESTAURANT SPACE.

AND IN 2013, PHASE THREE OPENED WITH THE BIG FOUR BRIDGE AND LAWN, THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL AND THE SWING GARDEN.

IN 2019, THE WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT'S LONGTIME PRESIDENT DAVID KAREM, RETIRED AND DEBORAH BILITSKI STEPPED INTO THE ROLE.

WE SIT DOWN WITH HER TO TALK ABOUT THE CHALLENGES AND THE PARK'S AMBITIOUS VISION MOVING FORWARD.

>> SO WE LOST OUR STATE FUNDING BACK IN 2014.

WE WERE SORT OF RECOVERING FROM THAT.

WE HAD ALREADY REALLY MADE A LOT OF ADJUSTMENTS.

WE HAD CUT BACK QUITE A BIT ON OUR EXPENSES.

WE HAD INCREASED OUR EVENT REVENUE OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

AFTER THAT BY ABOUT 300%.

AND WE WERE JUST, YOU KNOW, WE WERE MANAGING.

AND THEN IN 2019, THE METRO GOVERNMENT CUT OUR FUNDING BY ABOUT 30% AT THAT TIME.

THEN IT MADE UP ABOUT A THIRD OF OUR OPERATING BUDGET.

AND SO WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE WERE GOING TO COME UP WITH SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING.

AND IN LATE 2019, WHEN I TOOK OVER IN AUGUST OF 2019, I SAW THE WRITING ON THE WALL.

I SAW HOW UNRELIABLE THESE REVENUE STREAMS CAN BE.

WE JUST REALIZED WE HAVE TO LOOK TO THE COMMUNITY, WE HAVE TO ASK THE COMMUNITY FOR SUPPORT.

THIS PARK HAS BEEN A PUBLIC PRIVATE/PARTNERSHIP FROM THE GET GO.

IT WAS COMMUNITY DRIVEN THAT IT WOULD BE A PARK, IT WAS COMMUNITY DRIVEN, WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE.

THE FUNDRAISING FOR IT INITIALLY WAS, WAS BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE.

AND SO WE SAID WE REALLY NEED TO LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW IF YOU ENJOY THIS SPACE AND YOU APPRECIATE WHAT WATERFRONT PARK IS FOR THE COMMUNITY, THEN WE NEED YOUR HELP.

AND SO WE REALLY CHANGED OUR OUR STRATEGY AROUND THAT BECAUSE WE REALLY HAD NEVER APPROACHED THE COMMUNITY FOR SUPPORT AND OPERATIONS JUST IN OUR ANNUAL OPERATIONS.

SO WE HAD JUST STARTED TO PIVOT TOWARD THAT.

AND THEN COVID HIT AND, WELL, WE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE TWO WEEKS, RIGHT?

RIGHT.

YOU REMEMBER THAT WE WERE ALL JUST GOING TO STAY HOME AND GET A TWO-WEEK VACATION AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK IN LIFE WILL RESUME TO NORMAL.

AND OF COURSE, THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

AND IT WAS JUST SORT OF THAT HOW, YOU KNOW, IT'LL BE ANOTHER TWO WEEKS, IT'LL BE ANOTHER FEW WEEKS, IT'LL BE ANOTHER MONTH.

AND WE WERE JUST SORT OF PUSHING EVENTS BACK, PUSHING EVENTS BACK.

YOU KNOW, JUST EVERYBODY WAS RESCHEDULING AND OUR EVENT CALENDAR WAS CRAZY, BUT NOBODY REALLY BELIEVED THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE SHUT DOWN AS LONG AS WE WERE.

AND SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE DID, ALL OF THE EVENTS WERE CANCELED.

WE HAD ZERO EVENT REVENUE.

OF COURSE, WE HAVE SOME RESTAURANTS IN THE PARK THAT THAT WERE NOT PRODUCING WHAT THEY TYPICALLY PRODUCE.

SO WE WERE TAKING HITS FROM A LOT OF PLACES.

AND JUST TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY, BECAUSE WE'RE A GOVERNMENTAL NONPROFIT, WE WERE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR ANY OF THE COVID RELIEF FUNDING.

>> OF COURSE.

>> SO NO PAYCHECK PROTECTION, NO ECONOMIC DISASTER.

>> AND THE UPKEEP ALONE... >> AND I WILL TELL YOU HOW IT WAS DONE.

IT WAS DONE BECAUSE THE STAFF OF THE WATERFRONT PARK, THE MAINTENANCE CREW WHO NEVER MISSED A SINGLE DAY, AND THE OFFICE STAFF WHO MANY OF WHOM HAVE BEEN WITH THE ORGANIZATION FOR DECADES, ARE JUST PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS SPACE AND JUST TIGHTEN OUR BELTS.

AND CAME IN AND WORKED WHETHER WE KNEW WE WOULD GET PAID OR NOT.

BECAUSE THIS SPACE REMAINED VERY BUSY, WE, BY THE WAY, DIDN'T SHUT DOWN.

WATERFRONT PARK WAS ONE OF THE FEW PLACES THAT PEOPLE COULD GO >> AND EVERYBODY TO SEE OTHER PEOPLE, RIGHT?

>> PEOPLE DID NOT WANT TO BE SECLUDED, COULD COME DOWN HERE AND SAFELY BE WITH PEOPLE.

AND WE WANTED TO KEEP IT CLEAN AND SAFE AND WELCOMING AND REALLY A REFUGE FOR PEOPLE.

DURING THAT CRAZY TIME.

IT WAS HONESTLY LOOKING BACK, I'M NOT SURE HOW WE DID IT, BUT I'M NOT SURE HOW WE DID IT, BUT THE COMMUNITY ALSO, AT THE SAME TIME, CAME FORWARD AND WE WENT TO THE COMMUNITY AND SAID, WE NEED YOUR HELP.

AND THE COMMUNITY SHOWED UP AND WE RAISED ENOUGH FUNDS TO KEEP THE PARK GOING FOR ANOTHER YEAR.

>> AND IT HAS BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY SHOWS UP BECAUSE IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN.

YOU KNOW, DOWNTOWN IS STRUGGLING AND STILL IS FROM FROM COVID.

AND SO HOW DOES WATERFRONT PARK PLAY INTO THAT?

AND IF YOU CAN EVEN QUANTIFY WHAT IT DOES FOR DOWNTOWN?

>> WELL, YOU CAN QUANTIFY IT ACTUALLY.

BUT BEFORE WE QUANTIFY IT, LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT IT.

I MEAN, WATERFRONT PARK IS THE GATEWAY TO DOWNTOWN.

IT'S THE GATEWAY TO OUR COMMONWEALTH.

IT IS THE FIRST THING THAT YOU SEE IF YOU'RE TRAVELING IN FROM MANY DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS OF OUR DOWNTOWN AND PEOPLE WHO WON'T COME DOWNTOWN WILL STILL COME TO WATERFRONT PARK BECAUSE THEY THEY DON'T CONSIDER IT QUITE DOWNTOWN.

>> WATERFRONT PARK IS HELPED BY DOWNTOWN.

DOWNTOWN IS HELPED BY WATERFRONT PARK.

>> YEAH.

>> AND THAT IS JUST CRUCIAL FOR DOWNTOWN RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS CONTINUING TO STRUGGLE.

>> IT IS.

WATERFRONT PARK HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS THING FOR OUR CITY, FOR OUR DOWNTOWN.

BEFORE WATERFRONT PARK WAS HERE.

AND THIS WAS ALL JUST WASTELAND, ENVIRONMENTALLY CONTAMINATED LAND.

PEOPLE WOULDN'T INVEST IN DOWNTOWN.

PEOPLE WOULD SAY, WHY WOULD YOU GO DOWN THERE?

WHY WOULD ANYBODY GO DOWN THERE?

AND WITH GOOD REASON.

SINCE WATERFRONT PARK HAS BEEN CONSTRUCTED, WE'VE SEEN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF ECONOMIC PROSPERITY IN THE SURROUNDING AREA.

IF YOU LOOK AT SLUGGER FIELD, WHICH WAS ACTUALLY KIND OF PART OF THIS WATERFRONT REDEVELOPMENT, IS SUCH A SUCH A WONDERFUL ASSET, AN AMENITY WE HAVE.

BUT YOU LOOK AT THE GROWTH ON WHISKEY ROW AND THE YOUNG CENTER, WHICH WOULDN'T BE HERE IF THIS WAS STILL A PILE OF JUNK.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND THE SOCCER STADIUM, THE BOTANICAL GARDEN.

SO THERE'S BEEN SO MUCH SPINOFF POSITIVE EFFECT.

AND THEN ADD TO THAT WE HAVE CREATED THIS BEAUTIFUL SPACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN GET TO THE RIVER, AND THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO DO.

PEOPLE ARE JUST INNATELY DRAWN TO WATER AND WATERFRONT PARK CREATES THIS BEAUTIFUL SPACE THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO ENJOY THAT AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

WHETHER YOU COME DOWN FOR AN EVENT OR LISTEN TO SOME MUSIC, COME DOWN FOR A FOOD FESTIVAL OR A BEER FESTIVAL, OR YOU JUST WANT TO TAKE A SERENE WALK ON THE RIVE, WALK A QUIET WALK.

YOU CAN DO THAT.

SO MANY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES YOU CAN HAVE HERE IN THE PARK.

AND THEN ADD TO THAT ALL OF THE EVENTS THAT WE HAVE IN THE PARK THAT DRAW SUCH A BIG CROWD OF PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE REGION.

IT ACTUALLY WE ARE THE MOST VISITED DESTINATION IN DOWNTOWN LOUISVILLE AND ABOUT A FOURTH OF OUR VISITORS COME FROM OUTSIDE THE REGION.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE PEOPLE FROM EVERY PART OF OUR CITY THAT COME TO WATERFRONT PARK FOR ONE OF THESE MANY REASONS.

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE COME HERE FROM OUT OF TOWN AND SAY, WOW, THIS IS INCREDIBLE.

SOME PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE, THOUGH, STILL HAVE SOME MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT IT.

THERE'S A HOMELESS POPULATION.

IT'S DANGEROUS.

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE AND DON'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT?

>> WELL, I WOULD SAY COME DOWN AND SEE FOR YOURSELF AND DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU HEAR.

IT'S MY GRANDFATHER SAID, DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING YOU HEAR AND ONLY HALF OF WHAT YOU SEE.

AND IF YOU COME DOWN HERE, YOU WILL SEE THAT THAT IS NOT TRUE.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE A VERY LOW CRIME RATE HERE IN WATERFRONT PARK.

BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS WHEN ANYTHING HAPPENS IN WATERFRONT PARK, THERE'S A SPOTLIGHT ON IT.

FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE GET SO MUCH ATTENTION, FOR BETTER OR WORSE.

AND IT JUST GIVES A PERCEPTION THAT THERE IS JUST A LOT OF NEGATIVE ACTIVITY DOWN HERE WHEN IN FACT, YOU WILL COME DOWN ON ANY GIVEN DAY AND SEE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND CHILDREN PLAYING IN PLAYGROUNDS AND PEOPLE FROM ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, ALL PARTS OF THIS COMMUNITY DOING ALL MANNER OF THINGS, JUST ENJOYING BEING TOGETHER IN A COMMUNITY SPACE.

AND THIS BEAUTIFUL VIEWS THAT WE HAVE OF OUR RIVER EXPLAIN THE >> EXPLAIN THE PHASE ONE, TWO AND THREE BRIEFLY AND THEN WHAT'S NEXT, THIS EXCITING PHASE FOUR.

>> YEAH.

SO THE PARK THAT, YOU KNOW, WATERFRONT PARK IS, IS 85 ACRES THAT WAS DEVELOPED IN THREE PHASES.

AND THE FIRST PHASE THAT WAS DEVELOPED WAS OVER ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE PARK WHERE THE GREAT LAWN IS AND THE CHILDREN'S PLAYGROUND.

AND OVER THE COURSE OF MANY YEARS THAT LAND HAD TO BE ACQUIRED, THE PLANS HAD TO BE DEVELOPED, THE FUNDS HAD TO BE RAISED.

BUT OVER THE COURSE OF ABOUT 25 OR 30 YEARS, THE PARK WAS DEVELOPED IN THREE PHASES.

PHASE ONE WAS THE ON THE WESTERN EDGE.

PHASE TWO WAS ACTUALLY ON THE FAR EASTERN EDGE WHERE WE ARE NOW.

AND THEN PHASE THREE WAS THE FINAL PIECE OF THAT FIRST AREA OF WATERFRONT PARK THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, FINAL WHEN THE BIG FOUR BRIDGE WAS OPENED IN 2013.

AND NOW PHASE FOUR.

>> YES.

>> IS VERY AMBITIOUS.

AND COMING OUT OF A TIME WHEN YOU ALL WERE STRUGGLING FOR FUNDING, HOW WERE YOU MAKING THIS WORK?

YEAH, THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION THAT I'VE ACTUALLY ASKED MYSELF MANY TIMES, BUT IT IS IT'S UNQUESTIONABLE THAT THIS PROJECT IS IMPORTANT.

SO WATERFRONT PARK PHASE FOUR IS A 22-ACRE EXPANSION OF WATERFRONT PARK BETWEEN 10TH AND 14TH STREETS ALONG THE RIVER.

IT IS OUR FIRST EXPANSION, OUR PRESENCE IN THE COMMUNITY WEST OF NINTH STREET, MAKING IT OBVIOUSLY A VERY IMPORTANT PROJECT IN AN AREA THAT HAS BEEN JUST PLAGUED FOR DECADES, YOU KNOW, THANKS TO JUST MISGUIDED URBAN RENEWAL INITIATIVES, REDLINING AND JUST UNDERINVESTMENT.

AND SO PUTTING AN AMENITY LIKE THIS, LIKE WATERFRONT PARK, WHICH IS ENJOYED BY THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, WHICH WILL BRING THE PARK WITHIN A 20-MINUTE WALK OF ABOUT 10,000 PEOPLE, REALLY IS IT IS A GAME CHANGER.

IT'S A QUALITY OF LIFE ENHANCEMENT.

IT IS REALLY FOSTERING AND PROMOTING ECONOMIC PROSPERITY FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE SURROUNDING AREA AND THE BUSINESSES IN THE SURROUNDING AREA.

AND IT WILL BRING JUST NEW AND EXCITING, UNIQUE AMENITIES UNLIKE ANYTHING ELSE WE HAVE IN THE PARK TO ANOTHER AREA OF OUR WATERFRONT FOR EVERYONE TO ENJOY.

LIKE THE CHALLENGES THAT HAVE COME BEFORE, PHASE FOUR ISN'T GOING TO BE EASY.

CONSTRUCTION JUST STARTED ON A 22-ACRE EXPANSION BETWEEN 10TH AND 15TH STREETS.

PLANS INCLUDE A RIVER WALK CONNECTING THE CURRENT PARK SPACE TO THE EXPANSION, AN OBSERVATION PIER, AND A PLAY PORT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE KENTUCKY SCIENCE CENTER.

IT'S A $50-MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT.

RIGHT NOW, ABOUT HALF OF IT IS FUNDED.

WE TALKED TO TED NIXON, THE CHAIR OF THE PHASE FOUR CAMPAIGN, ABOUT THE PROJECT PLANS, AND MAKING THAT IMPORTANT CONNECTION BETWEEN DOWNTOWN AND WEST LOUISVILLE...

SO THIS PHASE FOUR IS NOT ONLY DRAMATIC IN NATURE, IT IS VERY HISTORIC IN THIS AREA.

TELL US ABOUT THAT.

>> PHASE FOUR IS REALLY WHERE LOUISVILLE STARTED.

AND I DON'T MEAN THE FIRST SETTLERS TO LOUISVILLE.

I MEAN THE FIRST INDIGENOUS PEOPLES TO LOUISVILLE.

THE PHASE FOUR IS SITUATED ON WHAT IS NOW THE LOCKS BUT WAS REALLY, IN HISTORICAL TIME, WAS THE END OF THE RAPIDS.

IT WAS THE ONE PLACE WHERE, IF THE WATER LEVEL WAS LOW, PEOPLE COULD ACTUALLY WALK ACROSS THE RIVER TO INDIANA.

SO IT BECAME A VERY SACRED PLACE, NOT ONLY FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE BUT FOR ANIMALS AS WELL.

SO IT WAS A GATHERING POINT MUCH THE ANIMALS COULD FISH AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE COULD FISH THE FISH AND IT WAS REALLY, WHEN YOU GO BACK THEN TO THE FIRST SETTLER, IT'S WHERE THE FRENCH TRAPPERS CAME TO LOUISVILLE AND THEN FORD ON SHORE, WHICH WAS THE FIRST CONSTRUCTION BY PEOPLE WHO CAME DOWN THE RIVER, WAS LOCATED IN PHASE FOUR WATERFRONT PARK.

>> THAT'S AMAZING.

AND NOW IT IS SIGNIFICANT THAT WATERFRONT PARK IS NOW EXPANDING FOR THE FIRST TIME WEST OF NINTH STREET.

>> IT ABSOLUTELY IS.

AND IT'S MY PASSION.

I RETIRED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO AND MY PASSION IS TO WORKING WITH PEOPLE WEST OF NINTH STREET TO SEE HOW WE CAN RIGHT SOME WRONGS AND MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR THEM AND HAVING A PARK, WHICH IS WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE FOR 10,000 PEOPLE, ACCESS FOR THOSE IN RUSSELL AND PORTLAND AND SHAWNEE AND CALIFORNIA, TO ME, IS CRITICAL.

AND NOT ONLY IS IT ACCESS TO A PARK ON THE RIVER, IT'S GOING TO BE A PARK THAT I THINK IS GOING TO REALLY ENGAGE THE MIND.

MY BACKGROUND IS IN ENGINEERING.

I WAS ALL ABOUT STEM AND NUMBERS.

AND SO THERE IS A HUGE COMPONENT OF THAT.

WE WORKED WITH THE SCIENCE CENTER TO DEVELOP PLAY PORT, WHICH IS GOING TO ENGAGE PEOPLE IN DIGGERS AND BUOY TENDERS AND THINGS THAT ARE ON THE RIVER.

AND I REMEMBER, AS A LITTLE BOY, YOU KNOW, BEFORE AIR CONDITIONING WHEN THE DINOSAURS STILL ROAMED LOUISVILLE, MOM AND DAD WOULD TAKE US DOWN TO THE LOCKS AT NIGHT BECAUSE IT WAS COOL AND WE WOULD WATCH THESE HUGE BARGES GO THROUGH THE LOCKS AND I WOULD SAY HOW DOES A HUGE BARGE LIKE THAT RAISE UP?

WHAT IS RAISING THAT BARGE UP, YOU KNOW?

AND IT TRIGGERS YOUR STEM.

SO I THINK A HUGE COMPONENT OF THAT, AND IT IS DEFINITELY WHERE PEOPLE CAN GET CLOSEST TO THOSE HUGE BARGES.

>> DO YOU THINK A PARK CAN BRIDGE THAT DIVIDE IN OUR CITY?

>> I THINK IT CERTAINLY IS A PART OF IT.

A PART CAN'T DO THE WHOLE THING.

BUT I THINK AS WE BEGIN TO INVITE PEOPLE DOWN THERE, THUNDER OVER LOUISVILLE, IT IS, IN MY OPINION, GOING TO BE BEST PLACE TO WATCH THUNDER OVER LOUISVILLE AND YOU ARE GOING HAVE A GREAT, AS YOU DO WEST OF NINTH STREET IN THAT AREA, A GREAT DIVERSE CROWD WHO CAN ALL ENJOY THE PARK IN ADDITION TO PLAY PORT, THERE IS GOING TO BE A LOT OF GRASSY AREAS.

THERE IS STILL PARTS TO BE DEVELOPED.

A WHATEVER THAT EYE-- A WHARF THAT GOES TOWARDS THE LOCKS SO PEOPLE CAN STAND OUT THERE AND LOOK AT IT.

YOU HAVE PEOPLE FISHING DOWN THERE.

AND SO YOU JUST, I THINK, HAVE A PLACE WHERE, YOU KNOW, AS WE ARE SEEING EVEN TODAY, THE RIVER IS ALWAYS COOL.

SO THE WATER AND THE BREEZE AND WILL YOU HAVE THAT DOWN THERE.

>> YEAH.

>> SO I THINK THE ABILITY FOR OUR FOLKS, WHO CURRENTLY LIVE WEST OF NINTH STREET, TO HAVE ACCESS TO THAT, IS CRITICAL.

>> SO GROUND HAS BEEN BROKEN, CONSTRUCTION IS NOW UNDER WAY.

WHAT DOES THAT FEEL LIKE?

>> IT FEELS GREAT.

IT FEELS GOOD BUT I WILL TELL YOU THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF PRESSURE AS WELL, BECAUSE I'M WORKING WITH DEBORAH AND HER TEAM ON FUNDRAISING.

>> YEAH.

>> WHICH HAS BEEN QUITE SUCCESSFUL.

I'VE GOT TO THANK OBVIOUSLY THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE FOR A PHENOMENAL CONTRIBUTION AND ALSO FOR THE STATE, THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR, FOR GETTING BEHIND THIS PARK.

AND NOW-- >> IT'S NOT FULLY FUNDED.

>> IT'S NOT FULLY FUNDED.

WE DO HAVE SOMEWHERE AROUND $26 MILLION RAISED.

BUT THE FULL PARK, IN ORDER TO BUILD IT OUT, WILL BE PROBABLY SOMEWHERE AROUND $50 MILLION.

MY HOPE NOW IS THAT A NUMBER OF THE CORPORATIONS THAT SUPPORTED PHASE 1, 2 AND 3 WILL STEP UP AND SUPPORT PHASE 4.

BECAUSE I THINK IT IS AS IMPORTANT AND IT WILL BE ONE CONTIGUOUS PARK STRETCHING FROM THE BOTANICAL GARDENS UP HERE IN THE EAST TO, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY THE 15th STREET.

AND IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE ON ON THE RIVER WALK ON DOWN TO SHAWNEE PARK.

BUT WE NEED, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO IT IN PHASES SIMILAR TO THE WAY WATERFRONT PARK 1 2-RBGS AND 3 WAS, BUT REALLY WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE SUPPORT OF THE CORPORATE COMMUNITY.

>> HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO THE CITY JUST TO HAVE A PLACE LIKE THIS AND HOW DOES THAT WORK WITH LIFTING UP DOWNTOWN LOUISVILLE IN GENERAL AND THE BIGGER PART OF THE CITY?

>> WELL, I THINK, YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT THE NINTH STREET DIVIDE.

IT IS A REAL THING.

THERE IS NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.

AND ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP ROACH THAT NINTH STREET DIVIDE AND THIS WILL REACH THE NINTH STREET DIVIDE.

SO I THINK WHILE YOU DO GET PEOPLE IN THE CITY AND LOCAL PEOPLE WHO WILL GO DOWN TO THE BAT FACTORY AND GO ON DOWN TO FRASIER MUSEUM, IT JUST TAKES YOU ANOTHER BLOCK OR TWO BEYOND IT.

AND SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO OPEN UP THAT PART OF THE CITY THAT IS WEST OF NINTH STREET, WEST OF THE HUGE INTERSECTION THAT TENDS TO BLOCK PEOPLE.

BUT, AND GIVE THEM A REASON TO COME IN.

AS I SAID, IT'S GREAT HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE.

BUT ALSO, I THINK PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT IN BETWEEN KENTUCKY AND INDIANA, AT THE FALLS OF THE OHIO, IS THE LARGEST WILDLIFE SANCTUARY IN ANY URBAN CITY IN THE COUNTRY.

IT'S HUGE.

WE HAVE BIRDS THAT NEST ON SHIPPING PORT ISLAND.

WE HAVE THE FALLS OF THE OHIO RIGHT ACROSS THE FALLS OF THE OHIO YOU HAVE ORIGIN PARK IN INDIANA WHICH IS GOING TO BE A PHENOMENAL AND ALREADY IS A PHENOMENAL FACILITY.

SO WE ARE GOING HAVE HUNDREDS OF ACRES OF PARKS WITH THIS HUGE WILDLIFE SANCTUARY IN THE MIDDLE AND SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE CAN BE VERY PROUD OF, NOT ONLY FOR OUR GENERATION BUT MANY, MANY, MANY GENERATIONS TO COME.

>> IS THERE GOING TO BE A PHASE 5?

I KNOW IT'S EARLY TO TALK ABOUT.

>> YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY SAID NEVER SAY NO.

AND YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T KNOW.

I THINK THAT YOU CAN ENVISION THE FACT THAT THIS PARK, AS I SAID, IT STRETCHES ALL THE WAY NOW, 15th STREET AND SHAWNEE PARK, YOU HAVE A NUMBER OF BALL FIELDS, DIFFERENT THINGS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE INCORPORATED.

YOU HAVE THE PORTLAND WHARF, WHICH REALLY NOTHING IS BEING DONE RIGHT NOW.

THE NORTHERN PART OF SHAWNEE PARK.

SO I'M NOT SURE I WILL BE AROUND TO HELP FUNDRAISE FOR IT, BUT HOPEFULLY THERE WILL BE FUTURE GENERATIONS AND WE CAN SAVE THAT LAND AND DEVELOP THAT LAND INTO SOMETHING THAT CAN REALLY HELP LOUISVILLE.

>> YOU COULD SPEND A FULL DAY IN WATERFRONT PARK AND STILL NOT SEE EVERYTHING.

SO WHAT ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS?

WHERE SHOULD YOU GO IF YOU JUST HAVE AN HOUR OR LESS TO HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS?

YOU CAN SEE DEBORAH'S TOP SPOTS AT KET.ORG/INSIDE LOUISVILLE.

PLUS DON'T FORGET TO GIVE US A FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM AT KET-IN-LOU AND SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS BOTH IN AND OUTSIDE OF LOUISVILLE.

THANKS FOR SPENDING A LITTLE TIME GETTING TO KNOW LOUISVILLE THIS WEEK.

I'M YOUR HOST, KELSEY STARKS.

I HOPE WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME FOR INSIDE LOUISVILLE.

UNTIL THEN, MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK!

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