Town Branch Park project wants public feedback on design now through March 20

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Lexington community members can provide feedback on the design of Town Branch Park project today through March 20. The park will be a gathering and event green space between Central Bank Center/Rupp Arena and the Distillery District on the west side of downtown.

“It is our commitment that Town Branch Park will be an inclusive, welcoming and well-used space in the heart of downtown,” said Allison Lankford, executive director of Town Branch Park. “We are committed to listening to all segments of our community and incorporating feedback into the design at every phase. We’re excited to begin our next round of community engagement, which builds on previous surveys and community meetings.”

This will be the first opportunity for the public to view initial designs and provide feedback that will shape specific components of the park.

There are three ways for residents to have their voices heard this week:

• A pop-up space will provide people with an opportunity to learn about the project and provide feedback about the initial concepts of the park. The first will be held from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. today (Monday, March 15) at Good Foods Coop, 455-D Southland Drive. The second will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 20, at the Greyline Station, 803 N. Limestone.
• A virtual public meeting will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 18. Participants will see a presentation that includes information on the park vision and current design drafts. There will be live polling questions to gauge opinions on various design features, and participants also will have the opportunity to ask questions. To register, visit www.townbranchpark.org.
• A survey can be filled out at https://www.townbranchpark.org/community-engagement.

In addition, lead design firm Sazaki and local consulting firm EHI have been working with Town Branch Park to hold small focus group meetings with various segments of the community, including adjoining property owners, senior citizens, arts groups, nature and wellness enthusiasts, youth, parents, young professionals, and others.

After this round of input, feedback will be summarized, publicly available on the www.townbranchpark.org and incorporated into the design. Additional community engagement will be conducted for the next design phase as well.