LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Ahead of Alberta O. Jones Park’s ribbon cutting ceremony, the Parks Alliance of Louisville and Stock Yards Bank & Trust are celebrating the instillation of 5G Wi-Fi, making it the first park in West Louisville to provide complimentary high-speed, next-generation internet for all visitors.
Wi-Fi connectivity, made possible by a $42,000 gift from Stock Yards Bank & Trust, will create new opportunities for California neighborhood residents and families. The connection will be accessible through the entire park and will be available to not only park visitors, but community organizations that host events in the park.
According to Internet for All, a National Telecommunications and Information Administration program, 1 in 5 households is not connected to the internet. Since 1904, Stock Yards Bank & Trust has served as an engaging community partner and saw this project as a way for the bank to support its neighbors in west Louisville.
“While children are playing at the park, parents can schedule medical appointments, apply for jobs or even check their mobile banking,” said Phil Poindexter, president of Stock Yards Bank & Trust. “By providing Wi-Fi to the community in and around the California neighborhood, we are allowing for more people to be connected to each other and to necessary resources. Nowadays, the internet is not a luxury – it’s a necessity.”
“It has long been a dream of the Parks Alliance to provide high-speed internet in public parks located in wi-fi deserts,” said Brooke Pardue, president/CEO of Parks Alliance of Louisville. “It is with deep appreciation to Stock Yards Bank that we can help bridge the digital divide for patrons of Alberta O. Jones Park.”
Alberta O. Jones Park is named after Alberta Jones, a trailblazing attorney from west Louisville and the first Black woman to pass the Kentucky Bar Exam. Jones had a successful legal career including negotiating the first contract for boxer Cassius Clay (who later became Muhammad Ali) and serving as a prosecutor in the Louisville Domestic Relations Court prosecuting domestic violence offenders.
Jones was also a civil rights activist who participated in the March on Washington and founded the Independent Voters Association of Louisville teaching Black Louisvillians how to vote, resulting in 6,000 new voters. Her life was tragically cut short when she was murdered in 1965 and her case remains unsolved. The new park was named in her honor after a community-wide “Name Your Park” survey.
“Adding Wi-Fi to the park enhances the mission of community connectivity and supporting west Louisville residents,” said Laurent Houekpon, Director of Engagement and Outreach, Stock Yards Bank & Trust. “We are thankful to the Parks Alliance of Louisville and all other community partners for making this project a reality.”
Louisville-based Stock Yards Bancorp, Inc., with $7.67 billion in assets, was incorporated in 1988 as a bank holding company. It is the parent company of Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company, which was established in 1904.
