Author: Jayoung Koo
Planning Unit: Landscape Architecture
Major Program: Community Design/Creative Placemaking
Outcome: Intermediate Outcome
UK Department of Landscape Architecture (UKLA) has been partnering with the Huntertown Community Interpretive Park (HCIP) Committee since 2020 to envision the former African-American hamlet community site of Huntertown now as a 40-acre public open space. With the support of the 2021 UK Sustainability Challenge Grant, UKLA revised the preliminary park master plan during phase 2 (2021-2023) to reflect the community’s past footprints on the landscape more appropriately and further explored focusing on environmental education and restoration in the inner-wooded area. Other project team members also led their efforts to research, plan, and propose features and elements that complement the overall project and its sustainability.
The collaborative UK and HCIP committee effort since the summer of 2021 has also accomplished the following features presented in the park landscape and for online communication.
Throughout the project period, the HCIP Committee, city and county leaders, volunteers, and residents were excited to see the Huntertown Community Interpretive Park incrementally being realized and becoming a part of their culture, heritage, and future. Projects such as HCIP take much time, effort, and patience to plan and build capacity. Also, engaging community members in a timely manner is essential. Further, strong partners that are proactive in seeking and advocating for support for public projects are important.
In terms of publicity, the project has gained much attention after the signage and bioswale dedication in November 2023. The celebration was featured in WEKU and LEX 18 news. The HCIP Committee continues to host events and interests from the community and helps advocate for the incremental building of the park. The committee’s fundraising efforts continue toward implementing the pubic space design project. For the intermediate terms, the UKLA design proposals and SCG team efforts have provided a strong foundation to support the placemaking efforts not only for Versailles-Woodford County residents but also for the broader central KY region.
Clark County was founded in 1792 from Bourbon and Fayette Counties. The county is in the Bluegrass A... Read More
UK Department of Landscape Architecture (UKLA) has been partnering with the Huntertown Community Int... Read More
Clark County was founded in 1792 from Bourbon and Fayette Counties. The county is in the Bluegrass A... Read More
UK Department of Landscape Architecture (UKLA) has been partnering with the Huntertown Community Int... Read More
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Clark County was founded in 1792 from Bourbon and Fayette Counties. The county is in the Bluegrass A... Read More