WINCHESTER, Ky. (LEX 18) – The creative minds behind a one-of-a-kind park in Winchester got to see their ideas come to life Friday afternoon.
In June, Legacy Grove Park will open up to the public. The 30-acre lot off Lexington Road used to be the home of the old Clark Regional Medical Center, but two years ago The Greater Clark Foundation started the process of transforming it into a public park.
Part of that process was creating a team of 25 Clark County Children and letting them decide what would be best.
“What they did is they talked through the basics of play, ending up with making models of a play area that they would love,” said Beth Jones of the Greater Clark Foundation. “The designers took all of these models back with them to the drawing board and used all of that inspiration.”
On Friday, many of those same kids, now two years older, got a first look at the progress crews have made on the park.
“I thought it was just going to be another park like College or Lykins, but I didn’t think it was going to be this,” said Lilly Florence, an 8th grader.
The park includes an Adventure Play area that encourages children to use their imagination. curiosity, and problem-solving skills. It’s also ADA accessible so people of all ages and abilities can enjoy.
“I have Cerebral Palsy and have a walker that helps me keep my balance and they’re going to put a pathway for the mulch so wheelchairs and walkers can get through there,” said Jackson Woods, an 8th grader who also helped with the planning
Construction on the park will continue despite rain delays. Developers hope it’ll be ready in the next two months.
“People in the future get to use this park and I get to look back on it when I’m older and say ‘I made that. I got a say in that park. I got to help.’ I cannot wait for that moment,” said Florence.
For more information on the park, you can visit LegacyGrovePark.org.
