PARIS, Ky. (LEX 18) — The groundbreaking of a new waste and recycling site brought justice to Paris Monday afternoon.
“This project is the right thing to do,” said State Representative Matt Koch.
The project at hand is a new solid waste and recycling transfer site, removed from Paris’ west side neighborhood and into a remote part of town.
To understand the significance of the moment, you have to go back to the 60s.
During the years of segregation, Paris’ predominantly Black neighborhood had a designated park. There, amateur baseball teams faced off with neighboring towns and families had space to picnic and recreate, according to the West Side Neighborhood Association.
In 1965, the city’s waste transfer site was built on part of the park. At the time, minority residents didn’t have the clout to fight it.
For decades, they dealt with the noise, odor, litter, vermin, and visuals that come with a waste site.
Anna Allen-Edwards remembers that time all too well.
“I'm a former resident of the west side neighborhood. I grew up there. As a matter of fact, not only was there a dump there, they also placed a landfill in our neighborhood, so we have a lot of social and environmental justice issues that have to be addressed,” said Allen-Edwards.
Fed up, residents, spearheaded by Allen-Edwards, formed the West Side Neighborhood Association to fight for the relocation of the waste site.
Together, the residents advocated for change, having a study conducted on the waste transfer station, meeting with city and state leaders, and securing funding.
In 2022, Governor Beshear awarded Paris $2 million to begin construction, followed by an additional $1.5 million secured through the general assembly.
The efforts culminated in a groundbreaking Monday afternoon on Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard.
“This project is bringing a little bit of justice and correcting a historic wrong,” said Governor Beshear. “We are moving a waste transfer station out of what's traditionally been an African American neighborhood, and we're going to replace it with a park.”
Local students who joined the groundbreaking ceremony got to see firsthand what can happen in the fight for justice.
“This really affects the community,” said eighth-grader Makenna Banks.
“I think it's amazing,” echoed sixth-grader Elinor McCauley. “It's cool that all the people that care about our community are here to help.”
