Lankford says the million-dollar USDA grant is a big help – but it’s private citizens who’ve donated the bulk of the nearly 40-million dollars raised thus far. The park is expected to open in mid- to late 2025.
Lexington’s Town Branch Park is a million dollars closer to completion, thanks to a grant from the U.S. Agriculture Department’s Forestry Division. Allison Lankford is the executive director for the 11-acre project in downtown Lexington. She said the U-S-D-A grant is a tremendous help for the effort.
“It covers, you know, the tree plantings, which will be significant. We’re removing 11 acres of asphalt in this particular site, which is currently just a parking lot, and transforming it into a new green space in the heart of downtown.”
Town Branch Park will be built on the Manchester Street side of Rupp Arena. The parking lot will be replaced by trees, bushes, walking paths and bridges over Town Branch – where Lexington was founded.
“You see trees growing up out of the center of this parking lot, which is kind of strange in and of itself. But if you kind of peek behind the trees, it's actually Town Branch Creek, and it already daylights in the parking lot itself.”
Lankford says the million-dollar USDA grant is a big help – but it’s private citizens who’ve donated the bulk of the nearly 40-million dollars raised thus far. The park is expected to open in mid- to late 2025.
** WEKU is working hard to be a leading source for public service, fact-based journalism. Monthly sustaining donors are the top source of funding for this growing nonprofit news organization. Please join others in your community who support WEKU by making your donation.
