It's Our Birthday! 🎉

This summer we celebrate the one year anniversary of Town Branch Park, Inc. operating as a standing alone non-profit organization and Lexington’s first independent park conservancy. Thanks to you, we have been able to make tremendous progress this past year including:

• Completed Phase 1 of the project in December 2019

• Adopted the Town Branch Park Inclusion Plan to ensure the park is inclusive and welcoming to all community members

• Collaborated with leaders from other privately funded public city parks around the country to ensure Town Branch Park is a world-class venue through an invitation to join the High Line Network and Reimagining the Civic Commons

• Met with over 1,000 community members to talk face-to-face about the vision for Town Branch Park

• Began the final design of Town Branch Park!

We have big plans for this year and beyond!  While COVID-19 has changed the way we work and play, for now, the importance of great outdoor spaces has never been more evident.  We are grateful to our supporters and advocates who recognize that investing in public spaces is vital.  We cannot wait to update you on the exciting things to come.  Stay tuned: We are just getting started!

Volunteer Spotlight - Meet Hart!

We would like to introduce you to Hart Hallos, our wonderful intern. With a summer full of unique challenges and video conference calls, Hart has been able to bring a distinctive perspective and experience to Town Branch Park. We thank him for his hard work. Get to know Hart below:

Where are you attending university and what is your major?

I'm a student at Columbia University currently deciding between a major in Sustainable Development and Art History/Visual Arts.

What was your first impression of Town Branch Park?

My first impression of Town Branch Park was kind of shocked—shocked that such a massive project was actually interested in what students and young people like me had to say. When I started working with the park as a high schooler, I didn't really think that there was room for us in the conference rooms and board discussions I associated with large community projects. But to see the ideas of students being taken into account and listened to in every step of the park's development has been so cool to witness.

What do you wish people knew about Town Branch Park?

I wish people knew more about the range of different ways to experience Town Branch Park. I know when most people think of a park, they think of a space to enjoy outdoor activities like walking, biking, or throwing a frisbee. And Town Branch Park is definitely going a be a great space to do all of those things, but it can also be a lot more. People can come to learn about Lexington’s unique environment and ecology or come and see their favorite local artists perform, or both! To me, that’s what makes Town Branch Park unique and such a valuable community space.

What might someone be surprised to know about you?

People might be surprised to know that (and this really should be more embarrassing than it is) I’m 19 and still don’t know how to drive. The current plan with that is to bank on the nationwide implementation of self-driving cars in the near future. Until then, I guess I can keep asking my brother for a ride.

What is a Park Conservancy?

In addition to world-class green space and thoughtful programming, what will Town Branch Park have in common with Central Park in New York, Millennium Park in Chicago, and Pease Park in Austin? They are all park conservancies.

While a first in Lexington, cities around the world have long used a conservancy model to build, refurbish and maintain their most iconic parks and cherished public spaces. A park conservancy is a type of private, non-profit, non-political organization that supports capital development and advocacy for parks, and then, operates and maintains the park once built. Park conservancies raise money through a variety of means to care for parks, and while there is some variance in how park conservancies develop, each one is created to meet the local community's needs. Park conservancies currently operate in more than 50% of major US cities. We are excited to add Lexington to the growing list of communities using this model to ensure the parks are safe, active and well maintained.

WesBanco Announces Gift to Town Branch Park

Organizations that believe in creating long-lasting community impact are essential to the success of Town Branch Park. We are excited to announce that WesBanco believes in our vision and will be donating $50,000 to support Town Branch Park. WesBanco’s generosity brings us closer to our goal of creating a world-class community gathering space.

“At our core, WesBanco is a community bank focusing on the needs of the communities we serve," said Jeff Koonce, market president at WesBanco. "To be involved in an undertaking such as Town Branch Park is truly what WesBanco is all about: community.”

Without our donors, there would be no park. Big-hearted supporters help ensure that we will have a unique and thoughtfully designed green space for all. Thank you to WesBanco for helping us continue to create a park that reflects the spirit and culture of the Bluegrass in the heart of downtown Lexington!