Louisville Parks and Recreation has $177M in deferred maintenance. Their average annual budget is just shy of $30M. The Parks Alliance hopes to not only advocate for more city funding and philanthropic investment, but we will need to catch up on decades of systemic disinvestment in our public parks, and we are committed to an equitable and transparent approach.
As part of our Parks For All Initiative, we have collected data, by census track, about population density, historic inequity, environmental justice, and health and wellness. Each "bucket" compiles data sets that contribute to the score except for population density. This data creates what we’re referring to as a “Community Need Score.”
The Parks Alliance is committed to prioritizing investments in our public parks through the lens of equity. We will work to make sure the public parks in the areas of town where residents have the greatest need will be prioritized for the earliest investment in programming, maintenance, and capital improvements.
As you can see on the map, there is need across the city and this data-driven approach will ensure we focus efforts where improvements will have the largest impact on the greatest number of people.