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BGCFyi
FROM PARKING LOT TO PUBLIC TREASURE:
Philanthropy Built Gatton Park “Fiscal sponsorship is one way we help visionary ideas take root,” said Lisa Adkins, BGCF president/CEO. “For years, Gatton Park existed
only on paper, but we believed in its promise. We’re honored to have
supported its transformation and proud to underwrite the Gatton Park donor recognition wall, which permanently honors the generosity behind this remarkable project.”
Today, BGCF sponsors dozens of community initiatives across
Central and Appalachia Kentucky, offering administrative support,
financial oversight and donor confidence while projects grow toward independence.
“Our role is to help build the bridge from inspiration to impact,” said
Lisa. “And Gatton Park is a perfect example of what’s possible when community leadership and philanthropy come together.” Gatton Park: Powered by Philanthropy The park is named in honor of Carol Martin “Bill” Gatton, a local On August 23, Lexington officially opened Gatton Park on the Town Branch, a 12-acre, privately funded, nonprofit-managed public
park that transformed the site of a former Rupp Arena parking lot
into a world-class green space. Designed by renowned landscape
philanthropist whose $14.5 million gift secured the park’s completion and long-term sustainability. Additional support from businesses,
foundations, families and more than 16,000 community members helped shape the park’s design and programming.
architecture firm Sasaki, the park features an outdoor amphitheater, a
“This park is a celebration of Lexington’s heritage and a gift to its
section of Town Branch Creek—Lexington’s original water source.
and former VP/advancement at BGCF. “The Community Foundation
children’s play area, a dog park, native plant gardens and a restored More than a park, Gatton Park is a symbol of transformation:
reclaiming buried history, repurposing space and restoring natural beauty to the heart of the city.
From Buried Creek to Community Catalyst Lexington was founded 250 years ago along the Town Branch, and its growth was powered by the creek’s fresh water and milling capacity. But by the 1800s, the stream had become polluted and flood prone.
In the 1930s, it was buried in an underground culvert, hidden beneath concrete and asphalt for nearly a century.
That forgotten stream now flows once again. The idea to “daylight” Town Branch gained momentum with the Town Branch Commons project, a multi-use trail system tracing the creek’s path through downtown. When the Central Bank Center expansion freed up a nearby parking lot, local leaders saw a chance to create
not just a park, but a statement about reclaiming Lexington’s past and shaping its future.
BGCF: Laying the Groundwork for Giving
future,” said Allison Lankford, CEO, Gatton Park and Conservancy,
was with us from day one, and we’re incredibly grateful for its belief in this project and the support when we needed it most.”
A Park for Everyone + A Model for Community Giving Gatton Park includes limestone-lined creek beds, water-powered play structures, native gardens and an amphitheater designed to
host national acts. It also connects more than 22 miles of bike and pedestrian trails, linking downtown to surrounding neighborhoods
and green spaces. During construction, crews uncovered a stone wall dating to 1790. Its stones were reused in the restored streambed, blending the city’s history into a thoroughly modern park.
Now open to the public, Gatton Park on the Town Branch is more than a destination. It’s a testament to what we preserve, what we restore and what we build together.
To learn more about
At BGCF, we believe in the power
BGCF’s fiscal sponsorship
change. We’re proud to have
Brian Dineen at
of local giving to drive bold
helped shape this new chapter for downtown Lexington, and
bdineen@bgcf.org.
Blue Grass Community Foundation played a key role in bringing
proud that Gatton Park will stand
the charitable infrastructure needed to raise funds and build early
community philanthropy can
Gatton Park to life. As the project’s fiscal sponsor, BGCF provided
as a lasting reminder of what
momentum before the park became an independent nonprofit.
achieve.
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program, contact
To make a gift to the Gatton Park Conservancy Endowed Fund at BGCF, visit www.bit.ly/GattonPark.
BLUE GRASS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION