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Dear District 8,
A lot of you have contacted me with questions and concerns about the future of the Cherokee Park Scenic Loop and the Parks Department's Proposal to partially reopen it to vehicles. I understand that people have strong opinions about this, and that's not a bad thing. I'm glad so many people care deeply about our parks.
Ultimately, this decision is one that will be made by the Parks Department in conjunction with the mayor's senior leadership team. That said, I am in close contact with these decision-makers, and see my role as making sure that I am gathering as much feedback as possible to ensure that all of the concerns you bring to me are heard. I also think I can play a role in suggesting creative solutions and trying to make sure that the passion so many feel about this issue doesn't lead to division in our district.
If you haven't seen the proposal that the Parks Department unveiled last week, I've included a photograph below. The proposed plan would reopen the part of the loop marked in red to vehicles, with the goal of making sure people with disabilities and mobility issues can drive to access the amenities at Hogan's Fountain. This would also open up 40+ parking spaces for vehicles. The part marked in blue would stay closed to vehicle traffic, although cars would be able to drive right up to the Loop through some of the arterial roads that feed into the park. This proposal was based off of the survey data the Parks Department collected from the community, the feedback from those who contacted us in other ways, and conversations with different local government departments. You can read more about the survey results and proposal here. I want to reiterate that this is just a proposal at this point--no final decision has been made.
I've heard from a lot of you that you're concerned that this plan would limit accessibility of our parks, both to people with disabilities and to those from other parts of our city.
I, too, want to make sure our park is accessible and our decisions are rooted in equity. That's why I'm hosting two events to discuss these issues.
You can come talk to me about your concerns about the future of the Cherokee Park during in-person office hours on April 6th. You must sign up in advance to make sure we are following social distancing guidelines. You can sign up here: https://forms.gle/dgxwqgLS3g6N93D96. You can also call our office to make an appointment at 502-574-1108.
These office hours are primarily for those who are less comfortable with technology, so please plan on giving your feedback another way if you are someone who is more technologically savvy.
I will also be holding a virtual forum on April 8th at 6pm to discuss these issues. I will be joined by a panel with expertise in accessibility and equity issues. T he first 100 participants can join the Zoom meeting at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85461185568. You can also watch via Facebook Live on this page.
In these conversations, I hope that we can have a full and robust conversation around equity and accessibility. What does it mean for our parks to be a place that everyone in our city can enjoy? How do we think about the fact that vehicles increase access for some types of disabilities, but make space less accessible for those with other types of disabilities? How does the current Parks proposal come out under our city's new racial equity toolkit? What is the timeline for implementing any new changes (I'm hoping "as soon as possible" in regards to Hogan's Fountain so that those with disabilities can access this part of the park this spring)?
As this conversation moves forward I hope that we will all remember that it's okay that we have people who want to use our parks in different ways. Let's assume good intentions of one another--even those that we disagree with--and be thankful that we all love our park. I hope to hear from many of you next week as this decision-making process moves forward.
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