ARP-LAT Accelerator Post Issue 15

Swimming Pools

$8.3 million in ARP funding was given to repair, restore, and create new swimming opportunities throughout Louisville and Jefferson County. These include the Algonquin Pool, Nick Rodman Legacy Park Sprayground and the Norton Pool. Norton is currently undergoing renovations and is scheduled to open in May 2026.

Algonquin Pool (pictured left)

After closing and falling into disrepair during the pandemic, the Algonquin Park pool has made a vibrant comeback. Reopened in May 2025, the completely renovated facility now features exciting additions such as a water slide, designated lap lanes, and a zero-depth entry for enhanced accessibility. Guests can also enjoy a climbing wall, updated pool house, modern restrooms, and convenient concessions.

Thanks to these improvements, residents of the Algonquin neighborhood can once again gather, relax, and beat the heat in a revitalized, inclusive community space.

Nick Rodman Legacy Park Sprayground

Named for a Louisville Metro Police Department officer who lost his life while protecting the city, Nick Rodman Legacy Park was built on a plot of land in the south end that was donated by the Windsor Forest Neighborhood Association..

In an area lacking aquatic activities, the park features a spray ground for visitors to cool off in Louisville's hot summer months and a newly constructed restroom building. The rest of the park has two playgrounds, one focused on young children and one geared toward older children. In addition to these playgrounds, there are accessible swings and boulders that encourage climbing. 

Parkland Library

Closed since 1986 due to budget cuts, the Parkland Library has been beautifully restored and officially reopened in February 2025. Originally established in 1908, it is one of just nine historic Carnegie libraries in Louisville.

Thanks to the advocacy from local residents, funding from Mayor Greenberg, and support through the American Rescue Plan, the revitalization project included a full renovation along with a modern expansion. The result is a fully accessible, state-of-the-art library that serves the entire community.

Today, the Parkland Library offers more than 17,000 books and materials, public computers, meeting spaces, a makerspace, and a wide range of free programming designed for all ages.

Waterfront Development Playport 

Part of the plan to expand the waterfront westward, the Waterfront Development Corporation, spent ten years of planning and construction developing PlayPort.

Opened in March 2025, PlayPort is a playground like no other in Louisville Metro. Located on Rowan Street, bordering Portland and Russell neighborhoods, PlayPort is an all-inclusive park that uses construction themes to get visitors interested and learning, focusing primarily on STEM- (Science Technology Engineering Math) based exploring.

A $15 million project that includes playgrounds, restrooms, classrooms, and meeting spaces, PlayPort was funded partially by American Rescue Plan dollars under the Early Learning project, part of the Office of Strategic Initiatives.

Imagination Library of Louisville Results

Originally reported on in our  September 2023 issue, Imagination Library of Louisville is the local program partner of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

Since launching in 1995, the Imagination Library has become the preeminent early childhood book gifting program in the world. The Imagination Library mails more than 2 million high quality, age-appropriate books each
month to enrolled children from birth to age five and currently, one in ten children under five in the United States receives books from them.

Beginning in Louisville in 2017, Imagination Library of Louisville has grown by leaps and bounds, starting with 55 books being mailed their first month. They are now sending books to over 17,000 children countywide, which equates to one out of every three children under the age of five receiving a book monthly from Imagination Library of Louisville.

In 2023, the American Rescue Plan funded over $270,000 to the program.

With the assistance of University of Louisville’s Early Childhood Research Center (ECRC) and its Director, Dr. Jon Lee, Imagination Library of Louisville created a parent survey to learn more about the participants' experiences in the program and ways Imagination Library of Louisville can improve. 

The survey shows a 81% increase in parents/caregivers reading to their children and 77% increase in children asking to be read to. 42% of parents/caregivers have noticed their children using new words they learned when read to and the majority of households with older children that are not enrolled in the program report those children being interested in reading the Imagination Library of Louisville books. 

Due in part to the success of the Imagination Library Louisville, in June 2024, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear expanded the Imagination Library statewide, delivering books to preschool children throughout the Commonwealth.