ARP-LAT Accelerator Post-Issue 21

Monarch Station

Volunteers of America, in conjunction with The Louisville Affordable Housing Trust Fund (LAHTF), celebrated the ribbon cutting of Monarch Station on August 19th. 

Monarch Station, funded in part by ARP for $3.7 million and made possible with a land grant from the late Dan Caudill, provides Louisville residents with 80 units of safe, affordable housing.

Twenty of the units are designated for those with chronic homelessness that fall at or below 30% area median income (AMI) and are prioritized by the Continuum of Care. The other 60 units will provide housing to families at or below 60% AMI. 

Monarch Station, located on the border of the Meriweather and Germantown neighborhoods, will furnish residents with laundry facilities, computer services, and a community room. VOA will be providing case management services, healthcare, counseling, and job coaching. 

Broadband & Connected Parks

Always growing and evolving since it's birth in 1969, the Louisville Zoo has recently upgraded their Wi-Fi systems to connect more of its visitors.

Thanks to ARP funds through the Broadband and Connected Parks projects, Bob Abel, IT Systems Administrator for the zoo, said, "We were able to update and expand our wireless infrastructure, create a more connected and cohesive Zoo experience and most importantly, we will be able to show the power of education with future interactive exhibits that will generate interest and create awareness in and beyond our community for all Zoo related initiatives nationwide, and possibly beyond!"

Bob said that ARP funding helped act as a catalyst to modernize the Louisville Zoo. He said it will allow the zoo to extend their reach of education with all of the schools they host annually. Bob also said, "the connectivity provided will allow guests to learn more about the exhibits in real time, which is foundational to building the future of interactive exhibits that we can update and maintain to provide the most accurate information about regional and global impact to animals and the ecosystems they depend on."

The increase in Wi-Fi at the zoo allows guests to depend on cell coverage less, therefore making it more accessible to a greater number of visitors. It also means that guests won't need to depend on cellular coverage for connectivity. 

"The impact now will be magnified in future generations. We may not yet know where inspiration will take us, but we know where it should begin, with us! The next Jane Goodall or Steve Irwin is out there, and we are looking forward to becoming a part of that person's journey," said Bob. 

Check out more about the Louisville Zoo here: https://louisvillezoo.org/

Fern Creek Library

On August 4, Mayor Greenberg joined local community members and library administration to talk about the construction of the new Fern Creek library. “Every neighborhood in Louisville deserves access to a great library branch, and for the first time in nearly a decade, families in Fern Creek and the surrounding neighborhoods will have their library back. Libraries are lifelines, providing people of every age with opportunities to read, learn, connect and access essential resources. I can’t wait to come back, cut the ribbon, and welcome the very first visitors." said the Mayor.

The new library, located at 9127 Fern Creek Road (next to Fern Creek High School), will be 18,000 square feet and will host more than 130,000 visitors each year. With the old Fern Creek library closing in 2019, this new branch will allow patrons to participate in different activities, such as education and community events.

The new branch was partially funded by the American Rescue Plan, $10 million. Other funding includes money from city budgets, state funds, the Library Foundation and the Library Advisory Commission. The Mayor proposed an additional $800,000 from the recent city budget to go to support staff for Fern Creek and Main Library.

Mayor Greenberg has made improving Louisville’s libraries a top priority. Recently, Portland and Parkland libraries were renovated and reopened, while Main Library is still being refurbished and expanded and should open at the end of this year. All these libraries were funded in part by the American Rescue Plan.

“It has been a joy to see how much these reopened and renovated branches mean to our neighbors,” said Mayor Greenberg. “We are going to keep this progress coming so more Louisville families can benefit from the knowledge, technology, programs and welcoming spaces our libraries provide.”

The Fern Creek library is scheduled to open in early 2027. Check out more details at: https://www.lfpl.org/ferncreek1