LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Shawnee Park just got a fresh coat of paint in the form of a beautiful, colorful mural and a new hiking trail.
The mural, designed by STEAM Exchange, is based on photographs taken by the late Charles "Bud" Dorsey Jr., a local legend who is most known for his photojournalism documenting life in west Louisville for more than 50 years.
The photos used in the mural depicted activities offered within the Louisville is Engaging Children Outdoors (ECHO) program, including environmental education and nature play.
ECHO is a component of West Louisville Outdoor Recreation Initiative (WLORI), who also partners with the STEAM exchange to create opportunity for west Louisville youths.
"We have been working over the past several years to transform our historic Shawnee and Chickasaw parks into even more exciting, diverse greenspaces, providing rich environmental experiences for people from all walks of life," Mayor Greg Fischer said.
As well as the mural unveiling, Shawnee Park also has a new hiking trail, thanks to Wilderness Louisville, Inc., Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence and Brown-Forman Corporation, according to a press release from the mayor's office.
AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps and SummerWorks participants worked for nearly 18 months to complete the trail.
Michael Gritton, KentuckianaWorks executive director, oversees SummerWorks in partnership with YouthBuild Louisville.
"The SummerWorks youth at Shawnee Park have helped improve their community for the better while gaining knowledge about the outdoors and expanding their professional skills. This is what the program is all about," Gritton said.
The trail project was backed by several local organizations, all to make nature more accessible for Louisville children and families and to better serve the community of west Louisville.
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