Trails, lawns and natural areas at The Parklands have remained open throughout the pandemic, and we have started to reopen previously closed amenities. The reopening will take place over several weeks, and all dates are subject to change based on guidance from the city and state.

REOPENING DATES

• Park restrooms and portable toilets are now open.
• The Barklands dog park in Beckley Creek Park reopens on Saturday, May 23, 2020.
  • As in other areas of the park, dog park visitors should practice social distancing from other households/groups and are discouraged from sharing items.
  • Dog park visitors should limit their time in the dog park to an hour or less.
• The Moss Gibbs Woodland Garden reopens to visitors on Monday, June 1, 2020.

CLOSURES

• The following areas and amenities remain closed to the public until further notice:
  • All playgrounds and spraygrounds (Beckley Creek, Pope Lick, and Broad Run parks)
  • PNC Achievement Center for Education & Interpretation in Beckley Creek Park
  • Osage Orange Trail in Beckley Creek Park (inaccessible due to playground closure)
  • Silo Lookout at the Brown-Forman Silo Center in Turkey Run Park
• Drinking fountains will remain off until further notice.

View Reopening Flyer

VISITING THE PARKLANDS

The Parklands is open daily from dawn to dusk offering families and individuals of all ages and abilities a way to get out and active while practicing social distancing. When visiting The Parklands, all guests should continue to follow CDC guidance on social distancing and healthy hand hygiene.

Additionally, visitors should:

• Stay home if they are sick.
• Remain at least six (6) feet apart from strangers and people who are not part of your household.
• Share the trails, and give others space.
• Avoid in-person social gatherings of more than 10.
• Explore another section of the park if the trail or area they planned to visit is busy.
• When possible, visit in the early morning or late evening (prior to dusk) to avoid peak visitation.
• Avoid touching handrails and benches.

Park Rangers and LMPD frequently patrol The Parklands. They are keeping an eye out for visitors who are not following group and social distancing guidelines to educate them on the risks. Visitors can report non-compliance to the COVID-19 Reporting Hotline (833-KYSAFER or 833-597-2337) or online at kysafer.ky.gov.

EDUCATION PROGRAMS

While in-person programs are currently on hold, park staff are producing digital content to keep visitors of all ages learning and engaged.

• The Parklands Virtual Classroom is an online hub of fun and engaging videos and worksheets that students can watch and complete remotely. Resources are free and available for parents, teachers and individuals of all ages at www.theparklands.org/classroom.
• Wednesday Wonders, sponsored by PNC Grow Up Great, is an interactive program designed to spark the curiosity of young children. Visit The Parklands Facebook or YouTube page every Wednesday at 10 a.m. to explore a new science wonder with a story, craft, hike or related science experiment.
• The Park Roots speaker series, exclusive to Parklands Members, will be offered virtually on The Parklands Facebook page until further notice. This format allows supporters to enjoy our program from the safety of their own home. Details on upcoming events will be posted to The Parklands website as they become available. Visitwww.theparklands.org/events.
• The Parklands will begin offering weeklong Outdoor Adventure Camps the week of June 15 and running through the week of August 3. Education staff are actively planning and reworking curriculum to offer camp in a safe, responsible manner that follows Kentucky’s Healthy at Work guidelines, while still providing fun, outdoor activity for campers. Group size will be extremely limited this summer, so we encourage interested parties to register early at www.theparklands.org/camps. 

FACILITY RENTALS & COMMUNITY EVENTS

The Parklands is working on a plan to resume in-person gatherings and events, while adhering to city and state guidance. Our facilities team continues to work with families, businesses and organizations to reschedule and reconfigure events impacted by city and state guidelines.

We are looking forward to resuming rentals of our pavilions and larger venues as permitted. Learn more about our indoor and outdoor rental options at www.theparklands.org/venues. For pricing and availability, call 502-815-0277 or send an e-mail to events@21cparks.org.

FUNDRAISING EVENTS

• While the in-person gathering for The Parklands Luncheon, presented by PNC Bank, was canceled, the work of our education team is ongoing through The Parklands Virtual Classroom. Luncheon committee members continue their efforts to raise funds benefiting The Parklands Outdoor Classroom, which reached nearly 20,000 participants in 2019. Throughout the pandemic, The Parklands Virtual Classroom continues to engage students, families and individuals of all ages with videos and activities that correspond to Next Generation Science Standards.
• Due to COVID-19, The Parklands 5K Walk & Run has been rescheduled for Sunday, September 13, 2020. We hope that you can still join us later this year for our annual 5K benefiting our visitor-supported park! Register and view the latest information at www.theparklands.org/5k.

This is a rapidly changing situation. We will continue to monitor developments and align our response with city and statewide efforts. Visitors are encouraged to check our website before visiting in case of additional closures or changes in programming.

Thank you for your patience and continued support of our donor and visitor-supported public park!

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