Otter Creek Park Closed

[+KRnlKilR]

As some of you in Kentucky may have heard, City of Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson announced in December that the Otter Creek Park would be closed in an effort to save the city $180,000 through June 2009. Otter Creek Park, approximately 30 miles south of Louisville in Meade County, is a heavily wooded park which features caves, a rock quary, scenic views of the Ohio River and home of the YMCA's Camp Piomingo and the Girl Scout's Camp Tall Trees. The park was a gift to Louisville from the federal government after World War II for the city's support of Fort Knox. Mayor Abramson claims the city spends close to 1.1 million per year operating the park.

 

For years the mayor has been trying to shed the park, either by giving it away to Meade County or Fort Knox and selling it to a private investor. The State of Kentucky has looked at purchasing the park and making it a Wildlife Management Area, open to fishing and hunting, which is currently banned in the park by the City of Louisville. Meade County is only interested in taking the park, which is within their county line, if they can develop it for residential and idustrial interest. Fort Knox has said they would like to see the park stay open, but they are not in a position to take control of the park due to lack of funds, and the fact that they already have a park with a lake that is available to soldiers, their families and invited guest.

 

A grass roots effort is underway to save Otter Creek Park - The Friends of Otter Creek Park. There will be a meeting Monday, December 5, 2008 at the Southwest Government Center, 7219 Dixie Hwy #106 in Southwest Louisville at 7 PM. At the meeting topics and ideas will be explored to save the park, raise funds and get the park re-opened, as well as some business to actually elect a board of directors, committees and sub-committees. I encourage anyone who can attend to do so.

 

The reason I post this is because Otter Creek Park is very Geocaching Friendly. They welcome geocaches and earthcaches in the park as it allows the visitor to explore nature first hand and up close. Additionally, this park has been the summer camping home of generations of children and adults, including myself. If you live in Southern Indiana, the Louisville Metro, or surrounding counties, I urge you to attend the meeting and help keep this park open.

 

For more information you can visit http://saveottercreekpark.wordpress.com/.

 

Thanks,

KRnlKilR

Louisville, KY

[+KRnlKilR]

The next meeting of The Friends of Otter Creek Park has been set for Monday, December 26, 2008 at the Southwest Government Center, 7219 Dixie Hwy #106 in Southwest Louisville at 7 PM. I encourage everyone who would like to have a hand in getting Otter Creek Park re-opened to attend.

 

For more information you can visit http://saveottercreekpark.wordpress.com/.

 

Thanks!

Edited January 13, 2009 by KRnlKilR