LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A renovation project will bring new life to Lannan Memorial Park in Louisville's Portland neighborhood — and with the help of a former UofL basketball player, it will also honor Breonna Taylor.
"Parks in this city do not have the view that this park has, and it's a beautiful park, so why not here," council member Donna Purvis (D-5) said.
Purvis is teaming up with Metro Parks, attorney Nick Wilson and the Russ Smith Foundation to create a bigger space for the kids. The $47,960 renovation project will include a splash pad and a new basketball court.
"Portland comes up as a winner in this, and with the added amenities to this park, I think it will increase the activities," Purvis said. "I've been here a few times and outside of little league baseball there's not a lot of activity going on here — there's not a lot really attracting people."
The life-sized mural of Breonna Taylor in the park will cover the entire basketball court and will have the message "Black Lives Matter."
"It is right off the interstate and people that are traveling the country through I-64 they can glance over and see Breonna's life here on this court," Purvis said. "Kids need to understand at a young age when they see injustice, they need to understand the ability to have justice."
However, some people in the Portland neighborhood are pushing back. A resident has created a change.org petition to stop the mural in Lannan Memorial Park that has garnered more than 100 signatures as of Wednesday.
The petition says residents should have been asked about how they feel before putting the mural in the neighborhood, suggesting the mural be made of a person that has contributed to Portland in some way.
Purvis said this project is bigger than the artwork.
"We're going to move forward," she said. "Our attitudes are positive about this and we just have to stay focused on that."
Purvis is calling on local artists to send drawings to her by email or via phone at 502-574-1105. The new park is expected to be ready for use by mid-September.
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