Shape the future of Lexington-Fayette County’s Waterfront

Kelley’s Landing will be the first publicly-owned access point to the Kentucky River in Fayette County. Over the next year, we need you at the table to help guide what this park looks like.

About Kelley’s Landing

In May 2022, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG) purchased 30 acres of undeveloped land along the Kentucky River off Old Richmond Road from the Kelley family.

The site, which has been named Kelley’s Landing, includes significant green space, wooded areas, Kentucky River frontage, and direct access to the Kentucky River.

Development and Planning for Kelley’s Landing

LFUCG’s Division of Parks and Recreation has allocated funding to secure the site, including removing debris and clearing invasive plants. The next step in bringing this park to life is to create a master plan. Once the master site plan is complete, sustained funding would ideally continue to be served by both the public and private sectors.

Community Trust, Inclusivity and Impact

The cornerstone of a successful master plan is quality, inclusive and equitable community engagement, inviting a diverse and broad range of stakeholders to share thoughts and ideas that ultimately will drive the vision for the park. The development of the park is viewed as a vital addition to Lexington’s quality of life and will drive public support for the protection and preservation of our community’s natural resources.

Funding and the Master Plan

The Fund for Great Lexington (FGL) allocated $175,000 to catalyze the development of Kelley’s Landing. This permanent community endowment, which is an always growing charitable resource, was established to invest in and incubate transformative community projects that improve the quality of life for all of Lexington. These funds will go toward providing an FGL project manager to oversee the hiring and management of an experienced design firm tasked with developing a master plan for Kelley’s Landing. Leading the design of the master plan will be an extensive, inclusive and equitable community engagement process to ensure the park reflects the needs and wants of the community.

The master plan will help cultivate the development of Kelley’s Landing as a unique river-based outdoor natural area park. The project seeks to have a transformative impact on Lexington by promoting:

  • Outdoor recreation

  • Education

  • Engagement through the development of a universally-accessible park landscape

  • Much-needed direct access to the Kentucky River in Fayette County

  • Through intentional community engagement efforts, the public will develop amenities and features to include sustainable trails, educational programs and more.