Lexington voters approved a new tax for parks. How are projects moving along?
In 2024, Lexington voters approved a new property tax to fund roughly $8 million annually for improvements to local parks.
The tax rate is 2.25 cents on every $100 of value, which advocates and city officials said came out to roughly $52.88 in additional taxes for the average city homeowner.
The tax became effective January 2025. But the city did not have access to the $7.9 million in funds until January 2026.
Work on the 14 projects included for the first year of funds is already underway.
Of the 14 projects, six are under construction. According to documents from parks staff at the city, one project — the community building restoration at Whitney Young Park — is substantially complete.
Other projects actively under construction include:
- A new playground for Higbee Mill Park
- Park shelter, sidewalk and seating improvements to Harrods Hill Park
- A new concession building at Constitution Park
- Playground replacements at Lansdowne-Merrick Park
- A new playground at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park
Construction for a new trail at Veterans Park will soon be bid out to contractors. The design for new fitness equipment at Jacobson Park is completed. Purchase orders are being finished before construction can begin on that project.
Community engagement and design work is underway or soon to begin for these other projects:
- Sport court rehabilitation at Addison Park
- Facility improvements to Moondance Amphitheater
- Phase one of a redesign of the Tates Creek Aquatic Center
- Improvements to landscaping, fencing and the community building at Lou Johnson Park
- Sports court improvements at Castlewood Park
All of the 2026 parks projects — except the Castlewood Park court improvements and the Tates Creek Aquatic Center design, which will be completed in early 2027 — are expected to be completed in 2026.
The city is also working on what will eventually be the site of William Floyd Park. The park will be on property located at 2702 Paris Pike, which was donated to the city. The city is working on demolishing buildings at the site in preparation for the park’s future development. Preparation work at the property should be finished by the end of 2026.
Through July 15, just over $3.3 million of the parks fund has been spent on the projects.
The city’s Parks and Recreation webpage has a list of all ongoing parks projects — including those that are funded outside the specific parks tax fund. There is also an interactive map residents can use to check the status of all 29 active projects.
