Meet the new director of Lexington’s Gatton Park on Town Branch
Gatton Park on Town Branch announced Friday it has hired its first park director as the long-awaited, privately funded downtown park readies for its August grand opening.
The director, Donald Miller, has served as director of programming and events for Waterloo Park, an Austin, Texas, downtown park that similar amenities as Gatton, according to Gatton Park on Town Branch.
Like Gatton Park, the Waterloo Greenway is a conservancy. It is funded by a $265 million public-private partnership.
Before Waterloo, Miller served as events coordinator for Discovery Green Conservancy in Houston, where he coordinated more than 600 events annually.
“I’m honored to join the Gatton Park team and help bring this extraordinary new space to life for the Lexington community,” Miller said. “From my experience at parks like Waterloo Greenway and Discovery Green, I’ve seen how well-designed public spaces can foster connection, creativity and civic pride. I look forward to working alongside the team to ensure Gatton Park is a welcoming, safe and vibrant place that truly reflects the culture and spirit of Lexington.”
Miller has a Bachelor of Arts in communication and information sciences from the University of Alabama.
Gatton Park on Town Branch is a largely privately funded 10-acre downtown park adjacent to Central Bank Center and Rupp Arena. Plans for the park include a dog park, public amphitheater, walking trails, play areas, water features and public art.
It is scheduled to open Aug. 23. It broke ground in 2023. The park has raised more than $55 million to date.
Alison Lankford, CEO of Gatton Park and Conservancy, said Miller has extensive experience working for private-public park systems and will help guide the future of the park in its early years.
“He brings deep experience from some of the country’s most beloved urban parks, and he shares our passion for creating a place where people from all walks of life can connect — with each other and with nature,” Lankford said.
