March 2015
Shawnee Park Public Meeting
Louisville, Kentucky

Heritage Landscapes, collaborating with Environs, Inc. and Gresham, Smith & Partners for a MSD combined sewer overflow basin, is engaging citizens of Louisville in the process of developing a master plan update for Shawnee Park. Designed in 1891 by Frederick Law Olmsted Sr., this historic neighborhood park overlooks the Ohio River.  During a public meeting at the end of March 2015, Heritage Landscapes explored the Olmstedian design concepts and their applications to Shawnee Park with the local community.  We were gratified by the high level of community understanding exhibited in follow-up questions and discussion. The successful meeting reinforced the need to not only protect water quality through the storm water initiatives but to reinforce Olmsted character as areas of the park are reconstructed after basin construction. 

A slide from the public meeting lists the 6 design concepts applied to shaping the Olmsted designed Shawnee Park.

The historic image shows a typical triangular path intersection, promoting ease of movement within the park.

The detail of the 1900 plan, prepared by Environs and Heritage Landscapes, illustrates the early park landscape organized around the central Great Lawn and river overlooks.