Greenberg unveils plans for mountain bike park at former homeless camp in south Louisville
Mayor Craig Greenberg unveiled plans for a new mountain bike park in Louisville's South End on Tuesday.
The park will be on Park Boulevard, underneath the I-264 overpass near the Muhammad Ali International Airport. Preliminary plans show four sections of track for beginners up to advanced bikers, complete with jumps, hairpin turns and more.
"We're going to create spaces that will make it possible to host mountain biking events that will draw people from all around, from each end of the country and add to the outstanding momentum that we have in our tourism and hospitality sectors," Greenberg said.
The proposed park is on the site of a previous homeless encampment that the city "relocated," Greenberg said.
"There were homeless encampments in this area and crime," Greenberg said. "People in this area could not feel safe, and that's not acceptable."
Greenberg said individuals experiencing homelessness have local options, including the Community Cares Campus, which recently opened a temporary shelter to house six to 12 families. The full campus, which will include a family emergency shelter, is not expected to be completed until later this year.
Local homeless outreach workers have criticized the Greenberg administration's use of the term relocation for camp clearings, saying those forced to move often have nowhere to go.
According to data from the Coalition for the Homeless, nearly 600 people were living unsheltered during a Point In Time count in 2024.
Deputy Mayor Nicole George could not give a specific date on when the camp where the bike park will be was relocated but said the city continues working to relocate encampments.
"Parcels of property that lack consistent management, which are going to compound with drugs, make them ripe for illicit activities," George said.
No budget or cost estimates are set for the park yet, as it's still in the early development phase, George said. A community meeting to give input on the preliminary designs will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Beechmont Community Center.
Derek Fetko with the Kentucky Mountain Bike Association said mountain bikers often have to drive several hours to find a similar park to practice skills or participate in competitions.
"This is how people come together, make new friends and develop their hobby," Fetko said.
Louisville Metro Councilwoman Betsy Ruhe, who represents the district the proposed park will be in, said she believes the park will benefit the area.
"I'm really excited to bring something positive to a neglected area and to bring an asset to our city that we don't have," Ruhe said.
More: A Louisville abortion clinic drew intense protests. Now it's being demolished
Reach reporter Keely Doll at kdoll@courierjournal.com.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville to build mountain bike park on site of former homeless camp
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