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The Olmsted Parks wrap around Louisville like a string of pearls. And we chat about this civic jewelry on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Mary Grissom, president and CEO of the Olmsted Parks Conservancy, is on the show this week for an interview with LBF Editor-in-Chief Shea Van Hoy. The two talk about the history of the parks and bringing the renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted to the city, how the conservancy works with Louisville Metro Government and how the system sets the city a part from its peers.

"This is the original. This is the national legacy for Louisville," she said.

She also speaks about the Olmsted Parks Conservancy's plans for restorative work at Chickasaw Park, following a $5 million anonymous donation.

After the U.S. Civil War, Grissom explained, Olmsted personally believed in public parks that were open to all — our disunity as a nation had to do with us not being able to see the humanity in each other. 

In the 1920s, the city of Louisville went against those values and segregated its parks. It was around that time that Chickasaw Park was created on 61-acres and the city brought back the Olmsted firm to design that park, giving it the dubious distinction as the only segregated park developed by the firm. 

That said, the park is a very special place for generations of Black Louisvillians. And because of that, Grissom said she was honored that the conservancy can use the $5 million donation to work on upgrades and restoration there, including lighting, benches, playgrounds and walking paths.

There'll be a refreshed master plan that's created with the feedback of park users and nearby residents "to ensure that both nature and park amenities are tended to," she said.

Elsewhere in the system, she talked about restoration of the pavilion at big rock in Cherokee Park, building conservancy membership and bridging the gap between generations of park users. 

"We want to make sure that Olmsted parks are here for everyone. Always. Period."

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can also follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above.