Otter Creek Park
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Otter Creek Park is a 2,600 acre (11 km²) riverfront park in Meade County, Kentucky. The park is located near Muldraugh and Fort Knox, along State Highway 1638, near U.S. 31W. Although it is located outside Louisville, the park is actually operated by Louisville Metro Government, which has attempted to give or sell the park to Meade County and the Commonwealth of Kentucky at various times over the years, most recently in 2004. The parkland was given to Louisville by the U.S. Government in 1947, in recognition of the city's service during World War II. A master plan for the park, calling for the removal of outdated facilities and the development of new amenities, was adopted in 2001.
The park's namesake, Otter Creek, winds along the eastern side of the park. A scenic bend in the Ohio River, which divides Kentucky from Indiana, can be seen from northern overlooks within the park. The park is a popular mountain biking destination, with trails maintained by a local mountain bike organization.
On December 1, 2008, the city of Louisville announced that the park, which loses $500,000 annually, would close to the public on December 14, 2008 due to budget cuts. This closing date was quickly amended to January 1. According to Louisville Metro Parks, events booked at the Conference Center would be honored through June 2009, but none after. A day later, the state's Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources proposed taking over the park to operate it as a wildlife-management area, which would involve lifting a ban on hunting and fishing.[1]
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[edit] Amenities
- Adventure programs
- Alpine climbing tower
- Cabins and campgrounds
- Conference center & meeting facilities
- Disc golf course
- Fishing in Otter Creek or the Ohio River
- Naturalist lead educational programs
- Nature center/museum
- Otter Creek Observatory, operated in partnership with Louisville's Jefferson Community and Technical College
- Outdoor swimming pool, open during summer months
- Trails for hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Shafer, Sheldon (2008-12-03). "State wants Otter Creek Park". The Courier-Journal. http://search.courier-journal.com/sp?eId=213&gcId=68632329&rNum=2&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnl.newsbank.com%2Fcgi-bin%2Fngate%2FLCJB%3Fext_docid%3Dlou63095567%26ext_hed%3DState+wants+Otter+Creek+Park%26s_site%3Dcourier-journal%26ext_theme%3Dgannett%26pubcode%3DLCJB%26usefield%3Dsqn&siteIdType=2.
[edit] External links
