Sep. 26 – Allison Lankford, Executive Director, Gatton Park on the Town Branch
LEXINGTON, KY – The Rotary Club of Lexington will hold its weekly meeting on Thursday, September 26, at The Mane on Main, Chase Bank building on Main St. The guest speaker is Allison Lankford, Executive Director, Gatton Park on the Town Branch.
This meeting will also be on Zoom. For the Zoom link please email, [email protected].
If you would like to have lunch, please contact [email protected] to reserve your meal.
The Rotary Club of Lexington is pleased to welcome back to the podium Allison Lankford, Executive Director of Gatton Park on the Town Branch, formerly known as Town Branch Park. The focus of Allison’s presentation will be to update us on the status of this historic, donor-supported project that promises to change Lexington’s downtown in a way not imaginable just a few years ago.
The Board of Town Branch Fund is a committed group of civic leaders and philanthropists who joined together to advance the vision of Gatton Park on the Town Branch. Together, the Board and staff are securing financial support, as well as working with public space experts and community members to develop the design, programming plan and governance structure to transform the Manchester Parking Lot behind Rupp Arena into an inclusive, dynamic, and uncommonly beautiful green space that reflects the spirit of Lexington. Currently held at Blue Grass Community Foundation (BGCF), Town Branch Fund will evolve into a standalone nonprofit to operate the park. Allison and her team are working to transform a sea of parking directly behind the Lexington Convention Center into an inviting and unparalleled signature park for Lexington. Gatton Park on the Town Branch will provide a crucial link between Town Branch Trail (existing and new downtown portion) and the Legacy Trail, knitting together the urban core and truly bringing a piece of Lexington’s iconic countryside to its city center. In addition to raising the money necessary to build the Park, the Fund is responsible for the design, programming plan, revenue model, and governance structure for the park.
Prior to taking on her current role, Allison led BGCF’s advancement efforts for over a decade, serving as Sr. Vice-President and General Counsel. That followed stints as an attorney at the Lexington firm of McBrayer, McGinnis, Leslie & Kirkland and Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs in Louisville. A graduate of Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina with a degree in Sociology and Political Science, she received her law degree at the University of Kentucky School of Law.
Allison’s presentation is of special significance to our Club, given our own investment in the project, evidenced by our commitment to fund the nature plantings in the Children’s Adventure Playground to the tune of our $100,000.
