Louisville, Ky., — Citizens working to save and restore the Hogan’s Fountain Pavilion in Cherokee Park, a designated Louisville Local Landmark, are pleased to announce their collaboration with YouthBuild Louisville for the final stage of the structure’s restoration. YouthBuild students, under the tutelage of a master stone mason, will repair the pavilion’s deteriorated stone piers, with work scheduled to begin on May 12.
The grassroots group, Save Hogan’s Fountain Pavilion (SHFP) opted to further the restoration efforts for the landmark when funds remained from monies raised to pay for the structure’s new roof, completed in December 2013. After consulting with Metro Parks Department and private contractors in an effort to outline a plan to repair the stonework without overspending their limited budget, SHFP co-director, Lark Phillips, contacted the executive director of YouthBuild Louisville, Lynn Rippy, in September 2014, and the two women worked out the details for this collaboration.
YouthBuild Louisville is an education, job training and leadership program that provides low-income young adults ages 16-24 opportunities to realize their potential as active community leaders and an educated workforce for Louisville. Their mission is to champion young adults to be great citizens who build productive lives and sustainable communities. The work on Hogan’s Fountain Pavilion falls into YouthBuild’s job training and pre-apprenticeship program in which young people get close supervision and training in construction skills full-time on alternate weeks from qualified instructors. The first YouthBuild group was formed in New York City in 1978. There are now 264 YouthBuild programs in 46 states, Washington, DC, and the Virgin Islands.
SHFP is a non-profit organization formed in 2010 after a proposal by Metro Louisville and the Olmsted Parks Conservancy to replace the pavilion with two standard park shelters generated a public outcry to save the unique, historic pavilion. The city agreed to suspend its plans if the group could raise enough funds to restore the structure. Delays of various nature plagued the fundraising and renovation efforts, but the citizens’ group persisted, while also mounting a campaign to have the pavilion designated as an official Louisville Local Landmark. The Historic Landmark Commission granted that designation on September 24, 2012.
Joining forces with YouthBuild, another worthy non-profit group, seemed a natural and beneficial fit to Phillips and her co-director, Tammy Madigan. This effort was aided by Matt Steinrock of the American Roofing and Metal Company, which completed necessary minor roof repairs and installed the new shingles well below budget. The extra funds were immediately earmarked for other repairs to the pavilion including painting the rusting interior chimney, which was completed by Bornstein General Contracting in 2014, and the repair of the creek stone which adorns the piers of the eight enormous laminated beams that comprise the pavilion. Erosion and vandalism have taken a toll on the stonework over the structure’s 50 year history.
YouthBuild’s crew will be onsite to begin work on Tuesday, May 12. The project is expected to be completed within a few days.
