I had a chance to visit Chickasaw Park with The Center for Neighborhood's Green Institute last fall. The park is actually beautiful. It was designed by the Frederick Law Olmsted firm and is part of the Olmsted Park System. Unfortunately, Chickasaw is located in the west end, close to Rubbertown, and underneath its beauty it's terribly polluted.
Rubbertown is a neighborhood located along the Ohio River. During World War II, it became the home of many industrial plants which remained after the war and led to its name. While these plants create jobs and manufacture products used by our society, they are causing irreparable pollution to the Rubbertown area.
Chickasaw Park features the city's only free clay tennis courts, a basketball court, a spray-ground, two playgrounds, a lodge, picnic pavilions, paths for walking and road biking, and a pond where many people fish (though it's prohibited to eat the fish, as the water is polluted). At first glance the pond looks beautiful, but upon closer inspection it is not uncommon to see dead fish floating in the water. There are also posted signs warning against fishing and eating any fish from the pond.
Chickasaw Park is a nice place to visit on the surface, but it's intense pollution issues make a difficult place to love as much as other parks that Louisville has to offer. read more