LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer signed an ordinance spending $79 million to improve the city’s library system, youth programs and public parks.
What You Need To Know
- Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer and city leaders approved spending $79 million on various projects
- The money comes from the federal American Rescue Plan Act
- $8 million will go to expand the main branch of the Louisville Free Public Library downtown
- More funds are dedicated to child care and public safety
Louisville Free Public Library's main branch will see $8 million to help renovate and expand the facility. Another $5 million will go towards opening a library in Fern Creek, plus $800,000 each for the Portland and Parkland libraries.
Mayor Fischer said the money will go far.
“[We're] converting a list of what we’d always hoped to do into a list of realities for our residents, which is really a great feeling,” he said. “Because that list was always there, it’s just like, where are we going to come up with the money for this?”
Among some of the other items, $8.5 million will go to public safety and youth development programs, $7.5 million will help expand child care and early learning opportunities, $2 million will help expand internet access in Louisville, and millions more will be spent on the city’s parks.
Louisville Metro Council budget chairman Bill Hollander said the projects are critical.
“We have to start helping our youth at a younger age in this community, and we’re going to do that with this investment,” he said.
This is the fourth set of projects approved by the Louisville Metro Council using money from the American Rescue Plan Act that was passed last year by Congress.
In total, council members have approved spending $388 million from the COVID relief bill.