Kelley’s Landing is now open in Lexington, and is the city’s only park to include public access to the Kentucky River. The 30-acre site includes walking trails, significant green space, frontage to the Kentucky River, and access for paddle sports like kayaking and canoeing on the river. The park is open daily, from dawn until dusk.
Lexington’s 12th District Councilmember Hil “attended the ribbon cutting to officially open Kelley’s Landing, which offers the first public river access in Lexington-Fayette County. Thank you to the Kelley Family, Mayor Gorton, fellow Councilmembers, The Fund for Greater Lexington, and the dedicated team at Parks & Recreation for all the work that went into making this day possible,” adding, “I’m thrilled to see how the park continues to evolve with future phases.”
Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton said, “I started working to acquire this 30-acre park for the city on my first day in the Mayor’s Office in 2019. Thanks to the Kelley family and our Parks Acquisition Fund, we now have a new green space! It’s located at 8949 Old Richmond Road. It offers trails, wooded areas and river access for kayaks and canoes. A new master plan, developed with help from The Fund for Greater Lexington, provides a roadmap for the future of the park.” She thanked the members of the Kelley family who attended the ribbon cutting in celebration of officially opening Lexington’s newest park.
Kelley’s Landing is named for John Kelley, who sold the property to the city of Lexington in 2022. The Kelley Family purchased the property in 1924, and ran a general store on the southeast Lexington property, out Old Richmond Road. When recreational boating boomed in the 1960s and 70s, the family opened a boat dock, which was a popular destination. Kelley ran the dock until the late 1980s when his focus shifted to the family farm.
The park was purchased by the City of Lexington in May 2022, and includes significant green space, wooded areas, river access, and picturesque views of the Kentucky River.
