MOUNT VERNON — Approximately 70,000 people visited Ariel-Foundation Park 182,000 times in 2024, according to the Knox County Convention and Visitors Bureau Placer.AI.
Those visits include attending more than 130 events the park hosted. Topping the list was the July 4th celebration, which drew 8,000. Second was April’s solar eclipse at 4,000.
Park manager Mike Miller told city council members on Monday the Foundation Park Conservancy focused on ground care services for the 250-acre park in 2024.
Volunteers and partners, including the city’s park department, TD Landscape, and SOS Tree Service, reclaimed overgrown natural spaces, mowed, and spread wildflower seed in the Columbus Delano Field of Discovery.
Miller said in 2025, park staff will mow more property and reduce TD’s lawn care services.
“Another high point of last year was the completion of the long-desired South Vernon neighborhood corridor revitalization,” Miller said.
The revitalization started with the conservancy donating land tracts to the Knox County Land Bank. The land bank then partnered with Habitat for Humanity Knox County in building 12 homes along Columbus Road.
“That over the next couple of years is going to help revitalize the neighborhood with beautification and some new homes in that part of the city and township,” Miller said.
2024 revenue totaled $266,299. The conservancy received $12,500 from the city lodging tax, $45,000 in grants, and $46,507 in donations.
Expenses were $242,791, with $144,471 going toward maintenance.
2025 highlights
2025 events include 15-time Grammy award winner Ricky Skaggs and his bluegrass band Kentucky Thunder. Miller said nearly 800 tickets are sold thus far. The hope is to sell between 900 and 1,000.
The recent Kids to Parks Day drew well over 1,000 people.
The park will celebrate its 10th anniversary on July 4 at 7 p.m. with remarks from local elected officials. Part of the celebration is the redesign of the River of Glass across from the Schnormeier Event Center.
“There’s a lot of positive things happening at the park right ow,” Miller said. “I think the park looks good and we have a lot of visitation.”
The initial agreement between the city and the conservancy was the conservancy would manage and maintain the park for $40,000 annually.
The city will take over operations in 2026, and the conservancy will manage special programming. The two entities are working out details for a final contract.
Miller noted there has been much change in leadership for the city and conservancy and that the conservancy has trimmed costs.
“I think there is a lot of room for mutual cooperation,” he said.
Legislative action
Council members approved multiple reappropriations within a probation department grant fund in the city’s general fund.
City Auditor Dan Brinkman said the bulk of the money was designated for a specific employee, but that employee left the city’s employment.
Council members also created a special fund (230-CCA grant) to account for the money in the next grant cycle. Brinkman said a separate fund allows for better tracking than when the money is co-mingled in the general fund.
The council waived the third reading and approved the following legislation:
–Paying bills
–Disposing of police vehicles no longer needed
–Applying for a NatureWorks grant for Arch Park
–Reappointing Sarah Wagner to the Shade Tree and Beautification Commission
–Accepting a donation of land from the Knox County Land Bank
After waiving all three readings, council passed legislation adding the law director’s and auditor’s office to obtain a credit card.
Council members postponed until June 23 the third reading of legislation creating residential and commercial TIF (tax increment financing) for the Liberty Crossing subdivision.
A public hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. on June 23. Council will vote on the legislation during its legislative session at 7:30.
