LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The construction site at Gatton Park is slowly transforming into the park that CEO Allison Lankford has always envisioned.
"Well, it's incredible. We've been planning this for nearly a decade," Lankford said.
On Tuesday morning, the park unveiled an art project called "First Impressions," a giant replica of a fossil native to the Lexington area. The sculpture highlights limestone, a rock unique to the city that is formed from fossils.
Artist Jason Klimoski designed the installation to showcase one of Lexington's natural wonders.
"Everyone said almost the same thing. The grass is greener, the horses run faster, the water is sweet, and the bourbon taste better because of the limestone. So we thought we would bring the unsung hero up to be interacted with," Klimoski said.
The large fossil replica serves as a timeline for the city of Lexington, with each segment featuring a date and fact for visitors to learn more about the area's history.
"Humanity has been around six thousand years and the planet has been around for 500 million years. We want people to really explore what that means in terms of the land we share and everything else," Klimoski said.
This installation is just one of many pieces of art that will be displayed throughout Gatton Park.
With improved weather conditions, construction is now progressing steadily. Lankford emphasized that Gatton Park will make its debut in the near future.
"We're not quite ready to announce the final grand opening. We're getting close. We're getting more confident in our timeline. We're still on track to open up late summer of 2025," Lankford said.
