Lexington’s Commissioner of General Services, Lexington Parks & Recreation, and other city staff joined members of the Frankfort/Lexington Chapter of The Links, Incorporated to dedicate a “Positivity Bench” at Charles Young Park today, in honor of Brigadier General Charles Young, the park’s namesake.
“Charles Young Park is an important part of the city of Lexington and staple of the historic East End neighborhood,” Mayor Linda Gorton said. “We love that The Links, Incorporated has chosen to dedicate one of their ‘Positivity Benches’ in honor of the late Brigadier General Charles Young. This joins many exciting projects we have at the park, including a new playground opened a little over a year ago, and water play feature expected to open this summer.”
The “Positivity Bench,” a national initiative of The Links, Incorporated, aims to encourage a positive environment of support, build an inclusive culture, and be a safe space for people to talk about the issues affecting them. The organization wants to be a part of changing the way Lexington residents address bullying, domestic violence, mental health concerns and other concerns, and prevent victims from feeling isolated and alone. The Frankfort/Lexington Chapter of The Links, Incorporated is dedicating the bench as part of the organization’s national community service initiative.
“The safe, positive, supportive environment the bench creates will give people the freedom, ability and comfort to talk about issues they once deemed difficult to share with others,” said Jacquelyn E. Lee, President of the Frankfort/Lexington Chapter of The Links, Incorporated. “We invite people to support our chapter in enhancing the lives of individuals in our communities and globally.”
Charles Young Park is named for Brigadier General Charles Young, the first African American to earn the rank of Colonel in the United States Army, who was born in May’s Lick, Kentucky. Recently, the U.S. Department of Defense awarded Young with an honorary promotion from Colonel to Brigadier General. In 2016, the Charles Young Center, also located on the grounds of the park, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The park is located downtown in the East End neighborhood.
In addition to a new playground which opened in Fall 2021, Splash!, a new water feature, is currently under construction at Charles Young Park. Splash! is designed to conceptually illustrate the life of Charles Young, while also educating visitors about the rich cultural history of the East End neighborhood and the park. The park opened during the segregation of the 1930s and was the city’s second dedicated outdoor public recreation space for African-Americans.
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Parks & Recreation, a division of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, oversees the programing, maintenance, and development of over 100 city parks and natural areas, six pools, five golf courses, community centers, recreational programs, and three arts venues. To find out more, follow @LexKYParks on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, or sign up for the email newsletter.
The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation, established in 1946. It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations committed to enriching, sustaining, and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other people of African ancestry. More here.
