Ask a Chickasaw Park neighbor to share a park memory, and if they have been around long enough, it’s likely that they will mention Muhammad Ali. Whether Ali is remembered running through the park with his Olympic medal around his neck, or pulling into his reserved parking spot, The Peoples’ Champ looms large in Chickasaw Park history.
As Olmsted Parks Conservancy began planning Chickasaw Park improvements in 2018, one idea stood out among the surveys conducted. A “Butterfly and Bee” pollinator garden in honor of Muhammad Ali was proposed by Mariel Gardner of the West End Women’s Collaborative, inspired by a sermon by Reverend Woodrow McElvaney about Muhammad Ali’s relationship to Chickasaw Park. “His story helped shape my understanding of Ali’s connection to the park.” Gardner says “Reverend Mac taught me that Chickasaw Park was not only a place where Ali trained, but also a place where he participated in everyday community life. That story helped transform the concept from a pollinator garden into a living tribute.”
Inspired by Gardner’s vision and supported by community stories, the Glenview Garden Club, the Garden Club of America, the National Environmental Education Foundation, Toyota, and The Muhammad Ali Center, the idea has grown into a three-acre meadow that reached peak bloom this year. The Butterfly and Bee Pollinator Meadow installation has been a three-year process involving the removal of turf grass and large-scale hydroseeding, carefully managed by our Team for Healthy Parks. Commemorative signage developed with Muhammad Ali’s family highlights the parallels between resilient communities and ecological vitality.
As the meadow comes into its season of full beauty, Olmsted Parks Conservancy is committed to ensuring that those who inspired the project are given full credit, and we thank Mariel Gardner, Reverend Woodrow McElvaney, and the West End Women’s Collaborative for the inspiration. We apologize that we did not publicly recognize these entities as the project developed. This experience has reinforced the importance of ensuring that community members remain meaningfully involved in projects that emerge from their ideas, knowledge, and lived experiences.
Wynette McElvaney Young and Mariel Gardner
We have a monumental opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to community-informed park investment. In November 2025, we announced a $5 million donation secured by Olmsted Parks Conservancy for the full restoration of Chickasaw Park. Over the next 3 years, we are committed to ensuring that community members remain meaningfully involved in projects that emerge from their ideas, knowledge, and lived experiences. We will honor history and community memories at the park and as those conversations continue; we are committed to working with the community to honor the people and stories that shaped Chickasaw Park. We will explore opportunities to permanently recognize Black Louisvillians and the many community members whose vision, service, and stewardship have shaped Louisville’s West End and whose stories deserve a lasting place in the park.
We have much to celebrate! As the Chickasaw Park Restoration Project moves forward, community leaders like the West Louisville Tennis Club, Play Cousins Collective, the West End Women’s Collaborative and countless neighbors and park enthusiasts will guide our work toward the full restoration of Chickasaw Park.
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