RIVER HERITAGE CONSERVANCY INC
PO BOX 486, JEFFERSONVILLE, IN 47131 riverheritageconservancy.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: GREAT COMMUNITIES ARE MADE POSSIBLE BY GREAT PARKS. THE ORGANIZATION WAS CREATED TO ACQUIRE, DEVELOP, AND SUSTAIN WORLD-CLASS PUBLIC PARKS WITH CLARK AND FLOYD COUNTIES IN SOUTHERN INDIANA. THE ORGANIZATION INTENDS TO ACQUIRE, DEVELOP, AND SUSTAIN LAND TO BE UTILIZED AS PUBLIC PARKS AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC'S BENEFIT; PLANS TO USE FUNDS TO PURCHASE PROPERTY IN FLOYD AND CLARK COUNTIES FOR PUBLIC PARKS, AND FUND IMPROVEMENTS TO EXISTING PUBLIC PARK RESOURCES IN DIRECT PROXIMITY TO THE ACQUIRED LANDS; AND IS NEEDED AS THIS REGION DOES NOT HAVE A SIGNATURE PUBLIC PARK, NOR DO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT JURISDICTIONS POSSESS THE CAPACITY TO UNDERTAKE A PROJECT OF THIS SCOPE WITH THE FOCUS REQUIRED. THE PARK SHALL SERVE THE PUBLIC AS A REGIONAL PUBLIC PARK ACCORDING TO NATIONAL RECREATION AND PARKS ASSOCIATION STANDARDS. THE ORGANIZATION'S PARK SHALL HAVE ATTRACTIONS AIMED AT SERVING PASSIVE AND ACTIVE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES BY INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND GROUPS.

CREATION, MAINTENANCE, AND PRESERVATION OF LINEAR PARKSCAPE STRETCHING ALONG THE OHIO RIVER FROM JEFFERSONVILLE TO NEW ALBANY, INDIANA. IN 2018, THE ORGANIZATION ACQUIRED PLANNING CONTROL OF OVER 300 ACRES OF LAND FOR THE INITIAL PARK SITE, DEVELOPED A COLLABORATIVE PARK PLANNING AGREEMENT WITH FIVE PUBLIC AGENCIES, SUCCESSFULLY ADMINISTERED A NORTH AMERICA DESIGN COMPETITION FOR THE PARK MASTER PLAN, CONDUCTED AN OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL NEEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR THE REGION, AND COMPLETED INITIAL ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES FOR BROWNFIELDS WITHIN THE PROJECT AREA. THE MASTER PLAN HAS BEEN FUNDED AND WAS COMPLETED IN 2019.

THE START OF ANY PARK IS THE ACQUISITION OF LANDS FOR CONSERVATION. IN 2018, RHC COMPLETED ACQUISITION OF ELEVEN PARCELS IN 2018. COMBINING WITH PREVIOUSLY ACQUIRED PROPERTIES AND PUBLIC LANDS, OVER 300 ACRES OF RIVERFRONT PROPERTIES ARE PRIMED FOR REPURPOSING AS A WORLD-CLASS PUBLIC PARK THAT WILL SHAPE THE TRAJECTORY OF THE OHIO RIVER'S NORTH SHORE. THESE LANDS INCLUDE SOME OF OUR NATION'S MOST HISTORIC RESOURCES, INCLUDING THE SITE WHERE LEWIS & CLARK BEGAN THEIR JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY IN 1804, THE HOME OF FIRST PEOPLE'S FOR A MILLENIA, AND THE SITE OF THE GREAT EASTERN BUFFALO TRACE. THESE LANDS WILL NOW BE PRESERVED IN PERPETUITY FOR PUBLIC CONSERVATION AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES. THIS PROGRAM SUPPORTS LAND ACQUISITION AND ALL ASSOCIATED COSTS FOR ACQUISITIONS (SURVEYS, ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS, APPRAISALS). THE LOUISVILLE REGION HAS A PROVEN HISTORY OF NON-PROFIT LEADERSHIP IN THE PROVISION OF PUBLIC PARK SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS. THE ORGANIZATION SEEKS TO APPLY THIS LEARNED EXPERIENCE IN SOUTHERN INDIANA. TO ACHIEVE THE ORGANIZATION'S INTENT TO BUILD AND OPERATE A PUBLIC PARK SYSTEM, A COMPREHENSIVE CAPITAL AND ANNUAL FUND-RAISING EFFORT SHALL BE DEVELOPED. THESE CAMPAIGNS WILL RAISE FUNDS FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR, PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY, AND PUBLIC SECTOR. THE CAMPAIGN WILL SEEK DONATIONS OF FUNDS, REAL PROPERTY, AND SECURE ONGOING COMMITMENTS OF SUPPORT NECESSARY TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS OF THE BUILT PARK AMENITIES. THE ORGANIZATION INTENDS TO WORK THROUGH FORMAL AGREEMENTS/CONTRACTS WITH THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, THE US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, FLOYD COUNTY, CLARK COUNTY, THE OHIO RIVER GREENWAYS COMMISSION, AND THE CITIES OF NEW ALBANY, CLARKSVILLE, AND JEFFERSONVILLE. AFTER THE INITAL PURCHASE OF THE LAND IS COMPLETE, THE ORGANIZATION INTENDS TO IMPOSE DEED RESTRICTIONS AND EASEMENTS ON THE LAND SUCH THAT MUST BE DEVELOPED AND UTILIZED IN PERPETUITY FOR PUBLIC PARK AND RECREATION USE BY THE PUBLIC. THE ORGANIZATION WILL SERVE A PUBLIC RATHER THAN A PRIVATE INTEREST AS THE LAND ACQUIRED, IMPROVED, AND DEVELOPED BY THE ORGANIZATION WILL BE USED EXTENSIVELY BY THE PUBLIC FOR RECREATIONAL PURPOSES. THE BENEFITS FROM THE ORGANIZATION'S WORK WILL FLOW DIRECTLY TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH THE ACQUISITION, DEVELOPMENT, IMPROVEMENT, AND MAINTENANCE OF PUBLIC PARK AND RECREATIONAL AMENITIES. THE ORGANIZATION WILL CONTRIBUTE IN AN IMPORTANT WAY TO THE AESTHETIC, RECREATIONAL, AND ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF THE GREATER LOUISVILLE MSA AND SOUTHERN INDIANA COMMUNITIES IN WHICH THE PARK SYSTEM WILL OPERATE.

WITH ONE FULL TIME EMPLOYEE AND A GREAT ALL-VOLUNTEER BOARD, RHC HAS WORKED TO DEVELOP ITS ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY AND COMPLETED THE PARK PLANNING STAGE IN 2019. ACTIVITIES COMPLETED BY THE TEAM IN 2018 INCLUDE THE EXECUTION OF NINE LAND PURCHASE AGREEMENTS, DEVELOPMENT OF THE REGION'S FIRST COLLABORATIVE PARK PLANNING AGREEMENT WITH FIVE PUBLIC AGENCIES IN THE PROJECT AREA, COMPLETION OF A REGIONAL OUTDOOR RECREATION NEEDS ASSESSMENT, AND SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF A NORTH AMERICAN COMPETITION SELECTING THE PARK'S MASTER PLANNER.

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Data for this page was sourced from XML published by IRS (public 990 form dataset) from: https://s3.amazonaws.com/irs-form-990/202031899349300228_public.xml