HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – On Sept. 16, the City of Hopkinsville and the Christian County Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting alongside the community at the existing Second Street Park, dedicating it to the memory of former city councilmember Fred Atkins. The park will now be renamed as Fred Atkins Park.
“A beloved and influential member of our community, Fred Atkins’ legacy will live on as generations gather to live, work, and play in this cherished community space,” said a statement from the city.
Previously, Atkins was celebrated by the city in 2014 when the pocket park located on Main Street was dedicated to him, with a sign erected in front of the space displaying it as “Fred Atkins Park”. In April, Mayor J.R. Knight proposed that the city moves the dedication because of the condition of the pocket park, which has not been open to the public for several years due to health and safety concerns.
“We are not doing Fred Atkins or his family any justice over here on Main Street with this pocket park that we’ve got locked up,” said Mayor Knight during previous discussions.
Atkins was born in 1946 and served as a city councilmember for Ward 1 between 1999-2012. He also impacted the community by serving for more that 40 years as a deacon at Virginia Street Baptist Church, he was a member of the local Pioneers and NAACP and also served on several local boards during his life.
The new Fred Atkins Park is centrally located in downtown, only a block away from the home that he resided in during his life. The park contains a playground, basketball court, and neighbors the Kenneth Bates Community Center.
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