Investigators look at possible arson after pavilion fire at Iroquois Park
Over the holiday weekend, Louisville firefighters responded to Iroquois Park for an unexpected fire at one of the park's pavilions.
The shelter, near Summit Field, was recently renovated for guests to use for picnics; now it's closed to the public with yellow tape surrounding it and a heavily damaged roof.
Fire officials tell WLKY a trash can was used in the fire as a burn barrel under the pavilion. The case is now being handled by arson investigators.
As authorities piece together whether this was an act of vandalism or carelessness, local leaders say any damage done to historic parks is heartbreaking.
“When you see things like this, it's so disheartening because we try so hard to keep our parks up and maintained the best we can,” said Kevin Triplett, Louisville Metro Councilman of District 15.
Triplett represents the area of south Louisville where Iroquois Park is located. He says vandalism is one of the biggest problems at parks in the metro, but it also sees littering and instances of violence.
“I have constituents who call or email us regularly saying, ‘Hey, did you know this is happening or this is going on?'” he said. “A lot of people are anxious and eager to help us out and let us know what they saw while they were walking or jogging.”
As he prepares to leave office, Triplett implores metro council and park officials to continue pushing for increased security measures such as surveillance cameras in the park and extra patrols.
He also hopes this incident is not a deterrent for parkgoers.
“I would like to encourage everyone to use the park, don't let this discourage you,” said Triplett. “It's a beautiful park.”
The cost of damage to the pavilion is still being evaluated.
Louisville Olmsted Parks Conservancy, the nonprofit dedicated to preserving and protecting the city’s historic parks, posted on social media about the incident.