Community hosts ribbon cutting for newly dedicated Fred Atkins Park

Second Street Park was renamed to Fred Atkins Park to honor the late Hopkinsville City Council Member, and on Tuesday, community members attended a dedication ceremony for the park.

Fred Atkins was a Hopkinsville native and served on Hopkinsville’s City Council from 1999 to 2012 representing Ward 1, where the park is located. In May, the City Council approved renaming the Second Street Park to honor Fred Atkins.

Fred Atkins was originally honored with a pocket park that sits along Main Street in downtown Hopkinsville, but it has since closed. Fred Atkins’ wife Paulette Atkins says she was sad that the park on Main Street closed, but is happy to see that her husband was not forgotten about and is now honored with another park.

The original Fred Atkins Park had litter issues, so Paulette Atkins emphasized the importance of keeping the newly dedicated park clean.

Hopkinsville Mayor J.R. Knight says Fred Atkins was a valued member of the community who was always looking for ways to improve Hopkinsville.

The dedication ceremony concluded with a ribbon cutting for the park. Fred Atkins Park is located at 745 East 2nd Street, right next to the Kenneth Bates Community Center.