Kenton County residents will soon have a 225-acre park with mountain bike trails, a dog park, a splash pad, a climbing wall, and a Go Ape treetop adventure course on the former Fox Run Golf Course in Independence.

Kenton County Judge/Executive Kris Knochelmann announced Wednesday, July 29 that groundbreaking on the park is expected later in 2026, with a full build-out targeted for approximately mid-2028. The park, at 604 Independence Station Road, will be the largest of the county's seven parks and the most significant single investment ever made in Kenton County's park system, according to county government releases.

"This project has always been about creating something completely different from anything else in our region," Knochelmann said. "We want this park to become a place where families can spend an entire day exploring, playing and making memories."

The design organizes the property around three ridges.

Civic ridge: A central gathering area with improvements to an existing fishing pond, a dog park, outdoor fitness zone, playground equipment, a shelter house, and interactive water features similar to a splash pad.

Adventure ridge: Mountain bike trails, a pump track, a climbing wall, a Go Ape facility offering elevated obstacle courses and zip lines, and additional climbing structures. Go Ape operates at only a handful of locations nationwide, making the park one of the few in the country to offer the experience.

Trails ridge: The largest section, featuring an expansive trail network with interactive art installations along the paths. The trail system is already open for passive recreation.

The county's July 29 announcement said approximately 70% of the 225-acre property will remain untouched by construction and preserved as greenspace.

The Kenton County Fiscal Court approved a contract with Prus Construction on May 27 to serve as construction manager. The broader project team includes J.S. Held as owner's representative and Bayer Becker leading design, according to the county's earlier announcement.

The Fiscal Court first approved converting the former golf course into parkland in 2020, nearly doubling the county's designated park acreage. Knochelmann has been briefing area city councils on the project since at least February 2022, when he told Fort Mitchell council members the property was already open for hikes.

No specific groundbreaking date has been announced. The county's July 29 update said construction will begin "later this year," and WCPO reported a full build-out is about two years away. Fort Wright City Council minutes from March 4 noted a June 2028 completion target based on a Knochelmann presentation.

Residents can follow project updates on the Kenton County government website at kentoncounty.org.