Stadium seating now available at some bus stops around Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Destined for the landfill, 120 seats from the Old Cardinal Stadium scored a new purpose.

After the demolition in March, the seats were salvaged and donated to District 8 Councilman Brandon Coan, who has an interesting project in the works.

Right now, you’ll find three of the seats sitting on Bardstown Road at the Douglass Boulevard intersection. They have become seating for the TARC stop.

A pop of red draws the attention of people passing by.

“Honestly, I thought it was some kind of art project or something,” neighbor Jeremy White said.

Learning what they are really brings people in, he said.

“There were a lot of events that took place at Cardinal Stadium, so it’s great to recycle in this way because I know a lot of the benches for TARC are exposed to the weather, so I’m sure every few years they need to be replaced,” White said.

Jogging fond memories of concerts and baseball games for White, exactly what the project was meant to do, said Coan, who added that it’s both a practical and colorful way to enhance public transportation.

“At first I was like, ‘Where’s my big, long, black bench?’ and then I thought, ‘Oh, maybe they’re trying something new,’” Tiffany Hinton said. “I do like it because it’s red for the city.”

Working nearby, Hinton said she uses the stop daily.

“Now, I know when I get off, I’ll have a nice, red seat waiting for me,” Hinton said.

It’s not just this stop; Coan’s project with UofL’s Urban Design Studio is set to add or replace seating to 15 other stops along Bardstown Road and Barret Avenue.

“It’s a shame to put stuff like that in a landfill because it can be used,” White said.

Once this site has been evaluated, the 15 other stops will be set up and sponsorship opportunities will be offered to the public to cover costs.

Three-seat segments cost $850 each, and two-seat segments are $637.50 each.

After that, 25 other units will go out across the city.

Any seats not used will be given to other council members.

To learn how to sponsor an Old Cardinal Stadium Seating Bus Stop, contact Councilman Coan at 502-574-1108.

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