Cincinnati Parks Approves Park Improvement Projects Plan

Cincinnati Parks 5,000 acres consists of 8 regional parks, 70 neighborhood parks, 34 preserves and natural areas, 5 parkways, 65 miles of hiking trails, 80,000 street trees on 1,000 miles of City streets, 6 nature centers, 18 scenic overlooks, 52 playgrounds, 500 landscaped gardens, and over 100 picnic areas. With all of this to care for, there are constant needs of all shapes and sizes. Whether it be a bad sidewalk, an aging playground, a leaking roof, or a park that could use a complete facelift, there’s plenty to do to keep our parks looking great and best serving our residents and users.

This is why the Board of Park Commissioners approved a work plan, generated by Parks staff, outlining projects underway, and planned, over the next three years. This plan represents a roadmap of what Cincinnati Parks will be prioritizing in the coming years and creates transparency into park improvement projects. This was developed after carefully evaluating needs based on a number of factors including safety, equity, efficiencies, long-term maintenance, available funding, and more. This plan represents current priorities, capacity, and needs, and is a living document that will be updated as circumstances evolve, and schedules are adjusted, throughout the year.

Summaries of the projects are below. For a more detailed schedule of when to expect each project please see this chart.

1) Lytle Park Renovation – We are excited to complete the long-planned renovation of Lytle Park, bringing new life to the underutilized park at the southeast corner of Downtown. The project is made possible thanks to the generosity of Western & Southern Financial Group, and includes a new hardscape with several plazas, brick walkways, a decorative fountain, a running track, fencing, restrooms, new landscape, lighting, a boche ball court, and benches. The project should be completed, and the park entirely open to the public, in the first quarter of 2024.

2) Natural Resources (DNR) Headquarters – This renovation of the former Police District 5 Headquarters on Ludlow Avenue creates a new operations facility housing our Division of Natural Resources Staff. The building is being completely gutted. Work includes a new roof, drainage system, wiring, HVAC, insulation, ceiling, and more. The project is underway and will be complete in early 2024.

3) Fleischmann Gardens Renovation – The renovation project at Fleischmann Gardens is underway and will be completed in the first half of 2024. This project encompasses essential maintenance and repair work, and includes restoration of the park’s primary historic iron sign, which unfortunately was damaged in a recent car accident. This commitment to preserving the park’s historical elements underscores the importance of Fleischmann Park as a cherished community asset.

4) French House Exterior – The project includes the brick façade, columns, portico, soffit, shutters, window trim, dormers, downspouts, and gutters. This is currently in the quotation phase and will be completed in the first half of 2024.

5) Ted Berry International Friendship Park Restoration – This park has been in a state of disrepair due to an emergency fix to a major water main running through the park. Our team is excited to partner with Greater Cincinnati Water Works to restore the park to its former glory. Repairs include walkways, hardscapes, seeding and plantings. The plan is to bid out this construction project in the first quarter 2024, with work to begin by summer 2024.

6) Smale Lot 23 Enhancements – This project is a funding partnership with the Cincinnati Parks Foundation and has been in the works for several years. It includes adding large garden planters, granite promenade seat walls, a sandstone and granite donor wall, sandstone and granite cladding walls, large block seating, and pergolas. The City and Hamilton County are working on the property transfer. Once complete, the project will be bid, and construction will hopefully begin in summer 2024.

7) Biochar Production Facility at Warder Nursery – Cincinnati was chosen by Bloomberg Philanthropies, to produce biochar, a new approach to sequester harmful CO2 from the environment. This innovative technology has many environmental benefits including capturing carbon, improving urban plantings, growing the tree canopy in underserved neighborhoods, and supporting more effective stormwater management projects. This is a complex project, however, it is possible the facility could be constructed in the second half of 2024, with biochar production beginning in 2025.

8) Sinton East Operations Center – This warehouse and work hub serving crews throughout our system is badly in need of repair and improvement. Schematic design is complete, and Parks is moving forward with the development of construction documents. If project funding is secured in the FY25 City Budget, the project could go to bid in the summer of 2024.

9) Burnet Woods Dog Park – Work is well underway to bring this fun, new, recreational experience for area residents of both the 2- and 4-legged variety, further contributing to the attractiveness, and quality of life, to Burnet Woods. This represents a partnership between Cincinnati Parks, and a number of community supporters, partners, and donors, including the Cincinnati Parks Foundation, and Clifton Pop-up-Pup-Party (PUPP). Construction documents are being finalized and fundraising is underway. Once funding is secured, the project will be bid, and construction will begin with a completion goal of mid-2024

10) Mt. Airy Area 23 Bike Skills Course – This is a partnership with the Cincinnati Parks Foundation and the Cincinnati Off Road Alliance (CORA) to nearly double the existing mileage of mountain biking trails within Mt. Airy Forest. It will be the first beginner natural surface trail experience within the city. Planning for this project will begin in the first quarter of 2024, with the project hopefully going to bid by the end of the year.

11) Ault Park Playground – Parks is working with the Ault Park Advisory Council (APAC), who are fundraising to supplement State of Ohio funding, on this new playground. Once the final plan is selected in early 2024, and funds are secured, Parks will begin the procurement process. It is anticipated installation could begin in the fall, with a ribbon cutting on the new playground by spring of 2025.

12) Everybody’s Treehouse in Mt. Airy – This unique amenity is in need of repairs to ensure it can be maintained as a community asset for generations to come. This project will have a two phase approach. Phase 1 will be engineering work to determine the necessary repairs to stabilize and protect the treehouse. Phase 2 will complete the repair work. This project should begin in the spring of 2024.

13) Washington Park – This is a maintenance project including installation of new irrigation in the northern portion of the park, and repair work to the most serious safety issues with the sidewalk and masonry. Work will begin in early 2024.

14) Tom Jones Commons Upgrades – Parks is working with the Cincinnati Parks Foundation on upgrades to Tom Jones Commons in Eden Park. Improvements include a new piece of playground equipment, an accessible spinner, and enhancements to the lawn, meadow, and wetland features of the park.

15) Doris Day Dog Park – Parks will work with community advocates and the Parks Foundation to renovate the dog park in Mt. Airy, which is suffering from chronic erosion and maintenance issues. Work should be completed in 2024.

16) Playhouse Steps in Eden Park – Parks will work with the Cincinnati Parks Foundation on a project to create a new entrance to Eden Park south of Playhouse in the Park serving as a bookend to the Art Climb Steps north of the Cincinnati Art Museum.

17) Mt. Echo Pavilion Roof – Planning and quotation is underway for needed roof repairs to the pavilion in Mt. Echo. Work is slated to begin in 2024.

18) Glenway Park Renovations and Playground – Parks is working with the Parks Foundation on a plan to do renovations to Glenway Park in East Price Hill. Fundraising and conceptual planning are in development and could include a new playground, lighting, and improvements to the walking path to increase accessibility.

19) Mt. Airy Playground (off of McFarlan) – Parks is working on developing a new playground in Mt. Airy Forest off of McFarlan. The playground project would correspond with the retirement of a playground that is at the end of its lifecycle, near the disc golf course.

20) Warder Nursery Campus – Parks will continue planning efforts to renovate Warder Nursery with the goal of increasing plant production. To aid these efforts, the Parks Greenspace Team’s operations center will move to Warder Nursery in early 2024. Also, additional improvements will be planned to increase production.

21) Smale River’s Edge – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Cincinnati Park Board are partnering on a study to improve and revitalize the Cincinnati Ohio River’s edge along Smale Riverfront Park. The overall vision is to make the Cincinnati Riverfront a welcoming, safe, sustainable park, serving as a gateway to connect people to their heritage, community, and the natural environment for generations to come. The project will provide opportunities for ecosystem restoration and recreation, while protecting Cincinnati’s Riverfront from erosion. Currently, the project is in the planning stage and is estimated to commence in the summer of 2025.

22) Owls Nest Improvements and Pavilion Restoration – Parks is working with a design consultant, and the Evanston and East Walnut Hills communities, to develop a plan for the restoration of the historic pavilion. Plans will be finalized for the renovation of the pavilion as well as parkwide improvements. Once the plans are complete, and a cost estimate is in place, fundraising efforts will begin.

23) California Woods Hydrological Plan – In early 2024, an RFP will be issued for an engineering firm to develop a plan for sustainable interventions to the stream flow to mitigate the on-going erosion issues threatening the future of the park in the most environmentally sustainable manner. It will likely take a year to develop the plan, with construction potentially beginning in 2025.

24) Riverfront Marina – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) permitting process is underway. Once issued, Parks will work with marina operator on the facility design, budget, and partnership agreement. This process is dependent upon the USACE permit. Once obtained, the next steps will be developed, and a schedule will become clearer.

25) Mt. Airy West Operations Center – By the end of 2024, Parks will begin designing the renovation of the West Operations Center in Mt. Airy, which includes a maintenance and storage garage. The project will be the next Parks operations facility priority after the renovation of the Sinton East Operations Center.

26) Inwood Park Master Plan – Parks will solicit design firms to develop a master plan for Inwood Park. This will include community engagement to develop a broadly supported vision for the future renovation of the historic park. Once adopted, planning will begin for the construction of the park.

27) Ault Park Cascade, Plaza and Pavilion – In 2024, Parks will work with the Parks Foundation, and the Ault Park Advisory Council, to develop the scope and plan for the renovation of the Ault Park Pavilion, plaza, and cascades. This will be a multi-year planning and fundraising effort to restore the historic structure.

28) Krohn Conservatory Restoration Study – Krohn Conservatory is quickly aging. Several of the metal components are corroding and soon require remediation. Because of the complexity of the building, the remediation will be a several million-dollar project. A planned 2024 study will inform the future remediation and restoration project and allow Parks to prepare for this critical deferred maintenance project.

29) On-going and Emerging Maintenance and Repair Projects – Parks will continue to focus on deferred maintenance projects that develop throughout 2024. These projects include pavement repairs, sewer and water infrastructure, sink holes, masonry and retaining walls, lighting, building maintenance, grading and stormwater management projects, and many others.