Latest news with #CincinnatiParks
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
City completes $2.4M restoration of Downtown's Friendship Park
More than three years after emergency water work tore it up, Cincinnati Parks has restored Downtown's Theodore M. Berry International Friendship Park and is reopening it in full. Workers have reinstalled the park's Australian and African gardens, two of five "gardens of the continents" that Greater Cincinnati Water Works removed to install an underground retaining wall to protect a water main. Parks considers Friendship Park "a living celebration of international goodwill." The 17-acre site, located at the eastern end of two miles of parkland along the Ohio River, was completed in 2003 and named for Cincinnati's first Black mayor. More: 'Lost, forgotten' Friendship Park gets boost at 20-year mark The $2.4 million restoration project unveiled May 16 restored the park to its original state, with refurbished bike baths, walkways, seating walls and pavers, along with new trees, sod, shrubs and other landscaping. The work began last July and wrapped up this spring. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Friendship Park reopens
Business Journals
15-05-2025
- General
- Business Journals
A park for the people: Why Owl's Nest Park deserves everyone's support
Cincinnati is home to a nationally-ranked, citywide parks system — 130 parks strong — that provides a natural heartbeat to our urban life. Some, like Smale Riverfront Park and Mt. Airy Forest, are regional destinations. Others, like Owl's Nest Park, are neighborhood gems. But just because a park is small or tucked away doesn't mean its impact is. In fact, it's these local parks that often make the most lasting difference in the lives of Cincinnatians. Right now, Owl's Nest Park is at the center of a bold revitalization effort — and the Cincinnati Parks Foundation is inviting supporters across the city to be a part of it. Located at the convergence of Evanston, East Walnut Hills and the O'Bryonville business district, Owl's Nest Park is a gathering place for families, students, neighbors and visitors alike. The Foundation, in partnership with Cincinnati Parks, community leaders and committed donors, has launched a campaign to raise $2 million for a full-scale transformation. expand The plan: A park reimagined The revitalization plan includes: An all-ages gathering space with seating and shade Upgraded walking paths and landscaping Lighting improvements More programming dollars to support recreational programming and community events More than just a facelift, this project is a reimagining of what a neighborhood park can be: a shared backyard, a community classroom, a wellness hub and a symbol of civic pride. Why support a park that's not in your backyard? You don't have to live near Owl's Nest Park to care about its future. Cincinnati's strength lies in its interconnected communities — and thriving neighborhood parks are part of the social infrastructure that binds us. expand Here's why supporting Owl's Nest Park matters to everyone: Every child deserves a safe, beautiful place to play. Every family should have green space nearby to gather, celebrate and restore. Investing in one park helps raise the standard for all. Revitalized parks spark local investment, support small businesses and increase property values — not just next door, but across the city. A strong parks system signals that Cincinnati values quality of life, sustainability and community health. It attracts talent, retains families and reflects the kind of city we want to be. A legacy 30 years in the making This year, the Cincinnati Parks Foundation celebrates its 30th anniversary. Over three decades, the Foundation has helped bring ambitious projects to life — tree groves, wellness trails, inclusive play areas and more. Owl's Nest is the next chapter in that story — and one that will echo for the next generation. Your donation doesn't just help one park. It helps define what it means to live in a city that believes in public space, neighborhood pride and community connection. How you can help To contribute to the Owl's Nest Park revitalization campaign or learn more about naming opportunities, visit Your support today plants the acorns for a better Cincinnati tomorrow. Together, let's give every neighborhood the park it deserves. Starting with Owl's Nest. The Cincinnati Parks Foundation champions the activation of Cincinnati Parks, creating clean, green and welcoming spaces. Through community partnerships and philanthropic support, we help Cincinnati Parks thrive — so everyone has a place to gather, play, connect and grow. Learn more at
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
While DOGE slashes, Cincinnati can find smarter ways to run more efficiently
With rising costs and increased demands for more efficient services, the city of Cincinnati has a projected $27 million budget deficit in the Fiscal Year 2027, a deficit that will grow north of $40 million per year absent any major change. While the "DOGE bros" take a chainsaw to federal spending, in Cincinnati, we have an opportunity to showcase a smarter way to make government work better for our residents based on shared values. The Cincinnati Futures Commission had multiple ideas, some of which are being vetted more fully. There are several other ideas we should pursue that fall under three major themes. First, stop irresponsible behavior pushing costs onto the government. Stop vacant property owners from pushing $8.5 million in cost per year onto taxpayers. With the recently passed vacant building registry, we will reduce much of this expense. Charge institutions who call firefighters for non-emergency and non-health lift assistance services. It's not right that these costs are thrown onto taxpayers, which is why other cities such as Chicago and Indianapolis now charge "lift fees" to recoup the millions in cost to taxpayers. "You break it, you pay for it." It's not right that reckless drivers destroy public property and the cost is borne by taxpayers. In other cities such as Columbus and Kansas City, they charge these drivers for the cost of fixing that damage. It's time we recoup some of that cost. Second, stop doing other people's jobs, or at least get reimbursed for it. If State of Ohio agencies are providing services to rural and suburban jurisdictions, then they should provide the same to us. Have the Ohio Highway Patrol do speeding enforcement and crash responses/investigations on our interstates as they do in other parts of the state so our officers can be put back in our neighborhoods, or have OHP reimburse Cincinnati the millions of dollars we are spending doing the job that OHP is doing on interstates in other jurisdictions. Get reimbursement from the Ohio Department of Transportation for snow removal on the 20-30 miles of state routes that run through the city of Cincinnati. With ODOT treating and clearing snow on state routes that run through rural and suburban communities, there's no reason our taxpayers should be stuck with the cost of doing ODOT's job on state routes that run through our city. Third, combine services for greater efficiencies. The Futures Commission recommended a few ideas on parks and recreation, but we should take it further. Cincinnati Parks should manage the 654 acres of green space under the Cincinnati Recreation Commission instead of having two sets of people cut adjacent sets of grass. This lets both organizations focus on what they do well: managing green space (Parks) and great programming (CRC), and it saves $25 million over 10 years. Ask Great Parks of Hamilton County to manage more Cincinnati Parks beyond the two parks that they manage today, especially since Cincinnati taxpayers pay 37% of the Great Parks levy. Having Great Parks − who are our neighbors and do a great job − manage more acreage is fair and would save our taxpayers over $25 million over 10 years. Establish a joint city/county task force to identify shared services savings for both the city and county with a target of at least 5% reduction in costs. Unlike DOGE, we can pursue smart, methodical, and targeted savings with back-office savings over the next few years and do it humanely. Making government run more efficiently is about giving citizens confidence that we are being good stewards of their hard-earned tax dollars, but it's also about improving the quality of life for our citizens based on shared values. These measures are a sensible and fair approach − just common sense. Cincinnati Councilman Mark Jeffreys is chairman of the Equitable Growth and Housing Committee. He is also vice president of the Ohio Regional Council of Governments. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati must clean up budget without burdening residents | Opinion
