Photo Credit: Heather Noe
A Cincinnati Parks Master Plan called for a new riverfront park that would extend the chain of existing waterfront parks and reconnect the downtown area to the Ohio River. The park was intended not only to serve as the new “front yard” for the city and entire region, but also to act as a catalyst for the development of a new downtown neighborhood—The Banks. The city got more than it bargained for, however, when the range of notable features was revealed—waterfalls and cascades, a series of glass balconies, interactive fountains, a labyrinth, public art, unique gardens, family-sized porch swings, gardens, walkways, an event lawn and stage, and even a regional bike center.
Since 1997, the park board has partnered with many entities, including the city, county, developers of The Banks, and the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, to fund and build the Smale Riverfront Park. A private fundraising campaign has brought in more than $40 million, which was matched with more than $25 million in city funds, $11 million in federal funds, and more than $3 million in state funds to-date. Fundraising is ongoing to complete future phases. Park-board staff has acted as the project-management team for this projected $120-milllion project. The primary designers are Sasaki Associates of Watertown, Mass., and KZF Inc. of Cincinnati. Phase I of Smale Riverfront Park opened on May 18, 2012, and consisted of $21.4 million in infrastructure. Phase II opened on May 13, 2013, and included an additional $5.3 million of infrastructure. The next phase is projected to open in spring of 2014, with $2.2 million of additional infrastructure.
Challenges And Solutions
Many challenges have been addressed in getting the project to where it is today, including: