We have had an amazing and action packed year! From restoring trails in French Park to collaborating on a BLINK art installation, we’ve done it all! Thanks to our donors, volunteers and the Cincinnati Parks team we have been able to accomplish so much. Below are a few of our favorite projects and accomplishments this year.
VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL GARDEN IN EDEN PARK
Thanks to a generous gift from an anonymous donor, the Vietnam Memorial Garden was installed in Eden Park and opened on Memorial Day weekend. The new garden is an extension of the pre-existing Vietnam Memorial statue and creates a separate but related space for reflection. It includes a variety of plants, seating and an accessible pathway. This new garden serves the general public, but was specifically designed to provide respite for those who suffer with PTSD.
RESTORATION OF THE FRENCH PARK HIKING TRAILS
The Cohen, the Michelman and the Shifman families made a generous gift to restore all of the hiking trails in French Park. The entire trail system was completely refurbished, including the construction of new bridges, steps and reopening sections of trail closed due to disrepair.
HATS OFF LUNCHEON RAISED $500,000
The 2019 Hats Off Luncheon, co-chaired by Carrie Carothers and Jennifer Buchholz, once again raised critical funds for preservation and programming initiatives in Cincinnati Parks. As our largest fundraising event, it is not possible without the help of our dedicated volunteers.
COMPLETION OF THE MT. STORM TREE PROJECT
Cincinnati Parks created a long-term plan for Mount Storm Park based on the original landscape design. With the help of donors and volunteers throughout the year, we successfully planted 150 trees and installed irrigation.
SMALE FAMILY FUN DAYS
Our Smale Family Fun Days in June, July and August served 5,000 people. Families from all over Cincinnati enjoyed naturalists from Cincinnati Parks’ Explore Nature, lawn games, live music and a variety of performers down at Smale Riverfront Park, for FREE!
STEWARDS F BURNET WOODS RAISED $112,000
Our Stewards of Burnet Woods successfully raised $112,000 to improve Burnet Woods. The park is already seeing improvements like litter clean up, honeysuckle removal and new signage.
CINCINNATI PARKS’ URBAN CAMPSITE AT BLINK
We teamed up with Cincinnati Parks, Smale Family Foundation, Kolar Design, Moerlein Lager House and the Camping and Education Foundation to create a truly magical place, in a space where all were welcome. Over the course of the BLINK weekend, the Campsite was full of friends, families and lovers who explored and admired the tents, giant campfire and hanging illuminated canoes.
OUR EMERGING LEADERS RAISED $24,000
The Cincinnati Parks Foundation Emerging Leaders raised $24,000 through their event series, Views and Brews and beer sales at the CCAC’s Wednesdays in the Woods.
CPAC GRANT PROGRAM ACTIVATED NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS
Cincinnati Parks Advisory Councils (CPAC) are volunteer citizen groups which seek to build and maintain public support for neighborhood Cincinnati Parks. We provided $1,000 grants to 16 different CPAC groups to support park improvements and community programming across Cincinnati.
$150,000 FOR A NEW PLAYGROUND IN INWOOD PARK
We received a $150,000 grant from the PNC Foundation to replace a 20-year old playground at Inwood Park. The new playground will be accessible to all children and will benefit an underserved neighborhood. Earlier in the summer local children gave input on the playground’s design and a groundbreaking was held in November.
IMPROVED ACCESSIBILITY AT KROHN CONSERVATORY
The Betty Gale Garden at Krohn Conservatory, located between the Bonsai Room and Desert House has been closed for years due to its non-ADA compliance. Thanks to a generous $24,000 gift from the Nelson Schwab Family Foundation and a match from the Cincinnati Parks Foundation, the Betty Gale Garden received a new concrete walk and adjusted inlets, making the garden fully accessible and open the public.
HONEYSUCKLE REMOVAL AT BRAMBLE PARK AND LITTLE DUCK CREEK
Thanks to a generous gift from John Helmsderfer, invasive species like honeysuckle was removed from Bramble Park and Little Duck Creek Preserve. One donor’s gift reinforced strong partnerships by leveraging state dollars, volunteers and community organization like Cincinnati Community ToolBank, Keep Cincinnati Beautiful, Little Duck Creek Trail Task Force and Madisonville Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation.
These are just a few of the successes we have had in 2019. Stay up to date on all of our news and events; sign up for our newsletter and never miss a thing happening in YOUR Cincinnati Parks.