And about the synthetic grass - park of the event/civic lawn is synthetic too, I hear...

 

No, the entire oval is real grass.  The only synthetic stuff is in the dog park and a small bit in the playground on little play hills.

The oval grass is a synthetic blend.

Here's the word on the grass. It's all real except the dirt it's growing out of is kinda nestled into synthetic grass so you'd never know there is synthetic in the lawn unless it is really worn down.  Sounds like a very good idea. I worried about the grass being worn down in certain areas. Will be interesting to see how the lawn wears over time.

Here's the word on the grass. It's all real except the dirt it's growing out of is kinda nestled into synthetic grass so you'd never know there is synthetic in the lawn unless it is really worn down.  Sounds like a very good idea. I worried about the grass being worn down in certain areas. Will be interesting to see how the lawn wears over time.

 

The Reds have the same type of turf. It is designed to prevent brown-out on more heavily traveled areas. But you still have to mow it, water it, etc. just like any other lawn.

Can someone take a pic of the signs that the "Peoples Platform" posted around the park? If can share a pic here, I'd appreciate it. Thanks.

They seem to all have disappeared. 

They seem to all have disappeared. 

 

As they likely didn't have revocable street permits, they were probably removed as litter

From the Buddy Gray acolyte himself - Josh Spring - he included a cellphone number so if you want more info, give it a ring.

 

Hello Folks,

 

As many of you know, this Friday, July 6 Washington Park re-opens.  We will gather at 9:30am at 14th and Race across from the park.  We will go into the ribbon cutting which ends at 10:30.  We will have signs, etc that tell the truths of affordable housing lost, displacement and other injustices.  At 10:30 we will adress the press to make sure the public hears the truth.  Please come out, we need people to be there.  This is an opportunity to call for a better way of doing things and to show that we believe all should have access to the park as well as opportunity. Feel more than free to call or email for more info: 513-716-7455.  Thank You all.

 

Josh Spring LSW

Executive Director

Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition

^ He's gotta keep up his position as Cincinnati's IRL troll.  I'm just glad he's nowhere near as manipulative as Buddy Gray was.  I doubt his protest will put a dent in the festivities.

700 WLW's Scott Sloan just compared The World Choir Games to Obamacare.

So they are protesting the fact that Washington Park will no longer be crowded with addicts drinking Mad Dog out of paper bags at 11 am on a Monday morning? 

So they are protesting the fact that Washington Park will no longer be crowded with addicts drinking Mad Dog out of paper bags at 11 am on a Monday morning?

 

I agree, what is the protesting about?  They cleaned up the park and made it a better place and that's a bad thing? 

These groups are notorious for being anti-urban redevelopment.  They view any incursion into troubled neighborhoods as gentrification, and protest it.  For instance, Buddy Gray protested the national historic district designation of Over-the-Rhine, and held it up for a few years.

 

Basically, most of the volunteer organizations in Cincy that align with the legacy of Buddy Gray want money spent on “low-income” housing and neighborhoods, not mixed-income.  In my opinion, they’re holding on to observably disproved notions from the 1960’s of how to treat urban poor.

 

700 WLW's Scott Sloan just compared The World Choir Games to Obamacare.

 

They do build the outer limit of the First Amendment brick by brick, don't they?

They're really throwing mud at the choir games, I think, as a way to put pressure on Laure Quinliven, since she identified herself with the event months ago. 

Maybe there should be one thread for Washington Park and one thread for Music Hall since they are/were two different projects.

 

Okay, I'm usually halfway proficient at figuring out blowhard logic, but this one has me scratching my head a bit. So far, my scratchpad says:

 

Choir games = foreign = communist = Obamacare

 

Am I getting close?

 

Seriously, how can you diss something so obviously, directly, and instantly profitable for the region? I don't usually take much credence in the idea that people hate the city, but this would make a pretty strong case.

Let's hope for a poop in again.

Not that I don't agree that it's crazy, but what's with the Sloan v. WCG discussion in this thread?

 

Just a little confused.

 

Either way- park looks great, let's all be there in clear support. Please, if you go, talk to the media, say how great this is. After the event go right up to a camera person & try to get them to interview you.

 

Letting people who support drugs in parks steal the spotlight would be depressing.

>Seriously, how can you diss something so obviously, directly, and instantly profitable for the region?

 

I think Laure Quinlivan made a mistake by putting her name on this event.  The agents of the local Tea Party laid in wait until the event began, then used the "failure" of the event to sling mud at Quinlivan.  Judging from her radio appearances, I think she was taken by surprise.  I mean, it's pretty easy to explain why downtown hotels wouldn't sell out -- no doubt many of the choirs got group rates at suburban hotels, and after paying for $1,000+ flights from abroad, they needed to save money.  Also, we're of course going by what these radio turds say...I for example haven't called around downtown hotels to see if they have rooms available.  Perhaps some of them are sold out and the radio guys say they aren't.  They pull that kind of crap all the time. 

 

Basically the Obamacare --> Choir Games connection was that both had "hidden costs" -- that they appear "free" but there are taxes involved.  Sloan WANTED ANSWERS GODDAMMIT and claimed he couldn't get any from the city about how much they were subsidizing the event. 

 

 

 

>Seriously, how can you diss something so obviously, directly, and instantly profitable for the region?

 

... Also, we're of course going by what these radio turds say...I for example haven't called around downtown hotels to see if they have rooms available.  Perhaps some of them are sold out and the radio guys say they aren't.  They pull that kind of crap all the time. 

 

^^^This +1

 

And in short economic growth etc takes investment, or passing on profit so as to get a bigger profit... from taxes or tourism.  For example the city selling a major piece of real estate for $1 (Music Hall, 5th & Race, etc...), or the city bringing in thousands of cultural aficionados for a two week long event where they will spend money and hopefully think about investing longer term.

Got a call from a friend the other night, told me he was proposing to his girlfriend in Washington Park. He had the hookup and was able to set it up so that tonight before it opens to the public tomorrow he could do his proposal in the park. We got to meet the guy who designed the fountain and I photographed the event. The fountains are spectacular and the park is absolutely gorgeous. The full story: http://bit.ly/OTRLoveStory

 

^ Saw this on your site last night.  Amazing park and photos.  Nice work.

lots of pics

 

http://www.blogotr.com/otr/washington-park-revitalized/

For example the city selling a major piece of real estate for $1 (Music Hall, 5th & Race, etc...),

 

Not to nit pick, but since this IS a thread about Music Hall, for the sake of other readers, Music Hall is being leased for $1, not sold for $1.  The city should never outright sell Music Hall.

At the gym this morning, the TVs were tuned to Channel 12 and they had a story about the opening.  Very positive tone, actually. They very much encouraged people to get down to the park for the opening and spent some time talking about all of the neat features.  Magically, they managed to talk about something happening in OTR without bringing up naysayers once.

 

Side note: apparently some of the Choir Games events have such high demand that they're already shifting venues around in the city... so I guess that's going well!

The city should never outright sell Music Hall.

 

The city sold Music Hall in the 1920's for a rehab.

The vibe and crowd are great. Get here NOW!'

and now I'm back at my desk. I'd estimate that well over a thousand people were at the park, maybe more.  Really diverse crowd. Very very upbeat mood on the whole. The fountains and the play area are HUGE hits with the wee set.

 

As for protesters, there were maybe about fifteen people with signs that I saw, and by far the most common thing I saw on signs was  "WHERE'S OUR POOL." I kinda wanted to go up to them and say, "it's about four blocks away on Sycamore."  :-P There was no chanting or disruption that I could see, just a few scattered folks with signs.  As protests go, it was a bust.

^ Like you said, OTR (post # 993), this alleged "People's Platform" (or whatever they call themselves) is nothing more than a  rabble-rousing fringe group who fully intend to spoil a wonderful opening ceremony and impede civilization's reclamation of Washington Park.  (The ghost of Buddy Gray hovers over them with delight.)

 

How are you supposed to take seriously a white guy holding a sign complaining about the "re-white-alization of Washington Park"?

 

Come on. Most of these protestors were complaining about the loss of the pool and basketball courts. There are other pools in nearby parks. Cincinnati has been closing down pools all over the city because it can't afford to operate them all. It's pretty reasonable, IMO, that the city will continue to operate TWO public pools in OTR. One protestor insisted that the city should have a public pool in every park -- yeah, right.

 

Lots of folks holding signs saying "Washsington Park is the people's park."  Yes, it is.  Now quit your illogical protesting and enjoy it, like everyone else.

Was the sombrero guy there?  The guy who spends most of his waking hours standing in front of Sitwell's in Clifton?  Because it's not a proper protest without that guy. 

No sombrero guy that I could see - like I said, the protest was a big bust.  :laugh:

I'm so glad the protest was a bust. That argument is so frustrating. Josh Spring's only argument is that he claims the homeless won't be accepted in the new park. 3CDC states over and over that that will not be the case. I have never seen a homeless person kicked out from Fountain Square since 3CDC has managed it except if they are being extremely disorderly. Even moderately disorderly conduct is often ignored on Fountain Square. I can't wait to check out the park after work... Also, who's excited for the Over the Rhine concert on the 22nd?! That's going to be incredible!

Was the sombrero guy there?  The guy who spends most of his waking hours standing in front of Sitwell's in Clifton?  Because it's not a proper protest without that guy.

 

Yes he was. With his 3CDC is the enemy of the poor & Washington Park is 3CDC cash cow body sandwhich board signs.

 

Maybe if he put that much energy and dedication into a JOB he wouldn't have to sell streetvibes.

Was the sombrero guy there?  The guy who spends most of his waking hours standing in front of Sitwell's in Clifton?  Because it's not a proper protest without that guy. 

 

Sombrero guy was there, holding some sort of anti-3CDC sign if I recall correctly.

I was really bored at work, so I took a break and walked back to the park because I wanted to see what it looked like after the hoopla was over.  Still pretty hoppin', especially the musical fountain and the benches around the gazebo bandstand.  Continued to be a really mixed crowd - college students, some hipsters, some OTR old timers, some homeless folks I've seen a bunch around town (including local celebrity Almost No Teeth Bad Singing Homeless Guy, who was giving an enthusiastic if inexpert performance for some of the college kids).  Very chill.

 

The way the park offers views of the streets around it is just incredible.  It's going to be just as successful as the new Fountain Square, if not more so in some ways.

 

now I'm impatient for the Music Hall renovation to get started!  Because when you see Music Hall from the park now, it looks a little shabby.

It was a really smart decision to reopen the park in the middle of the World Choir Games. It's going to constantly be packed with a diverse group of people which will set the tone for the continuing operation of the park.

I took a break from work to walk up to the park.  I grabbed this picture as the speeches were going on, the place was packed, especially considering the heat.  Shortly after the brief speech, the lawn cleared out and everyone retreated to the shade and fountains.

 

For such a weak protest, you guys are getting pretty upset.

I'm protesting that fanny pack over on the right. 

I took a break from work to walk up to the park.  I grabbed this picture as the speeches were going on, the place was packed, especially considering the heat.  Shortly after the brief speech, the lawn cleared out and everyone retreated to the shade and fountains.

 

 

Imagine how much better these pictures would look if Music Hall's windows were opened up again... I hope a final agreement can be made and construction started ASAP. I know that Cincinnati agreed to use $4 million upfront for the Music Hall renovation instead of the atrium, but has an agreement between council and the MHRC been settled (sorry if I missed it, don't yell at me)?

I'm really surprised at the difference between what I get from this thread and what I hear on the local media.  The nebulous "keep the park public" is such a non-gripe to me.  I swear, people look for the negative.

 

The park looks great.  It's a resounding success for the city and the neighborhood and what gets equal share in the headline?  Some 30-something white lady complaining that she hopes the public park will be public.

all i can say is wow! the park looks and feels awesome, even though it was hot as hell today there were so many people there.  we went there and then went to 1215, bakersfield and findlay.  it feels different to me now.  all sorts of people, black, white, people from around the country for the choir games.  there didn't seem to be any division, just people enjoying a magnificent park.  by the way i've never been there in the past, the views of all the buildings and music hall are awesome.  i just felt so positive about everything.

^^ I was in Washington Park today, 10 AM, along with hundreds of other people (in fact, I'm actually in the above picture)--and I can easily affirm what climberguy714 observed in the above reply.  Never have such a sheer mix of people ever assembled in this park, as history was made this morning in Cincinnati.  Even the protesters seemed almost in place, even though I don't think they even realized it--mainly because everyone was welcome.

I just visited the park and was amazed at not only the impressive quality, but the amount of people there. It felt so alive. I can't foresee any of those vacant buildings around the park taking long to become occupied. There's one directly across the event lawn from the entrance to Music Hall that I had my eye on.

The losers at the Cincinnati Enquirer errantly posted a photo of Washington Square Park in New York City:

 

http://news.cincinnati.com/interactive/article/20120706/NEWS01/120706014/Washington-Park-reopens

LOL, yup. In case they take it down, I will vouch that it is there now.

I've seen hundreds of photos from the park grand reopening and they are all AMAZING --- the positive feedback from people has been out of this world. Great job to 3CDC, the City, Cincinnati Parks and the whole team that made this work.

 

The concerts, City Flea and other programming at the park will keep it very busy.

 

Now, let's unbrick those windows at Music Hall!

I tried to collect/share as many of the Washington Park opening photos as I could find.

 

Here they are:

 

 

http://www.blogotr.com/otr/the-grand-reopening-of-washington-park/

 

 

 

 

^ Maybe you could do a post curating the best ones? Rather than just aggregating them all? Just a thought!

 

It looks so awesome, I just want a home right on the park :-D

 

And I am thinking there will be people who are actually in a position to get one who will think the same thing! Win!

 

Edit: I retract my statement, since I have looked through most of the pics now and none of them are bad. Either you did curate, or the place is just absurdly photogenic. Or people actually noticed when they took bad pictures and didn't upload those ones...which is unlikely.