^haha, I had the same idea. I posted some of my favs and then at the bottom shared all of them as a gallery --- the ones without captions at the bottom were not shared in the post.

 

Washington Park is absurdly photogenic and everyone was so happy. I almost shared one of the protesters with their stupid "peoples park!" "where's our pool?" signs but decided against it because 1) people love the park and it's quite obvious and 2) there is a pool in OTR just down 13th street from the park.

 

 

Awesome photos... I'm looking forward to checking out the park once I'm back in Cincinnati. (Ditto with the Smale Riverfront Park, whose grand opening I also missed.) With Findlay Market and the Main Street entertainment district anchoring the other two corners of triangular-shaped OTR, this is a much-needed missing link for OTR's continued progress. I'm looking forward to seeing the streetcar tie these three activity nodes together.

Beautiful park. I walked through it a few times before renovation (I usually walked around it) and it was in terrible shape. Trash was thrown absolutely EVERYWHERE. It was sad. The new park is night and day compared to the old park.

 

Concerning the protestors, yes, it was illogical. The #2 cause of childhood death is drowning, a pool is expensive for the city to maintain, there's another pool a few blocks away, etc, etc. But when you explain this to them they'd come back with something completely irrational. What no one else seems to realize is that Josh Spring and Co. weren't actually protesting the pool, but that their request for a pool was ignored. That group knows they're becoming irrelevant in OTR, so it was more of an effort to flex some "muscle" to politicians and 3CDC. You have to remember that people like Josh Spring and Buddy Gray had huge power over OTR for decades, and the way they got what they wanted was by protesting and being annoying. As they continue to lose power in OTR expect more irrational protesting, no matter how excellent the project is.

What have Josh Spring and the Homeless Coalition done that's positive?  Besides spending a couple of bucks at Staples for posterboard and thereby stimulating the local economy?

Can we please move on and stop demonizing the homeless advocates? At least until they do something again you don't like? Displacement and marginalization are legitimate concerns,  and trying to make sure the underprivileged have a voice is a legitimate endeavor. These folks might be misguided, but they don't deserve all this continued ire. Not only is it boring and futile, but you're giving the protest way more attention than it merits. By continuing to talk about it, you are frankly doing their bidding. No one else is talking about it (ie the media), and most people probably completely missed their presence.

Can we please move on and stop demonizing the homeless advocates? At least until they do something again you don't like? Displacement and marginalization are legitimate concerns,  and trying to make sure the underprivileged have a voice is a legitimate endeavor. These folks might be misguided, but they don't deserve all this continued ire. Not only is it boring and futile, but you're giving the protest way more attention than it merits. By continuing to talk about it, you are frankly doing their bidding. No one else is talking about it (ie the media), and most people probably completely missed their presence.

 

Agreed. Totally.

Concerning the protestors, yes, it was illogical. The #2 cause of childhood death is drowning, a pool is expensive for the city to maintain, there's another pool a few blocks away, etc, etc. But when you explain this to them they'd come back with something completely irrational.

 

I used that pool all the time.  They removed the last deepwater pool in OTR and they removed the last diving board in the neighborhood.  My son was on that swim team and it was a fantastic bonding experience for him and the other boys on the team.  My kids both learned how to swim in the 10 foot deep water there.  Otto Armleder pool on McMicken is great with a huge slide but cannot be used for lanes and is standing depth the whole pool.  The Ziegler pool is ancient and is only 4 feet deep.  It actually was one of the original pools that had to be drained every week and has been retrofitted with a pump and filter that doesn't work so well and the whole Zeigler park is an embarrassment. 

 

I definitely understand that Washington Park might not be the best place for a neighborhood pool, and I love the new park (I have been there everyday since it opened), but don't act like a sprayground teaches kids comraderie or how to swim.  And talking about maintenance, have you seen how well 3CDC maintains the small spray system on Fountain Square?  The spray nozzles are always broken.  Last week, not a single one was working.  I noticed that one on Washington Park already looked damaged and they cannot get the water to cascade down the steps yet.  All this infrastructure requires tons of maintenance, even more than a pool.   

I doubt the city would ever admit it, but the real issue probably concerns liability and personnel costs. Swimming pools require lifeguards, gated access, showers and changing facilities, and lots of insurance in case somebody drowns. Spray parks don't.

 

This isn't to say that a good public swimming pool -- preferably indoors so it could be used year-round -- wouldn't be a welcome addition to OTR.

Wow. Didn't mean to cause such a ruckus. I think the pool debate has been beat to death. I'm tired of hearing about it too. For safety and cost the fountain was still the best choice. I still believe that, if you boiled everything down, the pool was really just symbolic. I'm not demonizing anyone, just making an observation. Let's move on.

The placement of the underground garage sort of precluded the construction of an in-ground swimming pool, unless it was built in the older part of the park. 

 

Here are some leftover construction photos I took:

 

 

 

 

 

 

^^ Sorry, I wasn't targeting you specifically. Welcome to UrbanOhio!!

I doubt the city would ever admit it, but the real issue probably concerns liability and personnel costs. Swimming pools require lifeguards, gated access, showers and changing facilities, and lots of insurance in case somebody drowns. Spray parks don't.

 

This isn't to say that a good public swimming pool -- preferably indoors so it could be used year-round -- wouldn't be a welcome addition to OTR.

 

People consistently forget/overlook the fact that the OTR Rec Center at Findlay Market has an indoor, unused, deep water swimming pool with roll-up garage doors to the outside? Maybe focus their energies on getting that reopened. It's more productive than tilting windmills in WashPark.

The Olympic length, 8-lane wide, 10-foot deep Lincoln pool is 0.7 miles from Washington park. The 4-foot deep Ziegler pool is 0.4 miles and the Hanna playground with a pool, slide & spray jets is 0.7 miles.

I finally had the chance to check out Washington Park today over lunch.  It exceeded my very high expectations.  The quality of the work is impressive.  Just a beautiful place. 

The CRC is systematically shrinking their entire system. As recently as 1994, there were 54 pools operated by the CRC (at the time Columbus had six). Lifeguarding has been professionalized over the last twenty five years. Anyway, this part looks amazing.

The AVP will hold the Cincinnati Open at Washington Park over Labor Day weekend:

 

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120710/SPT/307100039/AVP-selects-Washington-Park-Cincinnati-Open

 

This is a Big Deal - especially if it ends up being televised.  There's going to be some kids watching who will see Music Hall and the park as a backdrop to the tournament and think, "Man, Cincinnati looks cool.  I'm going to move there when I'm grown up someday."

^ That's awesome!

 

I also think it would be cool if they turn the Civic Lawn into an ice skating rink in the winter instead of Fountain Square. Much bigger area and an amazing backdrop. It would keep the Park busy in the winter and programming could still take place on FS

Is this the same tournement that was held at the tennis facility in Mason?  So many of the pro players are from California, and their impression of Cincinnati was...Mason. 

^^^ Y up.  To be fair, it's not like Mason's any stranger to hosting national sporting events - the Cincinnati Masters/ATP/Western &Southern Open tournament has been held there for over 3 decades, and it's probably the biggest US tennis tournament that's not the US Open.

 

Anyway!  This news really clued me in to the fact that they're really looking aggressively at all sorts of different events for Washington Park - I knew they had a lot of concerts planned, but suddenly it now feels like they can do anything - in ways I imagine staging some things would be easier at the park than at Fountain Square.

 

I'd actually love it if both the park and FS had ice rinks - skating among the skycrapers is still pretty cool, but doing it in front of a snow covered Music Hall in the evening would be almost unbearably romantic.

I agree that ice skating on FS is awesome, but I think that space could be utilized better in the winter without ice skating if Washington Park were to take over that program. FS is essentially unusable for a lot of the winter for activities outside of ice skating. I think FS, being in the middle of downtown, could provide some winter programming that didn't take up the entire square and was a little more versatile. I wouldn't be upset if FS and WP had ice skating, but my personal opinion is that FS could be utilized for a different purpose now that WP is renovated.

Maybe I'm slow (and I'm sure I'm not thinking of what you're thinking of), but what kinds of programming are going to draw people out of their houses during the winter?  People expect to be cold when they're ice skating (and the exertion warms you up a bit!), but not for a concert, IMO.

 

Flipside: why would that programming be a better fit for Fountain Square and not Washington Park?  Or is the advantage of Washington Park that you could have a rink and still have space left over for events?

Maybe I'm slow (and I'm sure I'm not thinking of what you're thinking of), but what kinds of programming are going to draw people out of their houses during the winter?  People expect to be cold when they're ice skating (and the exertion warms you up a bit!), but not for a concert, IMO.

 

Chicago does a Kristkindlemarket on Daley Plaza every year, even bringing in vendors from Germany to fill its booths - selling gifts and german food/beer with German dance/music performances being held in one of the tents, its probably the only major German seasonal thing that Cincinnati doesn't do right now (its the only one that Chicago does well IMO):

 

http://www.christkindlmarket.com/en/

 

I think something like this would be really great for Fountain Square in the winter.

Yes, Washington Park still has plenty of space if the Civic Lawn was turned into an ice rink. Fountain Square's rink already feels cramped with the number of people going there every day. Perhaps it would be better if WP had a rink too to decrease the congestion, but I think FS should try something else.

 

I think some kind of slide that gives kids things to do but doesn't take up as much space as an ice rink. Maybe use a snow machine to add snow to FS throughout the winter. This would take up less space than the ice rink currently does. I'm sure the creative minds at UO can think of some fun outdoor activities that could utilize FS.

 

Something similar to this:

 

I like the rink at FS and would keep it there, mostly because there are plenty of other things to do around the FS that people can build a trip around.  Right now, there are still more shopping, eating, and entertainment options at FS.  I think you're likely to have people spend more time downtown by having it at FS.  If you put it in Washington Park, people would likely come to skate, and leave after they did that.  (Especially because the shops/dining on Vine are not visible at all from the park, unlike downtown where you can simply look around and see other activities to do.) 

^regarding the connection of Washington Park to Vine Street...  I've been watching the park daily and have been surprised that the 13th Street entrance to the park seems to be the most used.  Tons of people are walking from Vine to Race via 13th and entering the park that way.  And that entrance is almost designed as the back door, with the toilets there and the garage vehicle discharge there (but no stairs or elevator).  But that entrance takes you right into the center of the park, the most active part ...at the juncture of the playground, the bandstand and the fountains... This is not a criticism, just something I noticed that I think was not expected.

 

Also, last night they were testing the movie screen and it looked excellent.  Good picture and bigger than I had anticipated.  They set the projector up behind the screen on the stage and the screen lowers from the stage lighting above.  Very slick.

I agree I think that is a flaw in the design of the park.  They should have recognized that there would be a straight view from 13th and built an entrance in line with it. 

Also, I do think the rink on Foundtain Square is too small and gets way to crowded to actually skate.  You end up almost walking around the rink on skates because it is too crowded and the ice so bumpy. But still not sure it should move.  It is expected to be there.  Maybe a sledding hill in Washington Park?

^regarding the connection of Washington Park to Vine Street...  I've been watching the park daily and have been surprised that the 13th Street entrance to the park seems to be the most used.  Tons of people are walking from Vine to Race via 13th and entering the park that way.  And that entrance is almost designed as the back door, with the toilets there and the garage vehicle discharge there (but no stairs or elevator).  But that entrance takes you right into the center of the park, the most active part ...at the juncture of the playground, the bandstand and the fountains... This is not a criticism, just something I noticed that I think was not expected.

 

Also, last night they were testing the movie screen and it looked excellent.  Good picture and bigger than I had anticipated.  They set the projector up behind the screen on the stage and the screen lowers from the stage lighting above.  Very slick.

 

Having been there several times, it's not surprising that it's the primary entrance.  I walk over 14th, but that's because it's the closest to my residence.  There is not a lot of activity (yet) up on 14th that people will be walking over from to the park.  And walking in on the 12th street side takes you by a lot of folks near the Drop Inn center. 

The only frustrating thing I have noticed about the park so far (and this isn't even really a criticism of the park itself) is that there is no good way to bike around the park. Race, 12th, and 14th are fine, but Elm is kind of annoying with the cobblestone. In no way am I saying that the cobblestone should be removed or paved over (that would be the last thing I would want), but it would be nice to have a bike path around the park. Currently you either have to go through a bumpy patch for two blocks, ride on the sidwalk (illegal), ride through the park (illegal), or ride behind Music Hall, on Central Parway, which is in no way scenic. A simple path on the right side of Elm only a couple of feet wide and designated for bikes would be fantastic (ideally cutting into the sidewalk, as it seems there is enough space to sacrifice a little).

The AVP will hold the Cincinnati Open at Washington Park over Labor Day weekend:

 

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120710/SPT/307100039/AVP-selects-Washington-Park-Cincinnati-Open

 

This is a Big Deal - especially if it ends up being televised.  There's going to be some kids watching who will see Music Hall and the park as a backdrop to the tournament and think, "Man, Cincinnati looks cool.  I'm going to move there when I'm grown up someday."

 

This is wonderful news, but I'm trying to wrap my head around how this will work logistically. IIRC, this event attracts quite a few spectators. Will they set up temporary bleachers? I'm assuming there will be more than one court. Is there enough room?

I heard someone today complain that Washington Park "doesn't have any trees". 

 

 

What? Do they want it to be a flippin forest? jeez

I'm assuming they're referring to the lawn which comes across as barren as its all grass & surrounded by new, not that large trees. However, as the point is to be able to hold large events with lots of people, putting trees there would make the huge events they want pretty difficult

I've been watching the park daily and have been surprised that the 13th Street entrance to the park seems to be the most used.

 

On 12th street you have 1132 bar and the blue building it's in, which looks terrible--like OTR of a decade ago . Plus the crowd hanging around there can look intimidating.

I agree I think that is a flaw in the design of the park.  They should have recognized that there would be a straight view from 13th and built an entrance in line with it.

 

I think this could probably be corrected. When I was in New Orleans there was an arch that you walked through to go into Armstrong Park. I think something similar, but not as gaudy, might work at Washington Park. Instead cars would drive under it, and it would be visible all the way down 13th street at night.

 

http://candychang.com/armstrong/

 

Just a thought.

I agree I think that is a flaw in the design of the park.  They should have recognized that there would be a straight view from 13th and built an entrance in line with it.

 

I think this could probably be corrected. When I was in New Orleans there was an arch that you walked through to go into Armstrong Park. I think something similar, but not as gaudy, might work at Washington Park. Instead cars would drive under it, and it would be visible all the way down 13th street at night.

 

http://candychang.com/armstrong/

 

Just a thought.

 

Personally I like gaudy designs, but I don't like the one pictured in the link, at least not for Washington Park.  I think that it would be nice to have a large entrance, but have a design where it looked like something that would compliment Music Hall.  Or maybe even something Gothic in design would work too?  Either way, a standout entrance and definitely nothing that would look conservative or bland. 

I've been watching the park daily and have been surprised that the 13th Street entrance to the park seems to be the most used.

 

On 12th street you have 1132 bar and the blue building it's in, which looks terrible--like OTR of a decade ago . Plus the crowd hanging around there can look intimidating.

 

Yeah even the crackheads that hang out in that general vicinity seem more confused than usual by all the new visitors and action in the area haha

The owner of the 1132 bar & cell phone store building is an older (late 60's) white guy who hates 3CDC and has sworn on his life he will never sell to them.

 

Across from that, where most people loiter is a beat up older Urban Sites building.

^-That's also where the Lord's Gym is, as soon as that is moved I think the loiterers will also go.

>even the crackheads that hang out in that general vicinity seem more confused than usual

 

Imagine being high on who-knows-what and then around the corner come 75 or so dorky white people on bicycles with blinking lights on them.  Yes that happened tonight and it was hilarious to see those guys geeking out. 

I agree I think that is a flaw in the design of the park.  They should have recognized that there would be a straight view from 13th and built an entrance in line with it.

 

I think this could probably be corrected. When I was in New Orleans there was an arch that you walked through to go into Armstrong Park. I think something similar, but not as gaudy, might work at Washington Park. Instead cars would drive under it, and it would be visible all the way down 13th street at night.

 

http://candychang.com/armstrong/

 

Just a thought.

 

I have to disagree with the aesthetic and really the concept.

To me there is a difference between and entrance and a gateway.

 

The design of Washington Park begs for an on axis entrance with the longitudinal centerline of the oval, a simple paved axis wider than that of the other entrances would be perfect.  It would be GREAT for photos, and it would have the feel of a plaza opening into an American style park (relating to both the way the Music Hall is very European/urban and American at the same time). 

 

I have hope that a plaza style entrance could be incorporated here in the near future though it seems the designers screwed us a bit and located some mechanical and electrical boxes in the desired path.

 

Those transformers along Race are very unfortunate.  They're so close to the sidewalk it'll be next to impossible to screen them with anything.  It's silly that when you go to the trouble of putting utilities underground they insist on putting boxes in the most visible places.  There's a huge underground parking garage there, put them in a mechanical closet out of sight.  Heaven forbid Duke might have to go into the garage to access them. 

The ice skating rink idea is an interesting one...

I hear you guys on the transformers and on the 13th street entrance being oddly unimpressive, but... if these are the only complaints we have, then 3CDC and the Park Board did an amazing job.  What I especially love is that the park feels contemporary but also engaged with the past - and I think that the design elements in place are going to age really well, both from a weathering aspect as well as an aesthetic aspect.

Utilities are always a big concern in any construction project (see: streetcar). I haven't seen the transformer boxes in question and I have no inside knowledge of the park's design process, but it's likely the transformers are located where they are because that's adjacent to where the utilities come into the site from the street. Relocating the feeds might have been deemed too expensive, and putting transformers in an enclosed space like the garage is problematic due to the risk of fire and access for maintenance. (This isn't to say it can't be done, but again, it adds lots of $$$ to the construction budget.) Just speculating.

looks like MidPoint headliners will be playing in the park! more great news!

Yes it should be great. They are also selling tickets exclusively to Washington Park (which will be all ages) for a day at a time for cheaper than the whole festival (probably because Washington Park is so much bigger than their previous main stage at Grammer's). I believe Andrew Bird, Grizzly Bear, and Sleigh Bells will be playing Washington Park at Midpoint. Not sure who else though.

 

I think it would be cool if MidPoint had two stages at Washington Park so that while one is setting up another is playing music. They could have a huge stage directly in front of Music Hall that is temporary and then put other people on the shorter permanent stage on the north end of the lawn.

Kaid Benfield blog post on Washington park reopening:

 

http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/kbenfield

Anybody know what these poles are?  At first I was excited thinking they might be for catenary wires but they are on 14th as well.

 

They are pretty tall and sturdy looking poles but maybe they are just for banners?

 

 

Weird... My first guess would be poles for the streetcar catenary, but it then they wouldn't be on 14th. Maybe they're just poles for street lighting that don't yet have the lamp heads installed.