The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Cincinnati Park Board are partnering on a $2.5M study to improve and revitalize the Cincinnati Ohio River’s edge along Smale Riverfront Park. The project’s overall vision is to make the Cincinnati Riverfront a welcoming, safe, sustainable park, serving as a gateway to connect people to their heritage, community and the natural environment for generations to come. The study will look at opportunities for ecosystem restoration and recreation, while protecting Cincinnati’s Riverfront from erosion. The objectives are to:

1) Enhance Smale Park by creating a safe recreational connection between the usable areas of the park and the water, while reducing erosion potential.

2) Provide educational signage and programming to inform park users about the natural and cultural resources in the area.

3) Improve the environment with native vegetation and shade trees.

The project team has developed four river's edge concepts pictured below:

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#1 "Combination Concept"
This concept ties enhanced ADA accessible walkways with the existing riverfront sidewalk allowing new, high-quality recreational interaction with the water’s edge. In addition to the walkways, the Castellini Esplanade would be extended to the river, and transition into river stairs leading users to a kayak launch and terraced boulders into the water. Concrete seat walls would stretch across the riverfront as well as native grasses and vegetation, providing a natural, but varied, landscape.

<strong>#1 "Combination Concept"</strong> <br>This concept ties enhanced ADA accessible walkways with the existing riverfront sidewalk allowing new, high-quality recreational interaction with the water&rsquo;s edge. In addition to the walkways, the Castellini Esplanade would be extended to the river, and transition into river stairs leading users to a kayak launch and terraced boulders into the water. Concrete seat walls would stretch across the riverfront as well as native grasses and vegetation, providing a natural, but varied, landscape.

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#2 "Hardscaped Shoreline"
The version provides pedestrian access, and river stairs, to the water from the Castellini Esplanade with a hardscaped shoreline above an ADA accessible lower river walk. A kayak tie off area would be located at the stairs, and a native grass lawn leading to the lower level, supported by rip rap.

<strong>#2 "Hardscaped Shoreline"</strong> <br>The version provides pedestrian access, and river stairs, to the water from the Castellini Esplanade with a hardscaped shoreline above an ADA accessible lower river walk. A kayak tie off area would be located at the stairs, and a native grass lawn leading to the lower level, supported by rip rap.

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#3 "All Hardscape with Serpentine Wall"
This idea contains an upper lawn and overlook area from the Castellini Plaza and serpentine wall, similar to what is found at the Sawyer Point. The stepped wall leads down to a wide lower river walk along the water’s edge and kayak tie off area on the west side of the site.

<strong>#3 "All Hardscape with Serpentine Wall"</strong> <br>This idea contains an upper lawn and overlook area from the Castellini Plaza and serpentine wall, similar to what is found at the Sawyer Point. The stepped wall leads down to a wide lower river walk along the water&rsquo;s edge and kayak tie off area on the west side of the site.

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#4 "Natural Bank"
This design would provide natural, native plantings and lawns including a terraced lawn on the east side of the site. The Castellini Esplanade would then extend down to the water’s edge in river stairs with kayak tie offs. An ADA accessible river walk, and concrete seat wall would extend across the site.

<strong>#4 "Natural Bank"<br></strong>This design would provide natural, native plantings and lawns including a terraced lawn on the east side of the site. The Castellini Esplanade would then extend down to the water&rsquo;s edge in river stairs with kayak tie offs. An ADA accessible river walk, and concrete seat wall would extend across the site.
This effort began in January 2023 and is estimated to take three years. Currently, the project is in the planning stage and community input is being sought to ensure everyone has a chance to participate. Please take a few moments and provide your feedback below.

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