Wasson Way Volunteer Hall of Fame
May 25, 2026
Wasson Way Landscape Committee and Master Gardeners
You may notice that the Wasson Way between the Marburg Trail Head to the East and the Montgomery Trail Head to the West, are planted with a collection of trees and gardens. All the trees have been donated by residents and trail users and planted by volunteers supporting Wasson Way. Many of the trees are named for those who donated them. You too can donate a tree and have a plaque placed with your name or someone you want to honor. You can find more information about how to donate a tree to Wasson Way here. wassonway.org/support/
Along the stretch of Wasson Way from Marburg to Madison Rd., you will also find twenty little gardens with flowers, perennials, and shrubs. The landscape design was developed for the Wasson Way by POD Design Landscape Architects, and the old railroad line was turned into a beautiful green space according to these designs with help from Young Entrepreneurs Landscaping, LLC, and many volunteers. That all happened in 2021.
Five years later, the Wasson Way landscape is now mature and fulfills our vision to be a world-class urban greenway trail that creates a vibrant hub of community activity, connecting and enhancing neighborhoods, schools, and recreation areas across the east side of Cincinnati. Thanks to the efforts of the Wasson Way Master Gardeners, many volunteers from University of Cincinnati, Xavier University, Thomas More University, Clark Montessori High School and the local community, the gardens and trees are a thriving part of the Wasson Way mission to provide a beautiful, accessible and sustainable urban greenway trail for the benefit of the residents of greater Cincinnati.
The Wasson Way Landscape Committee and Master Gardeners hold regular volunteer gardening events on the trail from early spring until late in the fall. All are welcome. Come and join us for these rewarding outdoor events and help keep the Wasson Way beautiful. The full calendar of events can be found on the website here: wassonway.org/events/. You can just show up, and the Master Gardeners will provide tools and instructions and put you to work.
Clark Montessori Students
Thank you to Drew Ramsey and the Clark Montessori students for their work completing the clean-up project along Wasson Way on May 20, 2026, from Marburg Avenue to Edwards Road. Their dedicated teamwork, strong work ethic, and willingness to serve the community made a meaningful difference. Because of their efforts, this important trail corridor is now cleaner, safer, and more welcoming for everyone who walks, runs, and bikes along the trail.
Projects like this demonstrate the power of community engagement and environmental stewardship. Their work not only improved the appearance of the trail but also helped support the broader vision of the trail network by promoting sustainability, neighborhood pride, and public enjoyment of green spaces.
UC Serves
We would like to thank the University of Cincinnati Faculty and Staff for their service at the Wasson Way UC Serves event on May 15, 2026. They mulched and weeded from Madison Road to Montgomery Road. Efforts like this add value to the Wasson Way, the Flagship of the Cincinnati Riding or Walking Network (CROWN), which is a vibrant trail corridor for walking, running, and biking that spans twelve neighborhoods on Cincinnati’s east side. As part of the CROWN network, Wasson Way is helping create a 100+ mile active transportation system of multi-use trails and bike lanes that will connect more than 356,000 people to parks, schools, neighborhoods, and employment centers. Relying on community service to provide support was essential to the success of this community initiative. Thanks to Scott Holland, Lou Beckmeyer, and Mike Tombragel for their excellent leadership of this event.
The trail provides numerous community benefits, including improved connectivity, increased sustainability through expanded tree canopy, reduced heat stress, decreased stormwater runoff, and safe spaces for exercise and recreation. It also promotes reduced vehicle use, helping alleviate traffic congestion, parking limitations, and air pollution.
Thomas More University
We would like to express our appreciation to the students and volunteers from Thomas More University for their work and commitment to community service on April 21, 2026, along the Wasson Way trail corridor. Their teamwork, dedication, and willingness to contribute their time and energy made a meaningful impact. Because of their efforts, the trail is cleaner, safer, and more welcoming for visitors and surrounding neighborhoods. Projects like this reflect the importance of civic engagement, environmental stewardship, and collaboration in strengthening our community while supporting the broader vision of a connected and sustainable regional trail network.
