UC Niehoff Event
In April, 120 students and professors from UC Engineering, DAAP, Real Estate and Geography presented the result of over 7,000 hours of classroom study at the UC Niehoff Studio. It was a fascinating look at both near and far-term projects for the Wasson Way: from dog parks, to access points, to community gardens, to development opportunities, to road crossings, to a future with light rail. The event featured an open reception attended by many from the community as well as a panel discussions by regional experts about the beneficial impact of the Wasson Way.
Pedaling for Patty
Join us this Saturday March 15th for Pedaling for Patty, a local bike ride to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. This year the ride will be leaving from the 50 West Brewery at 7688 Wooster Pike by Newtown. All bike enthusiasts are welcome, and there will be routes on the road and trail for beginners, intermediate and race pace. It’s free to participate, and all donations go to the Wasson Way Project. Registration opens at 10am and the ride begins at 11am. If you’re interested in joining, you can RSVP at Eventbrite here:
http://www.eventbrite.com/e/
Wasson Way Moves forward with Feasibility Study, funded by Interact for Health Grant
With the generous support of Interact for Health in the fall of last year, we received the funding for a feasibility study. Interact for Health is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing communities in the greater Cincinnati region with the resources they need to improve their health and quality of life. Their grant award made it possible to move on to the next crucial step in the design process: identifying and examining the nuts and bolts details of transforming the unused Wasson Way railroad tracks into a pedestrian and cycling path. We hired KZF Engineering to conduct this professional analysis, and from their detailed examination we will have a good estimate of the costs and practical requirements of construction.
In April of this year, KZF will complete their feasibility study and we will host a public presentation of their findings. We look forward to sharing this important information with you and receiving community input.
Community Design Workshop a Success
October’s Design Workshop, led by the UC Niehoff Center, was a resounding success. On October 12, 2013 over 80 members of the community came together to begin the brainstorming process of what a transformed Wasson Way could look like. Groups were divided into geographic regions, and were led by volunteer design and engineering professionals–with the help of students from the University of Cincinnati landscape and urban design departments. Neighbors huddled together to think through the challenges and possibilities found along each section of the Wasson Way Trail, while the professionals and students posed questions and took notes. The students spent the following week turning the ideas generated at the design workshop into detailed schematics of what the Wasson Way could look like. Plans incorporated current trends in landscape and urban design as well as specific topics studied in their UC curriculum.
The renderings were then presented at a reveal party on October 18, held at Hyde Park Floral & Garden Center, a garden center and coffee shop located alongside the unused tracks in Hyde Park. Our friends at Queen City Bikes offered free bicycle valet services, and Bryan Devendorf of The National supported our efforts as DJ. Over 150 people attended the party where they viewed the students’ posters, asked questions, and shared with one another the excitement of transforming their neighborhoods together.
Join us for our Reveal Party – Friday Oct. 18
View the professional renderings from the design workshops at the Big Reveal Party. We will enjoy appetizers, drinks and local food trucks. Come meet supporters from our diverse neighborhoods, and help us build the excitement and momentum needed to transform Wasson Way into a shared community treasure. Click here to learn more and sign up to join us.
Community Design Workshop
Saturday Oct. 12
Do you live near the Wasson Way trail? Do you own a business near the proposed pedestrian and biking path? If so we need your help! It’s your turn to help create Wasson Way. Join us for a design workshop led by University of Cincinnati’s Community Design Center’s Niehoff Urban Design Studio. Professors, students, architects, engineers, landscape design professionals, and citizens just like you will design geographic areas along the Wasson Way. With our collective efforts and input, they will turn our ideas into professional drawings and 3D renderings.
Hyde Park Blast
Wasson Way volunteers answered questions and met with local residents at this year’s Hyde Park Blast on June 29. The Blast — a fundraising event with several run/walk and cycling events — was the perfect opportunity to reach out to residents living around the proposed trail. Many people stopped by the tent, excited to see poster-size images of the trail and sign up for the email list. “When will the trail be built?” was by far the most common question received from residents. We also raised money selling t-shirts and handed out a number of free yard signs (now available at Bob Ronker’s Running Spot, Coffee Emporium on Erie, and Hyde Park Floral and Garden Cafe). The Wasson Way is fortunate to have the support of Laure Quinlivan and John Cranley, both of whom came by to reaffirm their enthusiasm.
Manning the tent gave each of the volunteers an opportunity to meet a variety of neighbors, including those living just down the street. This reaffirmed our belief that one of the most important benefits of the Wasson Way will be an increased connection with our neighbors and a more vibrant community.