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What now for Cincinnati parks projects?
A plethora of parks projects around the city once again find
themselves unfunded after the failure of the Cincinnati parks levy last week. City leaders still grapple, meanwhile, with $55 million worth of maintenance work that leaders say is badly needed across the parks system. What now for the parks? City Council is about to begin its update for next year's budget, and Mayor John Cranley, who proposed the parks tax that was turned down by voters, said he will recommend raising the parks' capital budget from roughly $1.7 million to $4 million. Not so fast, said Councilman Charlie Winburn, chairman of Council's budget and finance committee. "I want to hear from the Park Board," said Winburn, noting that Cincinnati's parks are rated highly nationwide. "It's not like our parks are falling apart." Winburn said he will ask that park leaders come to a public meeting in coming weeks. He wants them to explain exactly what maintenance work is needed in the park system and what those leaders see as their priorities. As that process begins, leaders of projects that had been set to receive as much as $87 million in funding from the parks levy are left to regroup. And overall, the parks face a future without what would have become an annual added funding source in perpetuity. For some planned projects, a path forward exists.For others, the future is unclear. And one councilman believes any future parks projects require more public input than had occurred in the planning of the parks levy. At least one project, a renovation of Ziegler Park in Over-the-Rhine and Pendleton, will go on as planned. Managers hadn't depended on $5 million headed their way had the levy passed. But another downtown project could be in big trouble. Lytle Park, currently a giant hole in the ground while highway work is done on the tunnel beneath it, was also set to get $5 million. Once the tunnel is completed, "we will fill in the hole," Parks Director Willie Carden said last week. "But there is no money to implement the Lytle Park master plan." What about all those trail projects proposed around town? Four trail systems around Cincinnati had been in line for a huge chunk of project funding – $39 million – if the levy had passed, but supporters aren't giving up. "We have too much to gain to stop working hard on these projects," said Robin Corathers, executive director of Groundwork Cincinnati. Her group has been constructing one of the trails, the Mill Creek Greenway, since 2009. In early 2014, before the levy was proposed, leaders of the four trails, Wasson Way, Ohio River West, Mill Creek Greenway and Oasis Trail, began working on a plan to connect their projects into a 44-mile loop around the city. That effort is called Cincinnati Connects. Financial support from the levy would have jump-started the project, said Corathers, whose organization is spearheading the regional effort. Nonetheless, the group will announce its preliminary design plans and cost/benefit analysis later this month, as planned. Fundraising will begin as well. Corathers calls Cincinnati Connects a legacy project that would benefit public health, create a transportation alternative for pedestrians and bicyclists and act as an economic driver. "We want that for everyone, not just the affluent neighborhoods," Corathers said. "We hope once City Council and the city administration is briefed they will integrate this into the city's plans." Area trail efforts also have a new resource going for them. Green Umbrella, a nonprofit organization that supports and advocates for outdoor recreation, has a new regional trails coordinator. Wade Johnston began in that role in March and has a background in planning and project development. Local, state and federal funding is limited and competitive, Johnston acknowledged. If the groups work together, they will have a better shot, he said. "There other sources out there," Johnston said. "One option we haven't explored enough is corporate support." What about Smale, Burnet Woods and the other park projects? If the levy had passed, four park renovation projects would have received funding: Ziegler and Lytle in the city's basin, Inwood Park in Mount Auburn and Burnet Woods in Clifton. The $30 million Ziegler project is being coordinated by Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation, better known as 3CDC. The project includes a new pool, sprayground, revamped green spaces and basketball courts and a garage. Planning began more than two years ago and would be paid for with equity that 3CDC receives from new market tax credits, tax increment financing in Over-the-Rhine and private fundraising. As for the others, Parks Director Carden said there is no money available. That goes for completing Smale Riverfront Park, too. There is still one phase yet to be completed at the park between Cincinnati's professional sports stadiums that includes a marina and constructing a hard edge along the park, akin to Serpentine Wall. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has offered $1.8 million in funding for the marina. In order to secure that money, the city must come up with $1.5 million by next year, Carden said. The Park Board will implement the Parks Master Plan as funding becomes available, Carden said. That plan does not include some levy projects, such as a park near Westwood Town Hall and preservation of the historic King Records studio in Evanston. The Cincinnati Parks Foundation has played the lead role in raising private dollars from corporations and individuals for parks capital projects. Executive Director Jennifer Hafner-Spieser said the organization remains committed to fundraising and other parts of its mission such as conservation and youth programming. With the levy's defeat, the foundation has initiated a strategic planning process to determine how it will proceed in its support for projects and deferred maintenance needs, Spieser said. Will parks levy failure create a new level of public scrutiny over parks projects? No matter what, Cincinnati City Councilman Chris Seelbach said, projects and their funding must be discussed at length with the public. Lack of public input was a significant criticism of the parks levy. Seelbach says he's pushing for the first discussion to be about the Wasson Way trail project. That project has been in the works for about four years and entails turning an old railroad track that runs from Avondale through the city's East Side into a hike and bike trail. A majority of City Council has said it will work together to see that the project is completed. Seelbach said this project is important because it could also preserve a future route for light rail some day. Time is of the essence, too, because Norfolk Southern railroad, which owns the track, has offered the city an the option to buy about half of the length of the 7.6-mile proposed trail. But that offer, which would cost $11.7 million, expires in less than two years. Seelbach suggested a series of ideas for funding, including a temporary property tax or using money from the city's sale of the Blue Ash airport, which is expected to net the city more than $20 million. None of that should happen without community support, he said. "There's going to be pluses and minuses for all the options," Seelbach said. "If people can come up with other ideas, let's encourage that." That's a process, Seelbach said, that could be used for any of the proposed levy projects. http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news...levy/75207286/ --- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: --- |
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#2
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What now for Cincinnati parks projects?
Wait... You mean that bike paths everywhere will raise our taxes??
- Frank Krygowski |
#3
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What now for Cincinnati parks projects?
On 11/8/2015 6:34 PM, Garrison Hilliard wrote:
A plethora of parks projects around the city once again find themselves unfunded after the failure of the Cincinnati parks levy last week. City leaders still grapple, meanwhile, with $55 million worth of maintenance work that leaders say is badly needed across the parks system. What now for the parks? City Council is about to begin its update for next year's budget, and Mayor John Cranley, who proposed the parks tax that was turned down by voters, said he will recommend raising the parks' capital budget from roughly $1.7 million to $4 million. Not so fast, said Councilman Charlie Winburn, chairman of Council's budget and finance committee. "I want to hear from the Park Board," said Winburn, noting that Cincinnati's parks are rated highly nationwide. "It's not like our parks are falling apart." Winburn said he will ask that park leaders come to a public meeting in coming weeks. He wants them to explain exactly what maintenance work is needed in the park system and what those leaders see as their priorities. As that process begins, leaders of projects that had been set to receive as much as $87 million in funding from the parks levy are left to regroup. And overall, the parks face a future without what would have become an annual added funding source in perpetuity. For some planned projects, a path forward exists.For others, the future is unclear. And one councilman believes any future parks projects require more public input than had occurred in the planning of the parks levy. At least one project, a renovation of Ziegler Park in Over-the-Rhine and Pendleton, will go on as planned. Managers hadn't depended on $5 million headed their way had the levy passed. But another downtown project could be in big trouble. Lytle Park, currently a giant hole in the ground while highway work is done on the tunnel beneath it, was also set to get $5 million. Once the tunnel is completed, "we will fill in the hole," Parks Director Willie Carden said last week. "But there is no money to implement the Lytle Park master plan." What about all those trail projects proposed around town? Four trail systems around Cincinnati had been in line for a huge chunk of project funding – $39 million – if the levy had passed, but supporters aren't giving up. "We have too much to gain to stop working hard on these projects," said Robin Corathers, executive director of Groundwork Cincinnati. Her group has been constructing one of the trails, the Mill Creek Greenway, since 2009. In early 2014, before the levy was proposed, leaders of the four trails, Wasson Way, Ohio River West, Mill Creek Greenway and Oasis Trail, began working on a plan to connect their projects into a 44-mile loop around the city. That effort is called Cincinnati Connects. Financial support from the levy would have jump-started the project, said Corathers, whose organization is spearheading the regional effort. Nonetheless, the group will announce its preliminary design plans and cost/benefit analysis later this month, as planned. Fundraising will begin as well. Corathers calls Cincinnati Connects a legacy project that would benefit public health, create a transportation alternative for pedestrians and bicyclists and act as an economic driver. "We want that for everyone, not just the affluent neighborhoods," Corathers said. "We hope once City Council and the city administration is briefed they will integrate this into the city's plans." Area trail efforts also have a new resource going for them. Green Umbrella, a nonprofit organization that supports and advocates for outdoor recreation, has a new regional trails coordinator. Wade Johnston began in that role in March and has a background in planning and project development. Local, state and federal funding is limited and competitive, Johnston acknowledged. If the groups work together, they will have a better shot, he said. "There other sources out there," Johnston said. "One option we haven't explored enough is corporate support." What about Smale, Burnet Woods and the other park projects? If the levy had passed, four park renovation projects would have received funding: Ziegler and Lytle in the city's basin, Inwood Park in Mount Auburn and Burnet Woods in Clifton. The $30 million Ziegler project is being coordinated by Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation, better known as 3CDC. The project includes a new pool, sprayground, revamped green spaces and basketball courts and a garage. Planning began more than two years ago and would be paid for with equity that 3CDC receives from new market tax credits, tax increment financing in Over-the-Rhine and private fundraising. As for the others, Parks Director Carden said there is no money available. That goes for completing Smale Riverfront Park, too. There is still one phase yet to be completed at the park between Cincinnati's professional sports stadiums that includes a marina and constructing a hard edge along the park, akin to Serpentine Wall. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has offered $1.8 million in funding for the marina. In order to secure that money, the city must come up with $1.5 million by next year, Carden said. The Park Board will implement the Parks Master Plan as funding becomes available, Carden said. That plan does not include some levy projects, such as a park near Westwood Town Hall and preservation of the historic King Records studio in Evanston. The Cincinnati Parks Foundation has played the lead role in raising private dollars from corporations and individuals for parks capital projects. Executive Director Jennifer Hafner-Spieser said the organization remains committed to fundraising and other parts of its mission such as conservation and youth programming. With the levy's defeat, the foundation has initiated a strategic planning process to determine how it will proceed in its support for projects and deferred maintenance needs, Spieser said. Will parks levy failure create a new level of public scrutiny over parks projects? No matter what, Cincinnati City Councilman Chris Seelbach said, projects and their funding must be discussed at length with the public. Lack of public input was a significant criticism of the parks levy. Seelbach says he's pushing for the first discussion to be about the Wasson Way trail project. That project has been in the works for about four years and entails turning an old railroad track that runs from Avondale through the city's East Side into a hike and bike trail. A majority of City Council has said it will work together to see that the project is completed. Seelbach said this project is important because it could also preserve a future route for light rail some day. Time is of the essence, too, because Norfolk Southern railroad, which owns the track, has offered the city an the option to buy about half of the length of the 7.6-mile proposed trail. But that offer, which would cost $11.7 million, expires in less than two years. Seelbach suggested a series of ideas for funding, including a temporary property tax or using money from the city's sale of the Blue Ash airport, which is expected to net the city more than $20 million. None of that should happen without community support, he said. "There's going to be pluses and minuses for all the options," Seelbach said. "If people can come up with other ideas, let's encourage that." That's a process, Seelbach said, that could be used for any of the proposed levy projects. http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news...levy/75207286/ --- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: --- I have no opinion on the specifics but coincidentally I'm listening to Cunningham on WLW at the moment. -- Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org/ Open every day since 1 April, 1971 |
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