Ten-year plan: improvements to Cincinnati’s libraries
Over the next decade, all 40 branches will receive renovations and improvements.
Mt. Airy
Mt. Airy was first settled in 1806 and incorporated in 1865 from land granted by Mill Creek and Green townships. In 1911, Mt. Airy was annexed into the city of Cincinnati. The racially diverse community, which had 9,210 residents according to the 2020 U.S. Census, is a varied mix of single-family and high-density housing. The community is home to two Queen City icons: Mt. Airy Forest, which provides 1,459 acres of greenspace that’s one of the largest urban municipal forests in the U.S., and the Mt. Airy Water Tower; a majestic, 15-building, 8.5-million-gallon-capacity structure that resembles a medieval fortress. The Water Tower has kept the Mt. Airy community hydrated since 1927. In 2018, when the possibility of demolishing the Mt. Airy Water Tower was proposed, Mt. Airy residents successfully embraced the effort to have the Water Towers designated as an historic city landmark.
Construction begins on Cincinnati’s first mountain bike trail at Mt. Airy Forest
A four-mile, ecologically designed path will offer two loops for different skill levels.
Happy trails! Explore Greater Cincy’s best outdoor walkways this summer
We at Soapbox recently laced up our hiking boots and ventured outdoors to explore some of the region's best-loved urban treks, off-beat adventures and day hikes — stopping along the way for beer and conversation with the folks working to connect them all.
Eight schools and nonprofits receive 6k in books to enhance promotion of literacy
The Literacy Network of Greater Cincinnati recently distributed about 6,000 books to eight local schools and nonprofits as a result of its annual partnership with Our Lady of the Visitation and its annual Read-a-Thon.
Civic Garden Center celebrates 74 years, builds community through gardening
The Civic Garden Center continues to build community through gardening, education and environmental stewardship, operating school garden programs at 90 different schools, churches and community organizations.
Soapdish: Cincinnati parks deserve better than Issue 22
Make no mistake: Issue 22 is bad government policy masquerading as "save our parks" hero. Let's consider all the ways this charter amendment is wrong for Cincinnati.
Speaking for the trees: Campaign aims to avert canopy-loss crisis
The Taking Root campaign is an eight-county effort to educate the community about the crises affecting our trees. The end goal is to restore our tree canopy by 2020 by planting 2 million trees.
Hamilton County looking to sell downtown buildings
Hamilton County is looking to sell a number of downtown buildings to be used for condos or hotels. A three-person board of commissioners presented a year-long study that looked at the use and efficiency of the six downtown county-owned buildings.
Historic Mt. Airy celebrates history, nature
Once, the forests of western Ohio were so dense, a squirrel could travel by tree from the Ohio River to Lake Erie and never once touch the ground. In today’s urban landscape, it is hard to imagine those many miles of dark woods that once blanketed Hamilton County. Mt. Airy Forest’s 1,471 acres of wooded ravines and hiking and bridle trails offer city residents a glimpse into that past, even in the midst of highways and urban sprawl. The Mt. Airy Forest Festival, Oct.8, celebrates the history of this park’s creation 100 years ago and its legacy as one of, if not the first, urban reforestation projects in the country. In 1911, the Cincinnati Park Board established this park with the purchase of poorly managed farmland and began to reforest and enlarge it. The physical development of the park - its roads, trails, lodges, arboretum, stone walls and open shelters – was the work of the Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and Works Progress Administration (WPA). For its rustic architecture, the rich history behind its construction and the early reforestation of an urban area, the park was recently listed as a historic site on the National Register of Historic Places. Mt. Airy Forest Festival celebrates that designation with the installation of a National Park Service plaque. History interpreters and members of three history encampments will celebrate Cincinnati’s history, discuss the work of the CCC, the paths of the Underground Railroad through Hamilton County and Civil War stories. The day also features an annual Amazing Family Race, games for all ages and food vendors. Do Good: Attend: Mt. Airy Forest Festival, October 8, 11 am-5 pm, Oak Ridge Lodge. Learn: About the rich history of the Cincinnati Parks and what the parks offer residents today. Volunteer: Contact the Cincinnati Parks to discover many volunteer opportunities in the parks. By Becky Johnson
