Play grounds Washington Park in city history

This week, a few visitors will get a first-hand look at the latest addition to the new Washington Park in Over-the-Rhine – an 18,000-square-foot playgound, complete with a castle and canal boat.

Fresh from a $25,000 grant for the play castle, a donation from the Humana Foundation, the Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC) project pays homage to the city's history in decidedly playful ways. The castle, for example, resembles an Eden Park structure, but adds a dual slide to appease toddling visitors. Plans include a climbing wall for youngsters—a replica of the wall at Eden Park that challenges older climbers.

Located just steps from the Emanuel Community Center on Race Street and blocks from the Peaslee Neighborhood Center just off Sycamore, the play area within Washington Park also includes an interactive stream and a miniature canal boat, hearkening back to the city's canal days in ways designed to engage and delight young guests.

In true democratic fashion, park and 3CDC representatives solicited design advice from those who would be using the facility the most—young children in the neighborhood. The result offers plenty of play space, soft ground with rolling slopes, the turreted castle and even musical instruments integrated into the structures as a nod to Music Hall's influence over the surroundings.

Best of all, though, the play space offers sweeping views of the park's renovated gazebo, performance space and blocks full of beautiful historic buildings that lined surrounding streets.

Slated to open in spring or summer 2012, the children's area provides a bright new spot of inspiration for all ages, whether visitors opt to slide, climb or simultaneously enjoy glimpses of the past, and the future, of the neighborhood.

By Elissa Yancey
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