A historic pavilion was set for demolition. Now, the city is finalizing renovation plans

In 2021, the historic pavilion at Owl's Nest Park in the Cincinnati neighborhoods of Evanston and East Walnut Hills was set to be demolished.

But that decision was overturned and for the past two years, city leaders and residents have been working to save and restore the old structure.

On Tuesday, Cincinnati Parks and its foundation will host their third forum with residents to finalize a restoration plan.

The meeting will be 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Evanston Recreation Center, 3204 Woodburn Ave., with the public invited to provide feedback.

Why save the pavilion?

The pavilion was designed in 1933 by Elzner & Anderson. It is a two-story brick structure that used to serve as a pool house for the Owl's Nest Pool, which has since been filled in with dirt.

The park itself, at about 10 acres, dates back to 1905. That's when Charles and Edward Perkins donated about five acres of land to the city in memory of their mother and father, a onetime city fire commissioner. In addition to the pavilion, it features playgrounds, basketball courts, a baseball diamond, picnic area and paved paths.

The pavilion has ties to the Civil Rights Movement in Cincinnati. Marian Spencer, civil rights activist and former vice mayor, worked to integrate the Owl's Nest Pool, according to the Cincinnati Preservation Association .

Given its age, the pavilion, still the visual focal point of the park, needs repairs "both structurally and aesthetically," according to Rocky Merz, Parks spokesperson.

What's been done so far?

Parks hosted earlier meetings about the pavilion, in December 2022 and April 2023, Merz said. Additionally, officials last year asked neighbors about what amenities they want in the park, collecting 312 responses.

Feedback from those surveys concluded that residents wanted the pavilion restored and pathways to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Additionally, 94% of respondents wanted the park to be "a place for community events, festivals, movies in the park and concerts."

Residents of Walnut Hills submitted the largest number of responses.

Plans for the restoration

Although fixing up the pavilion is a key element of the Owl's Nest's renovation, all areas of the park could be upgraded. Plans for the park were designed by KZF Design , a Cincinnati-based architecture firm that has worked on a number of parks in the Queen City, including the award-winning Smale Riverfront Park.

Based on the earlier survey results, the renovated park is likely to include an open-air pavilion on the structure's upper level, a stage, ADA-accessible ramps and new landscaping, according to Cincinnati Parks' documentation.

Other elements that could be included are restrooms, picnic benches, a water play area, historical and cultural educational information and more.

"If you're going to put money and time into it, make it worthwhile," said Veta Uddin, Evanston Community Council beautification chair. "Make it where people from other communities want to visit the community."

Evanston Community Council has been involved in planning for the park's renovation, according to Uddin. During a Thursday council meeting, leaders continued to encourage residents to provide feedback about the project.

Because Owl's Nest Park is both in the Evanston and East Walnut Hills neighborhoods, the Evanston Community Council said its primary goal is to ensure that both sides of the park are "beautified equally."

"We want to make sure there's not one iota less energy put into one side than the other," Uddin said.

What happens next?

Once plans for the park are finalized, Cincinnati Parks will seek funding for the project, according to Merz. Officials will seek a mix of grants, city dollars and private funds, he said.

According to a Cincinnati Parks timeline, the goal is to begin work in spring 2025.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: A historic pavilion was set for demolition. Now, the city is finalizing renovation plans