'Regional tourist attraction': New $12M riverfront park slated for Hamilton County

NORTH BEND, Ohio – One of Greater Cincinnati’s smallest villages is planning a big upgrade: A new riverfront park.

The village of North Bend in western Hamilton County has big plans for what it's calling William Henry Harrison Park – to be located across the street from the ninth president's tomb and state memorial site, right next to the North Bend Boat Club.

The park, dreamed up by Mayor Doug Sammons, Cincinnati-based architecture firm KZF Design and Brownstone Design, would combine recreation and regional tourism with North Bend's rich presidential history. It's a long-term vision that North Bend is ready to launch early next year – if funding allows.

The price tag for the project is steep, as the whole plan would cost just shy of $12 million, according to Sammons. That's 20 times more than the small village's entire annual operating budget.

A bold vision

Sammons began work on William Henry Harrison Park plans when he took office in 2012. He set up a beautification committee that year.

"I wanted to do some things to enhance the village," Sammons said.

A few years later, in 2016, North Bend acquired riverfront property from Cleves for $400,000, paid for with a Hamilton County revitalization grant. The land is filled with mature trees and plenty of greenery, with the Ohio River on the horizon.

It's a bit rough around the edges, but the village has been slowly cleaning up the 16-acre property in preparation for large-scale renovation. The design aims to honor the natural landscape while adding top-tier amenities including a boat ramp, festival and event lawn, playground, pavilion, picnic area and more.

"To me, it's not just a little village park," said Skip Holmes, the park's volunteer project manager. "What I want to envision is a regional tourist attraction, if not even greater than that, because it's a presidential historical site."

Spotlighting that history is at the core of the park's design. There will be educational signage on trails and throughout the park. The star of the show: An interpretive center where visitors can learn more about North Bend's two United States presidents – William Henry Harrison, the shortest-term officeholder, who served for just 30 days in 1841, and his grandson, Benjamin Harrison, in office from 1889 to 1893.

William Henry Harrison settled the land of North Bend after the war of 1812 where he met and married Anna Tuthill Symmes, the daughter of John Cleves Symmes, an important figure in acquiring the Northwest Territory. Benjamin Harrison was born in the village.

"The original log cabin that William Henry Harrison built is long gone, but the site is marked so there's lots here to learn," Holmes said.

This is the second park in Ohio to be named after the ninth president, the first being in Pemberville in the northern part of the state.

The park will also pay homage to the history of the land, featuring information on the Battle of Tippecanoe, led by William Henry Harrison, and more.

The property's design is distinct for one other reason: There's a railroad track and active water cleaning facility directly in the middle of the site. Instead of hiding the existing structures, Holmes wants to accentuate them.

A pedestrian bridge will span the tracks, connecting the interpretive center and the park. This, too, will have signage to explain the impact of railroad transportation during William Henry Harrison's lifetime.

"We want to educate youth and others of how river commerce occurred back a long time ago," Holmes said. "How many tons of material move back and forth on this rail?"

As for the water treatment plant, North Bend plans to cover one of its tanks with artwork. "All of a sudden, this cement tank that looks ugly is an eye-catcher in a great way," Holmes said.

The six-phase plan

Because of the expansive scope of the project, the park has been divided into six stages, each adding more amenities to the property. The timeline for implementing the plan's phases is based on what money North Bend has available, according to Sammons.

Phase one entails building a parking lot and paving a new road for the park so that potential visitors can begin to utilize the space. It would also add a playground for children to enjoy. This initial construction could begin as soon as early next year.

From there, the village hopes to expand access to the Ohio River by adding a boat ramp and dock.

A few of the costliest phases include the construction of the pavilion and festival areas, to be located in the western corner of the park, and the Interpretive Center. The total price tag is about $11.6 million, according to Sammons.

How is it being funded?

North Bend officials plan to seek grants from the county and state to pay for the park, along with contributions from nonprofit groups.

Last week, the park won a half million dollars from a bipartisan state bill. William Henry Harrison Park was included as a line item in state lawmakers" "super duper fund," a one-time pot of $700 million to be allocated to various community projects and initiatives throughout Ohio.

To date, officials have spent a $35,000 grant from WeTHRIVE to make gravel trails on the site through the existing terrain.

Fundraising will also be an important aspect of the project. North Bend plans to establish a village-operated nonprofit organization called the Community Investment Corporation, according to Holmes. This will allow for foundations to make tax-deductible donations to the park.

Additionally, Sammons hopes the park will eventually generate its own revenue. That could come from canoe and kayak rentals, concerts, food truck events or 5K races, he said.

However, those revenue streams won't be an option until the park is more developed.

When can I visit?

William Henry Harrison Park is not currently open for visitors, nor does it even appear on Google maps. The project is still going through initial construction efforts to clean up the area.

Sammons said he is planning the park's inaugural event, which he said will be a family movie night, as soon as this August. More information will be coming about the event on North Bend's social media channels.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 'Regional tourist attraction': New $12M riverfront park slated for Hamilton County