The last blog took a closer look at the Dayton Riverfront Plan’s six goals, and at ways to achieve the Plan’s economic goals. We’ll continue by focusing on the Plan’s goal to ensure that there is something for everyone.
Before we dive into a specific goal, here is an overview of the Dayton Riverfront Plan’s six goals:
- Economic engine: Leverage the rivers to catalyze development in greater downtown and ensure long-term vitality to the region.
- Something for everyone: Provide programs and experiences, and ensure their equitable distribution across the riverfront
- Heart of Dayton: Enhance Dayton’s identity through place-making initiatives that celebrate the historic legacy, cultural heritage and vibrant future of its rivers.
- Healthy city: Build in places and programs that support health, safety and wellness for all who live, learn, work and play along the riverfront
- Many Rivers, one city: Improve access through physical connections to and across the riverfront and to the surrounding community
- Living protection: Promote the ecological health of the riverfront while continuing to protect from flooding
The goal of providing something for everyone means providing more diverse programs and experiences, and ensuring these opportunities are equitably distributed across the riverfront. Strategies to achieve this goal include:
- An encompassing study area: The plans study area reaches to all four points of the compass with the intent of positively impacting all quadrants of the Dayton community. The Plan also includes a closer look at 10 parks within the study area. Learn more about the plan’s study area here.
- Assets in West Dayton: The plan proposes a significant investment in the Wolf Creek corridor, including the expansion of Wesleyan MetroPark to nearly double its current size. The land purchase on the west side of Wesleyan MetroPark would allow Five Rivers MetroParks to expand hiking paths and fishing into the new portion of the park.
- Focus on open space: Creating an open space corridor along the Wolf Creek from the confluence with the Great Miami River upstream to Wesleyan MetroPark will provide myriad opportunities to the neighborhoods in West Dayton. In creating an open space corridor, conditions will be favorable for amenities to serve surrounding neighborhoods and to promote safe routes to parks.
- Closing the cycling gap: Providing dedicated bike trails along either side of the Wolf Creek from the confluence to Wesleyan MetroPark will serve the neighborhoods to the north and south. Additionally, efforts to close the gap in the Wolf Creek Bikeway from Wesleyan MetroPark to Trotwood would provide residents with a regional recreation, health and transportation amenity. Similarly along the Stillwater River, the Plan proposes to expand DeWeese Park to the west and improve access to the river and the park for the residents of Riverdale and North riverdale.
Stay up-to-date on the Dayton Riverfront Plan by checking back frequently!