Cincinnati Scales Back Plans for Downtown's Lytle Park

The current plan for a renovated Lytle Park lacks $6 million in funding it could have had if voters had approved a parks levy in November 2015.

1 minute read

September 9, 2016, 7:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Cincinnati

Cincinnati Parks / Lytle Park

"A diet version of the Cincinnati Board of Park Commissioners' plan for Lytle Park got some praise and some criticism at a forum on Wednesday night in the Guilford Building," reports Chris Wetterich, "with the most-contentious issue whether or not to put a quarter-mile walking and running path within it."

"At most, the department will have about $2.5 million to overhaul the park after it had hoped to spend $6.5 million on it, a figure tied to the passage of the failed Cincinnati parks levy in 2015," explains Wetterich. What money is available will come from the Ohio Department of Transportation and, possibly, Western & Southern Financial Group.

Now that the park won't have the benefit of the park levy funding, the plan for the park eliminates "water walls, plantings, interpretive plaques, stone walls, fencing, a mini-stage and shelter and a play area…"  Some of the sidewalks will be also be narrower.

Carrie Blackmore Smith provides additional background on the project in a separate article.

Thursday, September 8, 2016 in Cincinnati Business Courier

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 25, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Two people walking away from camera through pedestrian plaza in street in Richmond, Virginia with purple and white city bus moving in background.

Vehicle-related Deaths Drop 29% in Richmond, VA

The seventh year of the city's Vision Zero strategy also cut the number of people killed in alcohol-related crashes by half.

June 17, 2025 - WRIC

Two small wooden one-story homes in Florida with floodwaters at their doors.

As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?

With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.

June 16, 2025 - Governing

Zohran Mamdani, candidate for NYC mayor, speaking at event outdoors wearing black puffy jacket.

NYC: What Mamdani’s Rivals Can Teach Him About Transportation

The mayoral candidate won on a bold, progressive platform. Some of his opponents had even bolder ideas.

1 hour ago - StreetsBlog NYC

Two-story green apartment building in residential neighborhood in Berkeley, California with tall street trees.

Berkeley Approves ‘Middle Housing’ Ordinance

The city that invented single-family zoning is finally reckoning with its history of exclusion.

June 27 - San Francisco Chronicle

SEPTA Station

SEPTA Budget Slashes Service by 45 Percent

The Philadelphia-area transit agency is legally tasked with maintaining a balanced budget. Officials hope the state will come to the rescue with additional funding.

June 27 - Philadelphia Inquirer

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.