However, Five Rivers MetroParks and other Dayton Riverfront Plan partners hope to upgrade the trail experience and add amenities and place-making components that make it feel more connected.
They are asking for community feedback to see what people think should be done next.
“How do we make this cohesive? How do we make this exciting? How do we bring it together?” Scarff said. “And what are the places we need to fix?”
River Walk
Downtown’s River Walk runs along the top of the levees on both the north and the south banks of the Great Miami River downtown. The loop trail stretches from Riverside Drive to Monument Avenue.
The River Walk is a popular pathway that offers beautiful skyline views, swings, benches, bird-watching and easy connections to the Great Miami River Recreation Trail and RiversEdge Amphitheater, said Sarah Hippensteel Hall, manager of communications, outreach and stewardship for the Miami Conservancy District, which is one of the Dayton Riverfront Plan partners.
“Users can start the loop at several points and enjoy both shaded paths on the south levee and sunny trails on the north side,” Hippensteel Hall said.
Parts of the trail are paved, while other sections have gravel or concrete pavers. Parts of the pathway have large shade trees, while some sections have no cover. The trail goes over two bridges and under Interstate 75 in two places.
Along the riverbanks downtown, people exercise, take walks, walk their dogs, hang out with friends, eat lunch, read, snap photos, birdwatch, people watch and take part in recreational activities, including kayaking and fishing.
Scarff said the riverfront is one of the biggest draws in the community, but the River Walk feels like a hodgepodge of disconnected elements.
The River Walk has very little signage, and the trail atop the levee at RiverScape basically has a gap section because of two city buildings at Monument Avenue and North Main Street. This requires people to walk on the sidewalk on Monument Avenue and pick up the path on the west side of Main Street.
The two parts of River Walk that go under the interstate get dark and are not very welcoming, especially in the evening.
Dayton Riverfront Plan partners are asking community members to share what they currently like and dislike about the River Walk and what they would like to see fixed, changed or added. A community input event was held earlier this month to collect feedback, and another meeting will take place at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25 at Five Rivers MetroParks offices on Monument Avenue.
Other cities have installed funky seating and planters on their bridges, colorful and decorative lighting beneath their highway overpasses and fitness, game, play and stage areas along their riverbanks.
Officials say there are lots of opportunities for new artwork and recreational features. For instance, the space beneath the I-75 overpass on Monument Avenue is probably large enough for projects like a skate park, basketball or pickleball courts, a climbing wall or a playground.
Scarff said partners want to identify potential projects and investments to create beautiful gathering areas, fun activities and destination amenities. She also said the pedestrian crossings at Main Street and Riverside Drive are less than ideal and could use upgrades.
“This is an opportunity to connect downtown to those north, northwest and west historic neighborhoods that are right there and allow people to flow back and forth across the river,” Scarff said. “It is so important for us as a community to turn this river from a barrier into a place where we come together.”
Several projects already are in the works to improve areas around the trail.
Five Rivers MetroParks received $3.5 million in federal funding to repair, replace and renovate parts of RiverScape, including the bike hub and the lighting and audio equipment at the pavilion.
Miami Conservancy District plans to spend about $650,000 to improve the south river walk behind the downtown YMCA, said Hippensteel Hall.
New dark-sky-compliant lighting will be installed, the gravel surface will be upgraded and benches and trash cans will be added, she said.
“Looking ahead, we hope to continue enhancing signage, access points and safety features along the loop to make it even more enjoyable for everyone,” she said.
Angie Berghuis, 57, who lives in the Grafton Hill neighborhood, said she walks one of her dogs along the river all the time. Her furry companion likes to bark at the geese, and she enjoys watching people surf the river.
Berghuis said she would like to see new greenspaces, amenities and place-making elements along the pedestrian paths.
“We need more activities and things for people to do down there,” she said. “And it’s a concrete jungle down there. ... I just want to see it more green.”
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