Corridor improvements have been a major investment focus in northeast Dayton, officials say, and the proposed park expansion is part of efforts to create an attractive and historic gateway in the neighborhood.
The area is showing new signs of life and the conceptual plans are promising, said Bernie Farley, co-owner of Whitewater Warehouse, which is on Valley Street near the park.
“The ideas that hit the table were pretty good, and I think it would help renovate the area for sure,” Farley said. “The Old North Dayton community should benefit from it.”
Dayton reconfigured a Y intersection at Valley and Keowee streets into a T intersection to calm traffic and improve walkability and the pedestrian experience.
The project cost more than $1 million and was completed last year.
The project created a safer intersection, widened the sidewalks and added tree lawns and decorative lighting, said Katie Lunne, senior project manager with CityWide.
The new design also allowed multiple park spaces commonly called “The Point” to be connected and expanded, she said.
A small and seldom-visited park with a war memorial no longer sits on an island surrounded by busy streets.
The park has been connected to Joseph R. Kanak Park, which is a city park that has 1913 flood memorials, seating and steps that lead down to the Mad River Recreational Trail.
“This larger greenspace better connects the neighborhood to the river network and regional trail system and serves as a gateway into Old North Dayton,” Lunne said.
Cincinnati landscape design firm Human Nature created a master plan for the Point based on feedback from residents and businesses.
The firm has produced an aspirational blueprint that reimagines how the park will look and function, Lunne said.
Renderings show new walking paths that connect Kanak park to the war memorial, as well as new landscaping, flowers and plantings.
The master plan also envisions turning a 1-acre gravel parking lot northeast of the park space into a colorful and activated trailhead that provides access to bike trails and the Mad River, Lunne said.
The city-owned property also could have shared community parking and flexible space to host neighborhood events or recreational activities, she said.
Neighborhood residents have said they would like improved visibility into park areas, better views of the river and downtown and better connections to the trails and the Mad River.
North of the park area, across Valley Street, is about one acre of vacant land that is being targeted for new housing.
CityWide soon plans to issue a request for qualifications seeking developers interested in building market-rate housing.
Currently, there is no funding for the proposed improvements, Lunne said, but CityWide will work with local stakeholders to figure out a phasing and funding strategy.
Northeast Dayton is home to about 400 businesses, including some major employers like Dayton Children’s Hospital, that altogether employ about 10,000 people.
Dayton Children’s is one of several major partners on a comprehensive community development plan called the DaVinci Project.
Investments in the area have included the reconstruction of Valley Street, demolition of blighted and dilapidated structures and the installation new signage and wayfinding measures.
Farley, with Whitewater Warehouse, said the park spaces are underutilized, and they have seen a reduction in visitors over the years.
He said the conceptual plans look good and hopefully will continue the revitalization of Valley Street, which was in rough shape years ago.
“It’s improved 100%,” he said.
Farley also said he’d like to see a new trailhead access point because the region is home to many cycling and outdoor enthusiasts.
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