Pendleton council weighs in on SCPA greenspace

Calling the land in front of the current School for Creative and Performing Arts "arguably the most impotant unsecured green space in the urban core", the Pendleton Neighborhood Council (PNC) would like to see it become a public park.

In a letter to the Mayor, City Council, and the City Manager, PNC President David White has asked for the City's help in preserving the popular space and turning it into a public park.

Concerns have been raised by various neighborhood groups about a vaguely-worded contract between the City and Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) that promises to deed land at both the SCPA site and the former Washington Park School to the Cincinnati Park Board.

In November, City Manager Milton Dohoney presented a report to Council that indicated a "hands-off" attitude on the subject, noting that a promise from CPS Superintendent Rosa Blackwell to the Park Board was good enough for the City.

White argues that the Pendleton community maintains the trees and landscaping and that the space is used for everything from baseball and football games to dog-walking and picnics.

The letter has been passed to the Vibrant Neighborhoods, Recreation and Public Services Committee, and a report by Dohoney is expected early next year.

Previous reading on BC:
City reports on Washington Park greenspace (11/19/07)
OTR Foundation asks City to look into CPS contract (10/19/07)