Latest riverfront park video details event lawn, fountain

Construction of Phase I of 45-acre Cincinnati Riverfront Park remains on schedule, according to a new video featuring Project Manager Dave Prather.

The spring 2011 edition of the "hard hat tour" features greater detail on construction of the Jacob G. Schmidlapp Stage and Event Lawn, scheduled for completion in May, and the Walnut Street Fountain and Steps and the Bike, Mobility and Visitors Center, which will open late this summer.

Other Phase I features open this fall.

Prather also took some time to address budget concerns that could keep the grand fountain dry.

"It's been a tough year for governments and their budgets," Prather said. "There's a lot of stress on our operational budget. The Park Board's no exception."

The capital budget remains okay and will have no impact on construction, he said. Once open to the public, the park will generate money through common area maintenance charges from the Banks development and rent paid by bike center operators, the Moerlein Lager House, and event rentals for the Schmidlapp Stage and Event Lawn.

Rapid progress will be apparent when the next video tour is released this summer, Prather said – if the weather cooperates.

"I expect we'll see the steel frame up, and the Schmidlapp Event Lawn will be virtually complete," he said. "The granite, of course, will be complete. Many of the pavers will be down, and the fill will be in. I don't know if we'll have the sod in yet. I expect in the Walnut Street fountain project we'll see the steps formed and perhaps the roof to the pump house."

The first phase of Cincinnati Riverfront Park will also include the 1,100-seat Moerlein Lager House restaurant and beer garden, a labyrinth, a bike trail, donor wall and promenade, a monument to the Black Brigade of Cincinnati, tree groves, and gardens.

Stills courtesy of Cincinnati Riverfront Park

Previous reading on BC:
New video released for riverfront park (8/19/10)
Megen wins $4.9M contract for riverfront park (7/20/10)
Moerlein Lager House: One year 'til beer (7/14/10)
Lease agreement, development team set for Moerlein Lager House (6/30/10)
Army Corps awards first contract for riverfront park (6/10/10)