Phase 1 infrastructure work has begun at Summit Park, located on 130 acres at the former site of the Blue Ash Airport at Glendale-Milford and Plainfield roads.
Expected to take between 12 and 18 months to complete, the project's first phase includes site demolition and the clearing of vegetation and trees in the northeast corner of the property. Sod soon will be installed for the great lawn, and contracts will be awarded for electrical work, asphalt, concrete, irrigation, landscaping, masonry and playground work by the end of the year.
Forty acres of the property will be fenced off during construction, but the remaining 90 acres will remain open to the public.
When completed in 2017, the park will also feature a community building, a restaurant/bistro, a farmers market and wine garden, a pond, a fountain, an observation tower and stage, picnic and play areas, a sledding hill, walking trails, and gardens.
The park will be divided into three tiers, ranging from a commons area to active/adventure to rustic.
Summit Park was approved by voters in 2006 as part of Issue 15, which raised the city's earnings tax by 0.25 percent. The City of Cincinnati closed the airport at the end of August 2012, and Blue Ash purchased the property from Cincinnati for $37.25 million.
Photos courtesy of the City of Blue Ash
Previous reading on BC:
Preliminary designs for Summit Park presented to Blue Ash council (12/19/12)
Blue Ash opens its 'crown jewel' (10/16/12)
Blue Ash selects MSA to design 'signature' park (8/15/12)
Blue Ash considering restructuring of airport deal (8/6/12)
Master plan completed, Blue Ash issues RFQ for Airport Park (5/30/12)
