Though not the most notable ascent around town, the commute up Interstate 71 from Cincinnati is a gradual incline toward one of the highest points in Hamilton County: Blue Ash.
And it’s now gotten a lot higher. The city has topped its 850-foot natural elevation by more than 150 feet with the installation of an observation tower. It had a soft opening last Wednesday and is now open through Sunday (July 1), then is closed Monday through Thursday (July 5) because the space is needed for Fourth of July events. But it returns to a seven-day noon-9 p.m. schedule on Friday (barring special events). In the future, the hours of daily operation may expand.
The 130-acre park, itself, is relatively new — it’s on the site of the old Cincinnati-Blue Ash Airport — and its third development phase is still in progress. But the opening of the observation tower is a landmark event.
“We knew we wanted to have something iconic in the park,” says Brian Kruse, parks and golf maintenance superintendent. “Similar to Chicago’s Millennium Park, (which) has the Bean, but we wanted something that also serves a function. So it wasn’t too long after the master plan of the park was in place that the tower started coming into conversation. The concept of something iconic was always there.”
The tower quite literally sticks out amid its surroundings, which include neighboring business parks. Its sleek design and soaring glass siding complement the other aspects of the park. Its colorful glass canopy throws green- and blue-tinted shade below, joining such other features as a vast lawn edged by a walking trail and “Cincinnati’s most creative playground” (as noted by Summit’s website).
Yet the tower also stands alone in its appeal and function.
“It’s one of those things you’ll never forget because it’s something you can actually utilize,” Kruse says. “(And) you wouldn’t expect it; it’s not a typical feature of a park.”
A leisurely stroll up 200-plus stairs could land you at the tower’s observation deck in approximately five minutes. (Some are already claiming sub-45 second runs, Kruse says.) A more ambitious traveler in search of some serious exercise could summit in half the time. A just-as-ambitious but afraid-of-heights explorer could ride up the glass-sided elevator in a matter of moments. And those who need time to acclimate to the elevation gain can settle on the first observation deck, at 26 feet up.
But all of that effort has got to amount to something. What do you get out of it besides being up really high in the center of Blue Ash? After the hard work of the ascent, whether for exercise or leisure, you will be rewarded with a view of regional skyline and other local landmarks like Kings Island’s Eiffel Tower. Bring binoculars, sunglasses and an extra set of nerves because it’s a bit more of a thrill than it might seem.
The observation tower’s glass barriers allow for an on-the-edge experience all the way up. As you top the structure on a sunny day (maybe stopping every other set of stairs to catch your breath), the sun gets warmer and the breeze gets stronger. Leaning against the transparent barrier, you’ll realize it’s not just about being at the top, but also about seeing the development below.
Along with a dog park and wooded area, directly below the tower are storm water collection ponds, which will attempt to recycle 100 percent of rainwater for irrigation. Also at the foot of the tower are two rentable rooms and a Riverbend-sized stage, Kruse says.
“We wanted it to have the same capabilities as a national-level stage,” he says. “However, we wanted it to blend in with the site and we didn’t want anything with a big massive canopy or anything to look uncomfortable when it wasn’t in use. We wanted to build something, like everything in Summit, multifunctional.”
The stage — or the “front porch” of the tower, as Kruse likes to call it — will enhance annual events like the Fourth of July’s Red, White and Blue Ash or the Country-music SummitFest on July 9, which hosts Country music stars.
“These (new) parks are unlike what you typically see; The Banks (Smale Riverfront Park in downtown Cincinnati) is an incredible example,” Kruse says. “These parks are big enough they actually stimulate the economy around them. And they have enough amenities in them that are in fact stimulating the economy, like restaurants that are bringing in large events.”
In the case of Summit Park, it not only hosts events that utilize its 19,000-person-capacity lawn, but also has such other features as four restaurants and a seasonal ice rink. It has sparked development right next door — visible from atop the tower is Neyer Properties’ 100-acre construction zone, which will be home to residential, commercial and retail spaces, Kruse says.
According to the Economic Impact of Local Parks study by the National Recreation and Parks Association, America’s local public park and recreation agencies generated more than $154 billion in economic activity, and their operations and capital spending supported more than 1.1 million jobs in 2015.
Summit Park, a $70 million-plus project, has been funded by a small increase in taxes. (The city bought the land from Cincinnati.) From community surveys, it was clear that residents wanted something done with the land; thus the eventual transformation into Summit Park.
“Blue Ash is landlocked,” Kruse says. “And these were acres that sat in the middle. I don’t want to say it was unused, because it had a great purpose before. But we had a chance to develop the land into something that is more utilized now than it was before by our general population.”
The numbers prove it; last year, approximately 865,000 people visited Summit Park. Kruse attributes the park’s popularity partly to its year-round functionality and activities, but also to its one-of-a-kind attractions. And it now has a very tall new one.
Summit Park is located at 4335 Glendale-Milford Road, Blue Ash. More information: summitparkblueash.com
This article appears in Jun 27 – Jul 4, 2018.
