A century ago, Cincinnatians went up and down thehills surrounding the city's basin on incline railways. While the last incline closed in 1948, people could be zipping down one hillside in a few years.
Over-the-Rhine residents have envisioned a zipline in the place of one erstwhile incline.
It wouldn't be just a zipline but an "adventure park" with elevated walkways near the treetops and climbing walls on thehillside below Bellevue Hill Park with sweeping views of the city.
Residents want the city's help.
"Bellevue Park is really a special park, both when you're in the park and when you're out of the park looking back at it," said Walt Reinhaus, who is chair of Over-the-Rhine's beautification committee. "The exposed rock face on the western side is just an amazing feature."
TheOver-the-Rhine Community Councilhas applied to the city for $350,000 to buy land and conduct a feasibility study in its next biennial budget for 2028-2029.
The deadline for neighborhoods to submit requests for funding in the next biennial budget was Sept. 28. Staff will review each request and recommend projects for City Council to approve.
Why a zipline?
The idea of a zipline and adventure park began after the city started construction for a community center in Over-the-Rhine on the site of a former park, Reinhaus said.
"We lost a significant amount of green space with the construction of the new community center, and we were asking, well, could we have a replacement green space?" Reinhaus said.
Their attention turned to an 8-acre plot of wilderness owned by the University of Cincinnati on the hillside spanningOver-the-Rhine and the Clifton Heights, University Heights and Fairview neighborhoods, commonly known as CUF. It's a wooded hillside that is part of Bellevue Hill Park with no paths or amenities. The university has owned it since 1899, according to property records.
The goal was to have a way for people to enjoy the small forest while also keeping the woods pristine. An adventure park, which often features ziplines and raised walkways, seemed like a good fit, Reinhaus said.
Its setting belowBellevue Hill Park, which sits atop a cliff with a panoramic view of Downtown, lent itself to a zipline, he said. It was, after all, where the Bellevue Incline operated from 1876 to 1926.
"There's that history of being some type of transport up and down that hill," Reinhaus said.
Columbus and Asheville provide inspiration
Similar ziplines and adventure parks inAshevilleand Columbus further inspired the OTR residents, Reinhaus said. The one in Columbus, called Zipzone, features ziplines and an elevated obstacle course among the treetops.
The planning for the Over-the-Rhine park is in its earliest stages, Reinhaus said. Whether the park would be similar to Asheville and Columbus depends on funding and who would operate it. Would it be privately owned, like the one in Columbus? Or operated by the community? Or a little bit of both? These questions will be answered as the project progresses, Reinhaus said.
It could be a mix of public and private money, he said.
"We're talking about a location where there are people and investors and stakeholders around it and who I would imagine would be supportive of this and collectively could find ways to fund it," Reinhaus said.
Also, what type of zipline and route it could take remains to be determined. It could start at the Ransohoff concession building in Bellevue Park and end at or near Northern Row Brewery orCity Church OTR,he said. It could zigzag or go in a straight line. Some ziplines have a motorized trolley that would allow it to go back up the hill, he said.
What's the cost?
A tentative budget for the project totals $440,000, according to the minutes of the August Over-the-Rhine meeting.
It includes $300,000 for the acquisition of the land based on the auditor's appraisal. The plan also includes consulting with the people who own and operate adventure parks in Asheville and Columbus.
What's the next step?
It's not clear whether the city will give money to the project. A message to Cincinnati City Councilman and Budget Chairman Jeff Cramerding wasn't immediately returned.
The next step is to meet with officials from the University of Cincinnati about selling or using the land, Reinhaus said. He said he hopes to meet with university leadership this month.
While any city funding could be two years off, Reinhaus said he hopes the publicity might bring out investors and hasten the adventure park's completion.
Until then, you'll have to use a vehicle or your own legs to get up and down from Bellevue Hill Park.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Residents propose a new adventure park and zipline for Cincinnati
