Parking Lot Completed At Bicentennial Commons

Photo submitted By Ann Mort



News Release from Ann Mort

Bicentennial Commons, on the banks of the Great Miami River in downtown Middletown, has long needed additional parking space. The Bicentenial Commons Council’s surviving members of the Executive Committee: J. Knight Goodman, Jack Howard and Ann Mort recently made arrangements to make that improvement with the cooperation of the City of Middletown, MiddletownCommunity Foundation and contractor SK Construction Company. Landscape Architect and member of the Middletown Pride in Action committee Chris Papakirk donated his services to design the area.

For the full story click here   Middletown's Bicentennial Commons Improvements Completed

Here's hoping that the four present Ward councilpersons can start pending the first and third Tuesdays of every month "sitting, chilling and watching the sunset from a park bench" at the Commons beginning in January of 2010!!!

And why not Viv? Auntie Ann runs things and Sam is Judy's boy toy!

By the way, recycled Asphalt has value nearly as much as new Blacktop. This was a ruse to spend City funds for inappropriate reasons,Just another reason for  me to leave Midd and make my Property just another Rental, 

SupportMiddletown- Reference question #3- "The cemetery project still has a large funding gap". At last count, the money needed to repair the vault was around $68,000. (Correct Vivian?) This parking lot paving job probably cost at least that much or more. Do we take care of the Pioneer Cemetery or do we pave a parking lot that may never see a car parked in it? Apparently, we do the parking lot thing, holding out hope that, as someone wrote on this site, "If you build it, they will come". How is the BICO Endowment tied in to the PRIDE groups wants and wishes? You attempted to answer all but question #2- where did the asphalt come from, who authorized the pavement and acquiring the work permits issue. No info. for that? Are you going to stick by your answer to question #1? Little usage, perhaps due to a lack of parking? Lack of parking didn't seem to hamper the folks at the Blues Festivals. I believe the lack of activity at the Commons is simply a lack of interest by the city to use the facility. It was someone's pipe dream years ago as an attempt at creating an "entrance way" from the west into the downtown area and it, like the Lake and the Mall, flopped. The city has a history of creating "attraction points", but then have no clue how to market them after they are built nor how to get the maximum usage from these projects. Most die on the vine and are demolished years later, wasting more "cash strapped city" money.

I believe the BICO endowment is at the community foundation. It was created when the Commons was constructed and they use the interest to make improvements.

SupportMiddletown- I was asking how the BICO Endowment was connected with the PRIDE group. I was not trying to suggest that the city use the BICO money to fund the cemetery. Just asked the connection, if any, with Mort's group. Another thing to consider is that the city is legally obligated to take care of the cemetery, whereas the downtown area is at the discretion of the city leaders and the funds available. Do you know who donated the BICO money for the Commons? Wonder how much money is accumulated each year from the endowment and how much has been spent since it's inception????? (and on what)

You mentioned that "they surely can't use this fund to upkeep the cemetery". On the contrary- they certainly can use funds intended for a specific purpose on other things (and have)--- look at what happened to the road funds in the 80's. It went into the General Fund and hasn't been returned to the road fund yet!!!!! That's why there's been no road improvements all these years. This city is famous for it's "creative financing"/numbers juggling/phantom funds movements over the years.