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| Middletown Community News |
| Middletown's Bicentennial Commons Inprovements Completed |
| Monday, September 21, 2009 8:11:07 AM - Middletown Ohio |
Posted By Randy Lewis
NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release
Contact: Ann Mort 513-649-4506
Rmort@cinci.rr.com
September 18, 2009
BICENTENNIAL COMMONS IMPROVEMENTS COMPLETED
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.
A City-owned area directly across Carmody Blvd from the Commons, is now paved with a surface of recycled asphalt, thanks to other street construction projects around town generating the raw materials. The area may eventually be part of other developments and could be incorporated into those plans. The lot can be used as staging space for the bike path and as parking for events at the Commons. Since it is used only during the warmer months and will not be snow plowed in the winter months or used by heavy traffic, the lighter surface will be adequate for several years.
According to Bicentennial 1991 chairman J Knight Goodman, “The Bicentennial Commons began in 1989 with a ground moving event. In 1991, a Committee of more than 1,000 volunteers planned and presented a year-long celebration of the start of Middletown. Another of the Commons’ high lights is the Historical Walk. It is a great place for adults and children to learn of our City’s development. We urge all to visit the Commons anytime.”
According to Ann Mort, “The parking area was becoming a dump site. We had just enough money in the Bicentennial Commons account to not only clean up the area but provide parking and add to the Middletown Pride in Action projects happening in our city.”
The AK Paviliion and Commons area with its 3,000+ engraved bricks, historic time line and access to the bike trail is currently used for many events ranging from a wedding to drill team practice and will now be even more useful to the community for public events or family parties.
Neighboring business owner Perry Thatcher has extended his long-standing offer to open the restrooms on the west end of the tennis club when requested for public events. The restrooms are approximately 500 feet from the Commons.
“We encourage everyone to use this beautiful park – picnic on the stage, play a private concert for friends, sit, chill and watch the sunset from a park bench. It is a beautiful place with many memories for Middletown,” said Mort.
Discuss In the Form
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Archived Comments
| 9/21/2009 8:59:39 AM | VietVet | | I don't understand the comment in this story about the Commons being used for many events such as a wedding and drill team practice. I don't know what constitutes "many" events but the Commons has never been used for "many events". It would seem this is an exaggeration on the part of the author. It was used for the Blues Festival for a year or two, but is not used more than 1 or 2 times a year (if that) for community events to my knowledge. Exactly where did this asphalt come from on the street projects and who authorized the usage by Mort's group? Was any of this paid for from taxpayer money or was it all paid for by Mort's group? Why is there support given for this project but not for the vault in the Pioneer Cemetary? | | 9/21/2009 9:46:41 AM | Impala SS | | If the city is paying for any of this paving, then they had damn well better fix the vault in the cemetery. | | 9/22/2009 11:59:13 AM | Mr. Ed | | I agree with those who wonder what this is all about other than a project by Ann & Sam with co-op by his and hers being in bed with the manager and Community Foundation. To justify the paving with some trivel about the frequent use of the commons is silly, It is very, very, very seldom used. Went to a Middfest kick-off there in July and the bugs were so fierce, the sit down dinner under the pavilion ended one hour early. Ann Mort can write one heck of a glittering generality press release. Her BS in the name of those in power is never ending. | | 11/20/2009 3:01:19 PM | Common's Use #'s | Mort sure can write a great press release when it has to do with her own projects. One again, as with her "Balloon Fest" numbers, the # of folks who use the "Commons is silly. I remember when she claimed 65,000
for the "Fest" on a cold and raining weekend!!! Shear fantasy... |
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