We want to know about your experience with the parks and green spaces in Southwest Springfield!
Visit the link below to complete the survey.
Parks & Green Spaces
We believe all residents should be within a 10-minute walk of a high-quality public park and green space.
We believe that public placemaking has the ability to transform entire communities. We take dilapidated houses and abandoned lots from being vacant to vibrant. We address the impacts of urban disinvestment through placemaking and neighborhood vitality strategies for people, places, the planet, and prosperity. We have acquired six properties from our local land bank within a three-mile radius. These properties were previously dilapidated houses and vacant lots. We’ve transformed them into three neighborhood pocket parks and one community green space. Our parks cultivate passive and active usage with two basketball courts, benches, landscaping, hardscaping, planted trees, bike racks, frisbee golf, trashcans, and a mural.
Our efforts are driven through collective impact strategies between city and county government, residents, community leaders, foundations, creative arts organizations, youth services providers, and general contractors. The impact of these efforts has led to a decrease in violence, illegal dumping, and mental depression. Further, the parks have demonstrated an impact by increasing neighborhood pride, property values, civic engagement, and multi-generational community-building. Our advocacy, along with residents, also led to the amendment of city zoning regulations that had not been changed in 35 years to permit pocket parks as a conditional use and variance. Additionally, three houses that are directly adjacent to our parks have sold to owner-occupiers after historically being long-term rentals.
Springfield Parks and Greenspaces
Woodward Avenue Family Park
Located at 1615 Woodward Avenue, Springfield, OH, this park is our organization’s prototype. As the pride and joy of a close-knit mixed-income neighborhood, residents take a great responsibility in overlooking this park and building community across multiple generations.
This park has a basketball court with a mural, a House of Knowledge with hand-crafted art, frisbee golf, two benches, extensive landscaping, and six newly planted trees.
Grand Avenue Family Park
This park is located on the ‘South Side’ of 349 W. Grand Avenue, Springfield, OH, at the corner of Plum Street, within one of Springfield’s most historically divested neighborhoods. This pocket park was previously two dilapidated houses. Through efforts with multiple organizations, this park has restored multi-generational hope for residents. This park has a basketball court, a House of Knowledge, four benches, two bike rakes, a trash can, and ample landscaping and beautification.
Linden Avenue Family Park
This park is located at 1401 Linden Avenue in the South East part of Springfield, OH. Like all of our other parks, this corner lot was previously occupied by an abandoned house that created unsafe conditions for neighborhood youth and residents. Rich with various plants and trees that we planted, this park is visited with frequent guests that stop by to read a book and/or rest in the shade.
The Crossover Mural
We partnered with Project Jericho, an organization that provides youth and families with in-depth visual arts experiences to brighten up our Woodward Avenue Family Park, Springfield, OH. With the leadership of Project Jericho and lead muralist Cera Marie, we brought color to a vibrant and energetic community in South Springfield.
21 youth painted this geometric and encouraging design under the leadership of artist Cera Maria. The design for the mural was chosen by Woodward Avenue residents, including most of the inspiring words chosen for the court. The words include "you are": worthy, valued, loved, important, enough, needed, smart, and brave. As part of the collaboration, 17 Project Jericho youth also received a free book, The Crossover, written by Kwame Alexander.
Dayton Parks and Greenspaces
Lorenz Avenue Park
The Lorenz Avenue Park was conceptualized by Westwood resident Jimmy Donald. With the assistance of another Westwood resident named Saleem, they created a first-phase design of a potential park and green space. These properties are 151, 155, 159, and 163 Lorenz Ave.
If you are a Westwood resident, we need your feedback to bring this vision to improve the Westwood neighborhood.
Carrick’s Corner
Formerly Delaware Commons, Carricks Corner Pocket Park is located at 300 Delaware Ave. Carrick’s Corner, named in honor of cherished Five Oaks resident Martha Moore Carrick, is currently undergoing a beautiful transformation. The revitalization includes brush removal, hardscaping, and refurbishment of the existing gazebo and benches. Renovation efforts are being undertaken in partnership with the City of Dayton, Dayton Foundation, Northwest Dayton Partnership, Five Oaks Neighborhood Association, and neighborhood residents.
