Discovering Tower Park
And other thoughts as this weblog turns 1.
A little over a year ago, we made our decision to leave Northern Virginia to join the Society of Cincinnati, which locals know, is part of the origin of the city’s name.
And it’s fitting in a way, given the tri-state regional synergy1 this area has: it is a society. Sometimes, even perhaps a little cult-like. But that’s OK! I willingly joined!
Now that it’s summer, we’re planning little exploratory activities and Fort Thomas, Kentucky was one over the weekend. We first stopped for ice cream at Schneider's Sweet Shop in Bellevue, saw that there’s a FOE 964 right there on the water (caw caw!)
As an Eagle (and an Elk) I look forward to checking them out, enjoying some Athletic and perhaps some pull tabs. An Aerie right on the Ohio river? Pretty cool.
After the ice cream, we went looking for a playground nearby, but the one on the river was recovering from flood damage, so we went up to Fort Thomas to see the somewhat newly-launched playground there.
I give it extremely high marks. And the sort of federal-style architecture made me feel like I was in D.C.
This is a park that has earned bragging rights, so it’s not a shock that Fort Thomas would brag about it on the park’s website:
Tower Park was incorporated in 1972 after the federal government begun donating buildings and land of the former military base to the city to be designated as a city park. Today, Tower Park is 86.6 acres of lush forest, sport facilities, playgrounds, hiking/bike trails, and two recreation buildings for events and activities. Tower Park is also home to the Fort Thomas Museum where you can learn about the Fort’s founding and about the growth of the community over the last 155 years.
If you know Fort Thomas, you know the ‘Tower’. Building number 16 was built in 1890, and is 102 feet tall made out of Kentucky limestone, with the base being granite. The plaza in front of the Tower was dedicated in 2003 in honor of the 80,000 that were inducted at Fort Thomas. A huge flag adorns the Tower every July for the City’s Fourth of July festivities and is a sight to see when illuminated at night.
The main playground at Tower Park was purchased by the City of Fort Thomas in December of 1972, where a vacant field once was. The playground equipment has changed and continues to change but the enthusiasm of its patrons remains the same. Tower Park playground is often filled with generations of memories being made. Since then, the park has been updated and continues to support the community’s needs as they grow and change. 6 tennis courts, a softball field, 3 playgrounds, 6 pickleball courts, a sand volleyball court, 2 outdoor basketball courts, 4 shelters and miles of walking trails round out amenities at the park.
I particularly like the line:
The playground equipment has changed and continues to change but the enthusiasm of its patrons remains the same.
100% true.
See those little hills? Kids bring cardboard and sled on them.
Over the weekend, we also went to Coney Island for Summer Fair. With the news that $60 million is coming to our neighborhood in the form of a Riverbend 2.0, this was our first time (and last) to experience Coney Island while it somewhat resembles what it used to be.
The abandoned putt putt golf course made the twins sad, as pigs, little bridges and bowls of chili, among the course’s decorations, would never be played by them.
And, we got to appreciate not only the artisans who traveled to the Queen City to hawk their wares and art, but some art with a local flair.
Some dare call it parochialism. And a little is ok! It can be harmful in some ways.