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Dear Reader,
We've got several longer-than-usual articles in this week's
issue--all containing some interesting information for you. Enjoy!
Today's a good day to think about who else would like to see one or more of the
articles in this issue of the College Hill
eNewsletter. Click
here to send them a copy.
As usual, if you've got news--send it
here.
Gail Finke & Ken Lyon, Co-Editors
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 College
Hill Coming Events
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College Hill Selected to Participate in City's 2009 Neighborhood
Enhancement Program
There's going to be a lot of hustle and bustle, freshening and
fixing, planting and painting going on in our community this spring.
At the November Forum meeting, College Hill residents approved our
participation in the 2009 Neighborhood Enhancement Program (NEP).
What is NEP? It's a
90-day concentrated effort--a blitz--to make a significant impact in
a neighborhood:
- To support the community's efforts to
clean up streets, sidewalks and vacant lots.
- To get
tough on building code enforcement.
- To beautify
landscapes and streetscapes.
- To "cool down" any hot
spots of loitering and other disturbances.
The
College Hill NEP program starts March 1 and runs through May 31.
Cincinnati's Neighborhood Enhancement Program, begun in 2007, is a
partnership between the community and City agencies that addresses
neighborhood issues in a 90-day "jumpstart" period. Under City
Manager Milton Dohoney's leadership, the program has expanded to
include more than 30 community partners, a volunteer component and
support by U.S. Bank. Individuals may also contribute financial
support to the program. In May 2008, this program was
nationally recognized when it received a Neighborhoods USA Best
Neighborhood Program, Physical Revitalization Award.
"The NEP is not intended to be an end in itself, but another tool to
maximize resources," says Dohoney.
You can read about
Evanston's success with the NEP program
here.
Why College
Hill? NEP is designed to build upon a neighborhood's existing
assets and to leverage a new wave of sweat equity to beautify the
area, and to stimulate new investment to its residential and
commercial core. NEP also helps to reduce crime and bring an end to
blight. It is implemented using a partnership approach with
the City government departments all working as a single team with
the community stakeholders.
College Hill was
selected in large part because we already have active and engaged
community members and organizations, and the City supports our
efforts. We've done a remarkable job over the past several years to
improve our neighborhood, and now we are getting additional funding,
partnerships, volunteers, and other resources to give us an extra
boost in the right direction. Consider NEP a reward.
Here's a partial list of NEP partners:
- College Hill
Forum
- College Hill Business Association
-
College Hill Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation
-
Citizens on Patrol
- CPOP
- Cincinnati Police Department
and District Five
- U.S. Bank
- Department of Community
Development
- Home Ownership Center of Cincinnati
-
People Working Cooperatively
- Working in Neighborhoods
-
Buildings & Inspections
- Health and Litter Departments
-
Keep Cincinnati Beautiful
Resident participation essential to make the most of NEP.
There will be many ways residents can help:
- by serving
on teams to help identify priorities,
- by helping to
plan our projects,
- by volunteering during the NEP
blitz,
- by bringing skills and ideas to program
-
and more!
 Watch
the eNewsletter for
announcements of opportunities to make a difference in College Hill
before, during and after NEP.
Those interested in
being part of College Hill's NEP should call the Forum at
513-542-7263.
College Hill's NEP Targeted Area is
outlined in blue on the map.
Thanks to Phyllis Slusher for this article.
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Parolees Help Local Non-Profits
 The Forum Quality of Life Committee is now in its fourth year of working with State Parolees. Working with Nancy Rhinock, State Parole Officer, the committee has been providing community service projects for those who have served time in State prison and are now back in our communities with parole requirements that must be met. Here are some some projects the parolees have worked on over the past four years: - Cincinnati Black Theater Company: Paint scraping, painting, mower repair and weed control; interior cleaning.
- Grace Episcopal Church: Grass cutting and landscaping; interior cleaning, ceiling repairs, painting, polishing of woodwork, and much more.
- College Hill Presbyterian Church: Weeding and clean up; icleaning commercial kitchen, scrubbing chairs, ripping up carpeting, scrubbing walls, painting.
- College Hill Housing Team and Working in Neighborhoods: Cleaning out vacated houses; demolition of dilapidated garages and houses, trimming of bushes.
- Llanfair Retirement Community: Exterior paint scraping walls.
- College Hill Forum: Shoveling sand for luminary kits, picking up litter on sidewalks and parking lots throughout College Hill; cleaning out tree gates along the Avenue; assembly of luminary kits.
Pictured are parolees and volunteers working at Grace Church. Parolees are eligible to work with any not-for-profit agency. To have the parolees and their parole officer come to their site, a non-profit needs to: - Provide a volunteer to provide guidance as to what is to be want done.
- Respect and work side by side with the parolees.
- Provide a lunch for them.
- Sit and talk with them at lunch.
Phyllis Schoenberger, chair of the QOL Committee, writes, "I presently have a great working crew--hard workers who are easy to work with--and they are appreciative of the opportunity to serve. They are in the community and available to you the fourth Thursday of each month." Contact Phyllis ( phylmark@fuse.net, 513-542-3498) for more information. Thanks to Phyllis Schoenberger for this article. |
Aiken College & Career High School to Remain in College Hill
 On Friday, December 5th, Tom Rothwell, Director of Schools, and representatives from the Personnel Department of Cincinnati Public Schools informed Aiken University High School staff members that their school would be closing at the end of the 2008-2009 school year.
Aiken College and Career High School, which earned an EFFECTIVE rating on the Ohio State Report Card, will remain on the campus offering an increased focus on the school's college-bound program, in conjunction with continued development of the career component that offers the students opportunities to explore careers available to them. Mr. Eric Thomas will remain as Principal of the school.
Major focus areas for the 2009-2010 school year will be: academic excellence; grade level academy structure; marketing; student social, emotional, and mental health supports; student behavioral supports; and student after-school activities and programs.
In the spring, Aiken University students will be offered the opportunity to visit Aiken College and Career to determine if the school's program will address their educational needs. Aiken University teachers will also be invited to observe the Aiken College and Career classrooms in order to determine interest in applying for positions that could be available due to increased enrollment.
Aiken College and Career staff and students are excited about the opportunities and challenges that the future holds for the campus and look forward to contributing to the College Hill community.
Thanks to
Karen
Barrett for this article.
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College Hill Had a Railroad!
This is the third in a series of articles about College Hill's interesting history.
 In the 1850's, The Village of College Hill was developing into a community of fine country homes surrounded by parks. It was becoming a favorite place for wealthy businessmen to live. Many of these residents needed to commute to downtown Cincinnati and the primary means of public transportation was limited to two Omnibus lines operated by Lansing Grant which were uncomfortable, slow and expensive.
In 1871, a serious effort to build a railroad to serve College Hill was started and two years later, on May 22, 1873, the "College Hill Railroad Company" was incorporated. John R. Davey and Robert Simpson Sr., two wealthy residents of College Hill, were the chief sponsors. The project was not a considered a major enterprise to them; it was directed and financed by them as a civic duty to the community.
Work on the railroad began in 1875 and by November a mile of track had been completed. Construction continued throughout the winter and by spring the tracks reached College Hill. The first ride was on March 11, 1876. It covered a distance of three miles and lasted about 11 minutes.
 The initial route started just north of the corner of Crawford and Spring Grove in Northside and followed the western boundary of Spring Grove Cemetery for the first mile or so. The tracks then turned to the northwest and continued through parts of LaBoiteaux Woods and behind the sanitarium (now Children's Hospital) property. The route continued in this direction crossing Groesbeck Road and ended at a terminal located in the rear of the current parking lot of the Presbyterian Church on Hamilton Avenue opposite Maple (now Llanfair) Avenue.
In 1877, plans were made to extend the line to Venice (Ross) Ohio. New tracks were laid from the existing terminal going west on Maple (now Llanfair), then through the current First United Church of Christ property between Belmont and Glenview. The tracks then turned north, going under a bridge on Glenview Avenue and crossing North Bend Road near Witherby Avenue. The line then ran diagonally through West College Hill, turned north and followed Simpson Ave. The line continued to the Johnson Farm near Compton Road just west of Mount Healthy.
In 1892, the existence of the College Hill Railroad was threatened with the announcement that Route 24 was chartered to build an electric car line to serve College Hill. Just as the Railroad had made the Omnibus service disappear years earlier, when, in 1895, the new electric car lines began serving College Hill, the railroads revenues dwindled until passenger service was discontinued in 1899.
Today there are still many remains of the College Hill Railroad to be discovered if one looks for them. The building housing the "Old Timber Inn" at Crawford and Spring Grove was originally a railroad terminal for several lines and was the south termination point for this railroad.
A partially collapsed culvert can be found in LaBoiteaux Woods.
 The right of way can be seen exiting the woods on Groesbeck Road opposite Kenneth Avenue (left).
The original right of way goes under Glenview Avenue between 5802 and 5804.
 The right of way is marked by a line of utility poles on the south side of North Bend Road opposite Witherby Avenue (right).
 In West College Hill "Railroad Avenue" still exists marking the route of where the all but forgotten College Hill Railroad once ran.
Thanks to Terry Lindsey of the College Hill Historical Society for this article.
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SUV Hits Groesbeck Road House
 At least one person is recovering after a vehicle crashed
into a house last Thursday afternoon.
Police say the driver of an SUV lost control and drove
into a home on Groesbeck Road around 4 pm. According to Channel 9, someone who lived at the College
Hill home had to be rescued by firefighters. However, a witness who commented on the WCPO TV coverage
(see it here) said the house appeared vacant.
"The driver
didn't
lose control, he simply drove straight into the house, running a stop sign at
Lantana Ave which dead ends into Groesbeck. He never hit the brakes," the
witness said. "He was in and out of consciousness till the authorities
arrived."
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Santa's Economic Recovery Plan
Dressed as Santa, College Hill's Jim Herns, the pet detective, stood in front of Northgate Mall the day after
Thanksgiving with signs proclaiming his message:
Buying Made in America for Christmas and all year
long keeps Americans working. Your job depends on it! Even if the cost of a Made in the USA product is 20
or 30% higher it is still a better buy because the money comes back
to you when they buy something you do or make.
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Green Bin Team Recruits 220 College Hill Recyclers
Forum President Elizabeth Sherwood writes:  Congratulations to College Hill's most excellent
Green Bin Team for an outstanding performance in the Mayor's Recycling
Challenge. The drive added 4,780 new recyclers between May and
December. The College Hill Team brought in 220. Although College Hill didn't win the grand prize, I received a
check from Rumpke to the Forum in the amount of $100 in recognition of the herculean effort
displayed by our team.
Many thanks to all the members of the Green Bin
Team. You made us proud.
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| LaBoiteaux Woods Offers Winter Break Camp
 Kids in kindergarten through third grade who are off school for winter break are invited to "Give a Cheer for Winter!" during a day camp program at LaBoiteaux Woods Nature Center.
Offered from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm Tuesday, December 30, the camp will feature a hike, games, crafts and a story.
"Camp gives kids a break from hanging out at home for the whole vacation, and they have a great time," says naturalist Pat Agnew.
The cost is $15 for Cincinnati residents or $20 for non-residents. Reservations are required by Dec. 26. For more information, call 513-542-2909.
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Queen City Rainbow Bands Perform at Grace Church
 The Queen City Rainbow Bands performed their annual Holiday Concert at Grace Church last Sunday. The program was a mixture of traditional Christmas music--many done with a very non-traditional beat--and jazzy pieces. Richelle Frabotta (right) stepped in as conductor, replacing Tom Mitchell, who used recovery from a triple bypass operation as a reason for not showing up. She handled her new responsibilities with great humor and enthusiasm. The Jazz Ensemble opened up the program with "And the Angels Swing," followed by four other numbers. Then the Sax Quartet performed five numbers, ending with "Zoot Suit Riot." The full Concert Band performed four traditional holiday numbers and then led the audience in a carol sing-along. You can see more concert pictures here. The evening ended with a reception hosted by members of Grace Church. The QCRB is a GLBT and allies band organized to perform for pride parades and other community events. Everyone is welcome to join at any time. All skill levels are welcomed. The band practices at Grace Church on Wednesday nights. Contact QCRB (513-559-9987, info@qcrb) or visit their website for more information.
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Dinette Set Cartoon Again Features CHCC
 Elizabeth Sherwood writes to tell us: Our friend Julie Larson, the Dinette Set cartoonist, is coming back to the College Hill Coffee Company for a book-signing on Friday, December 19 from 5 to 7 pm.
Julie did another cartoon featuring CHCC. It won't be released by her distributor until January, but here's the sneak preview. She'll autograph books and copies of this panel for customers.
And check this out: Ryan Adcock plays Friday from 7:30 to 9:30 pm. Don't miss this highly-acclaimed performer--he will rock the coffeehouse.
Hope you can come yak with Julie and enjoy some great music from Ryan! Tell your friends!
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Neighborhood Summit to be held January 24
The 2009 Neighborhood Summit has been announced for January
24 at Xavier University's Schiff Conference Center.
"Growing Cincinnati", conducted by neighborhood stakeholders,
community-based organizations and City staff, is designed to allow citizens and
public officials the opportunity to engage in discussions about housing,
economic development, and community building.
Session topics for the seventh annual Summit will include:
- Housing:
Section 8 and CMHA, reuse of foreclosed and abandoned properties,
promoting homeownership, organizations addressing the foreclosure crisis,
and the Neighborhood Stabilization Program.
- Economy
and Work Force Development: 2010 Census and Shop 52,
Agenda 360, the upcoming 2009 Comprehensive Plan, the future of
transportation, and work force development.
- Community
Collaboration and Best Practices: Developing a neighborhood art
center, community collaboration, form-based codes, reducing violence, and
making your neighborhood more green
Sign in begins at 7:30 am with a continental breakfast, and the event runs from
8:15 am to 2 pm. Box lunches will be provided to all registrants.
To kick off the Summit, current Congressman-elect Steve Driehaus (D-1st) will
speak at a kickoff dinner about the promising changes on the horizon for the
City and how we all play a role in its growth.
The dinner takes place at 6 pm on January 23. Reservations
are required, and the cost is $20.
Taken from Building Cincinnati.
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North Hills Membership Offer Extended
North Hills Swim Club tells us that the $50 off two-for-one offer for new memberships has been extended from December 31 to January 31. You can read more about this offer in last week's eNewsletter here. |
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The eNewsletter is published every week or so by the volunteers listed below. Our purpose is to help make College Hill an even better place to live, play and do business by publishing a broad spectrum of news for and about College Hill, with an emphasis on stories of College Hill people working together to improve our community.
The eNewsletter is independently prepared and published by neighborhood volunteers. It is not affiliated with the College Hill Forum Community Council.
Opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of any College Hill or other organization--or even of the editor. The inclusion of an article is not necessarily an endorsement. The fact that something isn't in the eNewsletter is not necessarily a lack of endorsement--it's most likely because no one told us about it.
eNewsletter photos are often edited to remove extraneous material.
Send us news that you think would be interesting to your College Hill neighbors--and we'll very likely publish it. Email to eNewsletter@CollegeHillOH.net.
- Co-editors: Ken Lyon and Gail Finke
- Contributing Editor: Sarah Mann Wolf
- Backup Editor: Tom Strothers
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