With Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland and a who’s who lineup of Cincinnati business and political leaders looking on, ground was broken this week for the new, $80 million Cincinnati Riverfront Park that will be located on a sweeping, 45-acre expanse along the Ohio River just in front of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

The park, as currently envisioned, will feature fountains, walkways, gardens, event lawns, playgrounds and restaurants, and will extend from Great American Ballpark on the east to Paul Brown Stadium on the west, with the iconic Roebling Suspension Bridge serving as a symbol of geographic unity. It will be built in phases and eventually, it will link to the Cincinnati Banks project, a multi-million dollar riverfront real estate development project that is now underway after more than a decade of delays.

Cincinnati Parks will oversee the planning, development and building of the park as well as ongoing maintenance.

The park will be funded by up to $80 million from local, state and federal governments.  Another $30-$40 million needs to be raised privately to complete the full park plan and endow future operations.