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Activated Spaces is back.

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My last adventure got me out of the car and exploring the region via bus, bike and good ol’ fashioned walking. And you know what I saw? Well, in addition to the random shopping cart and dude who was arguing about drugs – I saw great local art! And not by seeking out a gallery (although I recommend that, too) – but by just walking around.

The Activated Spaces team (powered by the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan) worked with local property owners and invited artists to share their work with the community while focusing on our region’s assets. It was a great success and resulted in 17 vibrant art displays filling downtown windows and the selection of Amanda Sue Allen as the People’s Choice award (work currently on display at the Cannery Art and Design Center). Everything from photography to quilt-work and paintings to cloth and pottery to cellophane was represented (and much, much more!) It was a great, diverse and eclectic celebration of Dayton’s professional and amateur artists.

Serida checks to make sure the QR code is working on the Dayton Creative Syndicate's installation featuring the Culture Works festival.

So – they’re doing it again! They have put the call out to local artists to submit work for a second round of storefront window art displays to be unveiled at the September Urban Nights. The fall 2011 installation theme, “Spotlight Dayton,” challenges artists to focus on our many downtown neighborhoods and highlight favorite places. They hope to include aspects of all areas of downtown–neighborhoods, parks, organizations and various community assets may be featured. It may be a challenge to remain strictly faithful to the theme, but the emailed prospectus states that they welcome artists’ interpretations of the theme however loose or literal it may be; if the artwork is not an exact demonstration of the theme, the artist statement may tie the work to the theme.

Details of the project and submission guidelines are available online. Submissions are due by Friday, August 12, at 5PM.

Check out the Activated Spaces web site for more information.

Courthouse Square performers add entertainment to lunch hour

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Free pizza is served to the crowd in the square.

Now that the rain has finally stopped, Courthouse Square is the place to be weekdays at noontime.

Starting June 21 and lasting through Sept. 15, The Square is Where … will feature a variety of performers. Entertainment booked to date includes belly dancers, jugglers and a saxophonist.  The festivities will occur around noon on most Tuesdays through Fridays.

Spectators can enjoy the show while grabbing lunch served by food vendors. Additionally, the YMCA will be hosting practice yoga and Zumba classes, perfect for those looking to recharge during their lunch breaks.

The Square is Where … is inspired by Affair on the Square, an event that took place more than a decade ago.

Now the Downtown Dayton Partnership and Montgomery Country are presenting The Square is Where … is a part of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan to encourage growth and development in the city center.

“We’re trying to show there is a thriving, vibrant downtown during the work day,” says Krystal Luketic, special event coordinator for the Downtown Dayton Partnership.

As details become available, a complete schedule will be posted on www.DowntownDayton.org and www.mcohio.org. Any local performers interesting in entertaining on the square should contact Ashleigh Nunamaker at 937-224-1518, ext. 235 or [email protected].

Hoofing It: One Girl’s Guide to Walking the Streets of Dayton

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Things I remember seeing during my 20-minute commute: Tree limbs swirling in a rain-swollen Great Miami River. Aged buildings with elaborate cornices rubbing shoulders with their modern-day glass and steel counterparts. Phil staggering down the sidewalk asking for spare change to buy a muffin.

Things I remember hearing during my 20-minute commute: The splash and giggle of kids jumping into a puddle. A glee club of birds overhead. The distressed screech of an ambulance .

I live in a historic neighborhood downtown, and since I live, work, hang out and work out downtown, I can walk pretty much anywhere I need to go.

Key words: Pretty much.

Places I drive: Kroger. DeWeese Park. Village Thrift Store. Taqueria Mixteca. Cookouts at friends’ back yards. And, I admit it, sometimes places as close as Drake’s Downtown Gym and the Dublin Pub.

One of my favorite shots taken during a walk home, shot from the Main Street Bridge looking east toward the Dayton Art Institute and Masonic Temple.

I’m about to find out exactly what “pretty much” means as I join Megan Cooper in an experiment in using alternative transportation to get from here to there. We’re both ditching our gas-powered rides for at least one week starting June 1. Megan will be trekking across town primarily via bicycle and the bus. Be sure to read her columns leading up to and during this adventure, in which she gives a frank and funny account of going car-less.

I will continue to get around primarily on foot, but I’m also going to figure out how to ride the RTA and rediscover my inner cyclist. The last time I rode the bus, I ended up at Children’s Medical Center while trying to get to Five Oaks, which is closer to Grandview Hospital. The last time I rode my bike any significant distance, my now- 19-year-old son was in a kid seat on the back.

But, like Megan, I’m determined to give this a whirl. Unlike Megan, my research and preparation for this adventure is a total zilch. Well, I did grab a fresh journal in which to chronicle the sights and sounds of this voyage. When I finish writing this, I’m going to try to figure out how to work a pedometer a friend gave me two years ago. I made a solemn vow to look at RTA’s web site tomorrow night. And cross-my-heart-hope-to-die, I plan to check my bike’s tires really soon.

I’m rolling ad hoc because I figure I can hoof it most places. I mean, perhaps my favorite thing about living downtown is the ability to walk so many cool places. I like having to step around Canadian Geese and their goslings on the gravel pathway atop the levee. I feel lucky I can stop at the RiverScape Metro Park concession and grab a cone of soft serve to enjoy on my way home. I even like the pitter-patter on my umbrella on rainy days and getting away with wearing rubber boots to the office.

Daffodils in full bloom at RiverScape MetroPark, taken during a recent springtime walk home.

Really, though, I am in denial.

I may live in a handy little city where I can walk from one end to the other in less than 30 minutes, but getting around is about to get a lot more complicated without a car. While visiting my sister in Piqua on Memorial Day, I realized I’d have no way to get up there to play cowboy and Play-Doh with my nephews without a car. Mulching some new plants tonight, I realized I’d have to travel toughman style if I needed to grab another bag of this heavy, goopy stuff and lug it on a bus.

View during my 20-minute commute on a recent May morning.

I also realize I am lucky to have a car, even an 11-year-old contraption missing the passenger-side window and in bad need of a new catalytic converter I lovingly call The Rattletrap. I feel like Barbara Ehrenreich as she recounted her experiences working as a maid and other minimum-wage occupations in Nickel and Dimed, a book I found so horribly patronizing I couldn’t finish the first chapter. I hope to be able to give you, dear reader, an authentic and entertaining account of this adventure with respect to those who have no choice but public transportation to reach such destinations as their workplace, school and kids’ day care. I hope to be able to examine the impacts of our auto-adoring culture on our health and environment with a fresh perspective. I hope to better understand the myriad ways transportation affects our daily lives.

And I hope you will help us: Do you get where you need to go without a car? If so, tell us your stories and (please!) give us some tips. Do you rev an engine to make it where you need to be? If so, tell us how you think your life would change if driving were no longer an option. Please share in the comments below.

And we’re off: One foot in front of the other!

Urban Nights: Proving Downtown Dayton Is Alive and Kicking

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It’s no marketing scheme: Urban Nights really is one of the best nights to be downtown.

Downtown Dayton’s biggest street party returns from 5 to 10 p.m. this Friday, May 13. More than 100 venues in downtown Dayton, the Oregon Arts District and Wright-Dunbar Business Village will host special events, offer discounts and open their doors for an insider’s look. A variety of performers will entertain crowds on stages throughout downtown, and roaming performers also will liven up the event.

Below are some highlights of the May 13 Urban Nights, but there’s more going on than can ever be featured in one article ― and nearly everything is free. Click here to download a map of participating venues and a complete performance schedule, including a listing of all participating locations’ events and specials, a schedule for all the stages, and parking deals. Follow Urban Nights on Facebook for regular updates and more information.

Urban Nights gives people a chance to get artsy. Second Street will become a huge canvas when students from Stivers School for the Arts’ painting department create a paint-by-numbers style template on the street. The public then will be able to help Stivers students complete the mural, located in front of the Schuster Performing Arts Center between Main and Ludlow streets. The Paint the Street mural is sponsored by KeyBank and will be created with environmentally friendly liquid chalk that washes away with rainfall.

Juggling duo The Dropbacks will toss and catch with the crowd during Urban Nights.

Juggling duo The Dropbacks will toss and catch with the crowd during Urban Nights.

Also on Second Street, visitors also can create a piece of whimsical public art using jelly beans and have their pictures taken in a free photo booth. At the popular Community Stage, located at the corner of Third and Jefferson streets, an eclectic mix of 10-minute performances will be held from 5 to 7 p.m., then anyone can take the mic for open karaoke from 7 to 10 p.m. The Dropbacks, a comedic juggling duo, will toss and catch with the crowd throughout Urban Nights locations. Other hands-on activities will be available at participating venues. For example, the Dayton Metro Library will offer arts-and-crafts activities for children and adults.

Art is the heart of Urban Nights, and all of downtown’s numerous galleries will host exhibit openings and an array of more unusual offerings, such as a 7 to 8:30 p.m. performance by the Dayton Mandolin Orchestra at the Dayton Visual Arts Center. Some Urban Nights newbies are the Dayton Art Institute, which will offer a mixed bag of activities ranging from guided tours of its current exhibition to eye makeovers; Real Art Design Group, featuring jousting with shopping carts as part of “Urban Knights at Urban Nights;” and Atta Girl Art and Gardens Complex, where artists will open their studios for the public to have a look-see. At K12 Gallery for Young People’s new TEJAS studio, art by Rebecca Sargent will be featured.

Vote for your fave Activated Spaces window display during Urban Nights.

Vote for your fave Activated Spaces window display during Urban Nights.

Art also happens in unusual places during Urban Nights. Activated Spaces has worked with local artists to display their work in previously vacant storefronts throughout downtown, and the public can vote for a People’s Choice award during Urban Nights. Practice Yoga will host live music by BJSR, the Dayton International Peace Museum will host an opening reception for an exhibit of Chinese brush painting, and artists will take over the Southern Belle’s second floor, where local crafters will sell their handmade wares. And the Blue Sky Project is hosting an exhibition of Mequitta Ahuja’s works on paper in the lobby of the KeyBank Tower and an exhibit of photography by Sa Schloff, as well as work by Blue Sky participants, in the former Roly Poly space on Courthouse Square. Several downtown housing options will be open for tours, and many of them will feature artists’ work, too.

Downtown retailers also get into the Urban Nights spirit. At Derailed: A Hair Salon, co-owner Austin Burkhart will try to break his record for giving free Mohawks, and Omega Music will host live music throughout the night. Pantorium Cleaners will host a party with special entertainment, and Valeria’s Beauty Center and Day Spa will offer special discounts to celebrate the launch of its new retail store, Bonito.

Scan this QR code with your smart phone to start the SCANvenger Hunt.

Scan this QR code with your smart phone to start the SCANvenger Hunt.

A fun way to get around Urban Nights is by playing Comtactics’ SCANvenger Hunt. Smart phone users are encouraged to visit participating businesses and search for two-dimensional QR codes. Players scan the codes, answer a trivia question about that business and are entered into drawings for giveaways.

A weekend-long event also will open during Urban Nights. The Dayton Circus Creative Collective will host its sixth annual multimedia arts event, Sideshow VI, at Garden Station, 509 E. Fourth St., and in the nearby Yellow Cab building, 700 E. Fourth St. This two-block arts experience will feature work by more than 32 artists and performances by 25 musical groups.

Urban Nights guests also will get a sneak peek of another weekend-long event, the FilmDayton Festival, held downtown May 20-22. Multidisciplinary artist and Springfield native Rod Hatfield has mixed a montage of silent films starring Lillian Gish, also a Springfield native. The Show will provide a live soundtrack to the projection on the east side of the Convention Center, which can be viewed from the Jefferson and Fifth street area.

In addition to the arts, cycling has become an important part of Urban Nights. The Life Enrichment Center will roll out its new Yellow Bike program, a free bike sharing program downtown, during Urban Nights. The center is providing brightly painted yellow bikes available free of charge for anyone to ride between downtown destinations. People simply grab a yellow bike, ride it to their

Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights meets at 5:30 p.m. in front of Fifth Third Field for a ride through the action.

Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights meets at 5:30 p.m. in front of Fifth Third Field for a ride through the action.

destination and park it in a bike rack for the next person to use. The center also is asking for donations of helmets in all sizes, which can be dropped off at Courthouse Square. In addition, Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights returns: Cyclists should bring their own bike and meet at Don Crawford Plaza in front of Fifth Third Field at 5:30 p.m. for this ride through the Urban Nights action.

The best way to see as much as possible during Urban Nights is to walk, and many of the destinations are just a short distance from each other. Greater Dayton RTA also will provide free event trolleys to help visitors get around.

Urban Nights takes place rain or shine. The event is presented by the Downtown Dayton Partnership, Culture Works, Montgomery County and the City of Dayton, with additional support from WDTN-TV2, DP&L, Greater Dayton RTA, Budweiser Select, the Downtown Priority Board, Sinclair Community College, Clear Channel and Mix 107.7-FM, KeyBank, and the Ohio Arts Council.

Call 937-224-1518 or visit www.downtowndayton.org for more information.

It’s No Joke: April 1 First Friday Packed with Art, Entertainment

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Comedic juggling duo The Dropbacks will return to First Friday in April to wow crowds with their feats of daring-do.

Comedic juggling duo The Dropbacks will return to First Friday in April to wow crowds with their feats of daring-do.

The next First Friday, downtown Dayton’s free monthly art hop, will be held from 5 to 10 p.m. April 1. As the weather warms, First Friday also heats up with the return of outdoor entertainment.

The popular street performers will return to First Friday (weather permitting) with roaming entertainers including breakdance crew Circle Nerdz, the comedic juggling troupe The Dropbacks and saxophonist Tyrone Martin. The street performance is supported by grant funding from the Ohio Arts Council.

Also returning to First Friday will be two historical walking tours by Gem City Circle Walks. Longtime local history buffs Leon Bey, Nancy Roach and Curt Dalton will lead an Oregon Arts District walk beginning at 5 p.m., and the “Ghosts, Cemeteries and Murders Walk of Downtown Dayton” will begin at 7 p.m. Each walk is $10 and advance reservations are required by contacting Leon Bey at 937-274-4749 or [email protected].

Another outdoor event in April will be presented by The Broken Dayton Art Machine, a group of local artists who will present a single-piece digital exhibit titled “I Have No Rival.” The artists will create a three-story video projection in the floors above The Southern Belle, 134 N. Patterson, which can be viewed from Patterson Boulevard from 8 p.m. to midnight. Artists Nicholaus Arnold, Ian Breidenbach, Frank Travers, Phillip Evans and Ren Cummings will at The Southern Belle to discuss their work.

As always, there will be plenty of action in downtown’s galleries and other establishments during First Friday, including in some nontraditional spaces. As part of the 510 Project, visitors can watch two local artists set up art installations in two spaces located right off Courthouse Square. In the former Roly Poly space (33 N. Main), Landon Crowell will install a video piece that examines the workers’ rights issues facing Ohio and Wisconsin’s public employees. In the lobby of the KeyBank Tower (10 W. Second) from noon to 6 p.m., Leesa Haapapuro will create a sculptural installation created in conjunction with her “Canal Man” project, which will feature cast human figures installed in the granite pools along Patterson Avenue. The sculptures will represent the men who labored to dig the Miami Erie Canal.

The Cannery Art and Design Center will host live music during First Friday.

The Cannery Art and Design Center will host live music during First Friday.

In its newest space, TEJAS, K12 Gallery for Young People, 510 E. Third St., will feature the exhibit “Dirt and Matter,” paintings by Rebecca Sargent, from 6 to 9 p.m. K12 also will display artwork by the HAALO (Helping Adolescents Achieve Learning Objectives) program of the Montgomery County Juvenile Courts and works from St. Luke School. The Cannery Art and Design Center, 434 E. Third St., will feature paintings by Clifford Darrett, whose jazz/salsa five-piece band will perform from 7 to 10 p.m. Nearby Garden Station, 509 E. Fourth St., will host live music, including Shade of Red at 8 p.m.

Open from 5 to 8 p.m., the Dayton Visual Arts Center, 118 N. Jefferson St., will host a preview party to launch the countdown to its 18th Annual Art Auction, which will be held April 29 at Sinclair Community College. At 7:30 p.m., DVAC will announce the live auction line up.

The Wine Gallery, 5 W. Monument St., will host the photography of local artist Josh Mayes in his exhibit “A Taste of Spring,” which emphasizes flowers and celebrates the change in seasons.

In the Oregon Arts District, Press, an espresso bar and arts space at 257 Wayne Ave. will feature the exhibit “April Fools,” a group art show and live performance by John Gassett, Eric Dunn and Wes Tirey from 7 to 11 p.m. Elaine Balsley Fine Art, 523 E. Fifth St., will host an open house featuring a variety of contemporary art from 3 to 10 p.m. ReCreate, 438 E. Fifth St., will feature original art, instruments and other music-related items.

At the Color of Energy, 16 Brown St., gallery owner Mike Elsass will show a preview of his work that will be featured in Laguna Beach, Calif., next fall. Elsass’ second gallery, Color 2, 519 E. Fifth St., will host an exhibit of new works by Jennifer Rosengarten, Bob Rhoades, Ann Kim, Ben Norton, Amanda Baker and Darren Haper.

Jazz saxophonist and music aficionado Tyrone Martin will perform at First Friday. This photo was taken by Josh Mayes, who will exhibit his work at The Wine Gallery during the event.

Jazz saxophonist and music aficionado Tyrone Martin will perform at First Friday. This photo was taken by Josh Mayes, who will exhibit his work at The Wine Gallery during the event.

Gallery 510 Fine Art, 510 E. Fifth St., will show Christina Pereyma’s “Yellow Box,” an interactive artwork constructed of yellow satin. Visitors will be able to enter the enclosed space and be photographed as part of the exhibit. Gallery 510 also will introduce the wood turnings of Maryland artist Michael Batista. 5th street clayworx, 521 E. Fifth St., will highlight the “Tree of Life” sculptures by Paula Vasquez. Nancy Snyder also will offer functional pottery for the Easter holiday, as well as gifts for weddings and special occasions.

Omega Music, 318 E. Fifth St., will host live music from 6 to 9 p.m. Patrons who present a receipt from another Oregon Arts District business will receive 10 percent off new CDs and LPs, as well as 15 percent off used music.

Other entertainment options abound during First Friday. For example, the monthly Courteous Mass Ride will meet at Don Crawford Plaza in front of Fifth Third Field, on the corner of Patterson Boulevard and Monument Avenue, at 5:15 p.m. for a ride through the city. The Dayton Theatre Guild, 430 Wayne Avenue, presents The Boys Next Door at 8 p.m. and the urban arts showcase “The Signature: A Poetic Medley Show” will take place at  The Loft Theatre, 126 N. Main St., from 9 to 11 p.m.

Jay’s Seafood Restaurant, 225 E. Sixth St., will host Puzzle of Light at 9 p.m. with no cover charge. Las Americas Caribbean Cuisine, 524H E. Fifth St., will offer a special menu and musical entertainment by Armando Garcia. Canal Street Tavern, 308 E. First St., will host the Lab Partners at 9:30 p.m.

Click here for a complete list of events taking place downtown.

In addition, all the restaurants, retail shops, bars and clubs, theaters, The Neon, Wiley’s Comedy Niteclub, Urban Krag Climbing Center, and other establishments throughout downtown will be open during First Friday. For regular updates about this event, follow First Friday on Facebook. The Downtown Dayton Partnership’s website has a complete list of downtown’s arts and cultural amenities, as well as a dining guide, parking map and much more.

Showdown Visual to Open Downtown Location

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Showdown Visual will join a growing community of creative services firms when it opens a downtown office in April.

The Showdown Visual team is comprised of PJ Perretta, Kenny Mosher, Rachel Mosher and Chip James.

Visual media production company Showdown Visual, which recently won 11 prestigious Hermes Awards, will join a growing community of creative services firms located in downtown Dayton when it opens an office in a renovated space at 124 E. Third St. in mid-April.

“We are excited to move downtown to be around so many of our clients, as well as other design firms,” said Kenny Mosher, co-founder of Showdown Visual. “Also, our new space provides the exact creative environment we need.”

Indeed, the move will put Showdown Visual in the company of a dozen creative services firms located in the center city, including Jon Morton Photography, which also will open this spring in the same building. Showdown Visual’s new space will be approximately 2,000 square feet, and it will share a 500-square-foot video and photography studio with Jon Morton Photography.

“The concentration of creative services firms, such as Showdown Visual, in downtown Dayton creates an environment where these firms, located within a walkable distance of each other, can easily network and collaborate,” said Sandy Gudorf, president of the Downtown Dayton Partnership. “Downtown also continues to attract these firms because it offers a variety of nontraditional, architecturally interesting office space that’s well suited ― and even inspiring ― to creative services firms.”

Showdown Visual, founded in spring 2009 by Kenny and Rachel Mosher, won a coveted gold Hermes Award in cinematography as an element of advertising on Feb. 26. The company also won eight silver awards and two bronze. The Hermes Awards, conducted by the American Advertising Federation, recognizes and rewards creative excellence in the art of advertising. Showdown Visual now will advance to one of 14 district competitions and, if it wins at this level, will go on to compete in the national ADDY Awards.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVBTUeRmfqE’]

In addition, Showdown Visual created a video for the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan that has been widely distributed among the dozens of public and private sector partners involved in the Plan, a strategic blueprint for the future of downtown Dayton. Thousands of people have viewed the video, which continues to receive lots of glowing feedback.

“In an era when visual media is impacting every area of our lives, Showdown Visual produces videos that combine creativity, storytelling, cinematography and top-notch editing techniques to separate our clients from their competition,” Kenny Mosher said. “Visual media is the fastest growing and most effective form of marketing in the world today. We believe our locally owned company is changing the game for clients on the local and national levels.”

[yframe url=’http://vimeo.com/groups/beyondthestill/videos/9188506′]

Showdown Visual already has garnered national attention. The company created a music video shot entirely on an iPhone 3GS titled “Play” that has more than 200,000 online views to date. In addition, Showdown Visual and Real Art Design Group, a Dayton-based firm with a client list that includes Fortune 500 companies, have partnered on several projects. They were a national Top 5 finalist in The Story Beyond the Still for a webisode chapter titled Alderwood, a mystery-thriller short film for a national Lexis Nexis marketing campaign. The two companies also partnered on a documentary for Mead introducing its new Builder Research Paper Software.

Showdown Visual already has compiled an impressive client list. Clients include Lexis Nexis, the University of Dayton, Wright State University, Sinclair Community College, Antioch Midwest, Five Rivers MetroParks, Mead, CIN Legal Data, Atomic Interactive, Health Partners Clinic, Miami Valley Research Park, Productive Parenting, Children’s Medical Center Dayton, the Dayton Development Coalition and more.

Also making up Showdown Visual’s creative team are Rachel Mosher, creative director; PJ Perretta, who records audio, writes and produces music, and works with post-production sound design and web programming; and Chip James, who manages project production and client relations.

Oregon District’s “Rule of 17” is History

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As a follow-up to my previous article (please read first) detailing my take on the situation in the Oregon District, I’ll begin by telling you that at last night’s Oregon Historic District Society (OHDS) general membership meeting that I attended, the board of trustees ultimately voted to sign a letter of agreement with the City of Dayton and the Oregon District Business Association that abolishes the “Rule of 17” – an informal resolution passed by city commission stating that at the neighborhood’s request, the city commission would formally object to the State of Ohio Division of Liquor Control any liquor license applications within the OD above and beyond 17.  The funny thing is, after having sat through this sometimes-contentious two-hour meeting with the board and a couple dozen or so neighborhood residents, I get the feeling that this was about much more than liquor licenses.  The following is my personal account of the meeting, and my personal view of the situation.

OHDS vs ODBA

After other less controversial neighborhood business, the discussion turned to the “Rule of 17” and I quickly understood just how deep the divide is between the neighborhood OHDS and the Oregon District Business Association (ODBA).  It is possible that the Israeli–Palestinian conflict might be an easier nut to crack than the OD Divide, with the City of Dayton playing a similar role to the U.S. in that never-ending struggle.  As the conversation moved between trustees and neighborhood residents in the audience (no ODBA or City of Dayton reps were present – correction, one trustee and at least one audience member were ODBA members but not officially representing the ODBA at this meeting), I quickly noticed that many people looked at the situation in terms of a negotiation – one in which they insisted on “getting something” in return for their “concessions” with the perceived enemy.  Emotions ran high with some, and at one point an audience member even started cursing before storming out.  Dissension among the trustees was also obvious despite their genuine attempt to maintain a level of professional decorum.

The specific issue at hand was an agreement drafted by the City of Dayton and signed by the president of the ODBA that outlined a series of steps involving the drawing of new precinct boundaries between the neighborhood and business district, the creation of a ballot measure in which neighborhood residents would have the opportunity to vote their neighborhood precinct “dry” (meaning no liquor license applications could be granted to any business within the residential neighborhood), and finally the abolishment of the “Rule of 17”.  (DaytonMostMetro.com obtained a copy of this letter that can be downloaded here)  As it is worded, the abolishment of the “Rule of 17” would take effect once the letter was signed – language that was the center of debate at the OHDS meeting.

Some trustees and residents voiced concern that if the letter was signed as was currently worded, neither the ODBA nor the city would be required to actually work with the OHDS on the new precinct boundaries or ballot measure and there was the potential for the neighborhood to “get nothing in return” for abolishing the “Rule of 17”.  One trustee insisted that getting rid of the “Rule of 17” would not necessarily mean that desirable businesses would suddenly begin to fill the vacant spaces that exist on Fifth Street.  An audience member dismissed the usefulness of voting the neighborhood precinct dry since any new bar or restaurant would most likely be looking to locate in the business district anyway.  Various audience members voiced concern about parking issues and potential for more problems in the neighborhood should more businesses open along Fifth Street.  It was hard to tell but it seemed like half of those opposed simply wanted to maintain the status quo, and the other half were willing to move forward but wanted stricter language in the agreement that ensured that the ballot measure to vote the neighborhood precinct dry was implemented before getting rid of the “Rule of 17”.

Some in favor of moving forward believed the city commission and others viewed the OHDS as an unreasonable body not willing to compromise on anything, and that by simply signing the agreement and trusting the other parties to continue to work in good faith would help the OHDS’s image and help finally bring the neighborhood and business district together.  One trustee made the point that the “Rule of 17” had little meaning as an informal resolution that neither the city commission nor the state liquor board were bound to abide to.  Another trustee made a motion to draft an alternative letter that would abolish the “Rule of 17” once new precinct lines were drawn and the city commission passed an informal resolution stating that they would work with the neighborhood to get the ballot measure implemented by 2012.  After a lot of back and forth between trustees and audience members, that motion was removed and another trustee moved (in an almost “let’s just do it and go home” gesture) that the board simply sign the letter as is and be done with it.  By then it had been almost two hours since the meeting started, and the feeling that this whole thing would likely be drawn out for eternity was suddenly replaced with a climatically abrupt and suspenseful vote by the board of trustees.

The vote started with one trustee who went on to explain her no vote until shockingly being yelled at by another trustee who insisted that everybody had their chance to speak and nothing more needed to be said.  The next three trustees voted yes, the next three voted no.  4-3 no, with two more to go… the next trustee voted yes and the deciding vote came down to the board president.  I think everybody expected the board president to vote no which at best would draw this process out until God knows when; at worst it would simply stop all progress and further the divide between neighborhood and business district.  But in a dramatic climax that had the feel of a “Law and Order” court scene, the board president gave his one-word response… “Yes”.  The motion passed 5-4 and the thick suspense that had been hanging in the room was quickly replaced by gasps – some of victory, some of defeat.  The meeting was quickly adjourned and I left minutes later.  I have no idea if blood was spilled after that.

Now understand – while I personally know many of the players involved on both sides and plenty of residents in the OD, my perspective is that of somebody who does not live there.  I’ve never been to an OHDS meeting before last night.  But in the two hours I spent at that meeting and with a better-than-average knowledge of the issues, I can comfortably offer my perspective.  This is a complicated issue that goes way beyond the “Rule of 17”, and while I still believe the decision to abolish it was good, I doubt doing so will do much to solve the real problems of the neighborhood, nor will it magically bring all of the Meadowlarks and Rue Dumaines of the world to Fifth Street.  The residents against getting rid of the “Rule of 17” have very valid concerns, and the more I heard those concerns last night the more I get the feeling that many held onto the “Rule of 17” because they felt it was the only thing they had to maintain their quality of life.  Granted, it is still my belief that if you want peace and quiet then go live in Oakwood – but even somebody looking for the urban living experience shouldn’t have to be woken up in the middle of the night on a regular basis by drunk assholes smashing beer bottles and pissing on a few houses on the way to their parked cars that they probably shouldn’t be driving anyway.  I really believe that if the city granted the neighborhood permit parking then the liquor license debate would end for most people in the neighborhood.  It is time for the city to step up and seriously work with the neighborhood to get something to that effect passed.  Fix the atrocious intersection at Fifth and Patterson and make it pedestrian friendly.  Finish by making the massive Transportation Garage (that is literally steps away but barely used by OD patrons) more inviting with nice lighting and signage.  Parking problem solved… you’re welcome.

As for the feud between the OHDS and ODBA, I think it comes down to a few personalities on both sides that have long ago given up on working together.  I have no idea who is right and who is wrong.  Perhaps just because of the nature of things (bars and homes rarely mix well), there will always be friction.  But without a true cooperative spirit, the OD will never reach its full potential.  Perhaps it is time for those who refuse to let go of the past to become part of the past and step aside so that those with fresh ideas and optimism untainted by past failures can step forward and lead the OD into a brighter future.

Now excuse me while I go have a drink with a side of irony at my neighborhood bar, which happens to be… the Southern Belle.

Will the Oregon District Finally Solve Liquor Permit Dilemma?

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Dayton’s Oregon District is an interesting combination of entertainment district and upscale historic residential neighborhood.  It didn’t always have the upscale side though, until the 1970’s and ’80s when some very dedicated citizens began to move into the very rough hood and started bringing back historic homes to their original glory.  In addition to the enormous task of rehabbing old homes, these urban pioneers had to contend with some of the roughest bars in the city.  Not just Fifth Street establishments that helped the district earn the nickname “Filth and Wine”, but especially places like the old Southern Belle and Fred & Sylvia’s situated in the residential neighborhood’s interior.  It was their persistence and never-say-die attitude that helped transform the district into what it is today.  While many of those original pioneers have since moved on, there are still some left and to many of them the fight to keep the riffraff out has never ended.

Before I detail the current situation, here is a brief history of the OD’s liquor permit saga as I understand it based on conversations with several people in the OD:

In 1997, the neighborhood association called the Oregon Historic District Society (OHDS) approved the first liquor permit policy for the district, limiting the total number of allowable permits to 17.  A few years later they reduced it to 16, but in 2004 the City of Dayton approved an additional permit for Coco’s Bistro, with the OHDS deferring to the city.  Soon afterward, the city commission adopted an informal resolution that ensured the commission would not approve liquor permits for the OD above the 17 threshold, and the “Rule of 17” was born.  It should be noted that the State of Ohio Division of Liquor Control ultimately approves or denies liquor permits in Ohio, and while it does consider the City of Dayton Commission recommendations, it does not have to follow them.

In 2007, Thai 9 owner Rob Strong opened the 5th Street Wine & Deli and requested a beer & wine permit.  Since there were already 17 liquor permits, the OHDS objected and the city formally objected to the state.  The state overruled the city and granted the 5th Street Deli its permit, and since the Dayton Gym Club building was sold to the Dayton Theatre Guild without transferring its liquor permit, the total number came back down to 17 and the city did not appeal the 5th Street Deli case.  However, this situation worsened the already contentious relationship between the OHDS and the Oregon District Business Association (ODBA) – a group focused on the OD’s business district.

In 2009, an established bed & breakfast called Inn Port D’Vino applied for its own liquor permit, and the OHDS and subsequently the City of Dayton objected – again based on the Rule of 17.  Like with the 5th Street Wine & Deli, the state liquor board overruled the city and granted the permit, but this time the city appealed at the request of the OHDS board and in 2010 the state board overturned their original decision to grant the permit.  Jeff and Leslie Gonya (owners of Inn Port D’Vino) are appealing that decision and it is currently pending.  They gathered 172 signed petitions from OD residents in an effort to abolish the “Rule of 17”, which they presented to both OHDS and the city commission.  Soon the discussion on whether or not the current “Rule of 17” is still necessary or in fact a detriment to positive growth in the OD was at the forefront.  The debate is not simple and has many sides, including those who want to simply abolish the “Rule of 17” in favor of more business growth, those who do not want any additional alcohol-serving businesses no matter what – and those who fall in the middle.  The later group wants to see 5th Street thriving with more classy establishments like Side Bar and Thai 9 (and less vacant spaces) but are concerned with the possibility that undesirable bars might open shop – and some may even try to open in the interior of the residential neighborhood and jeopardize the quality of life that now exists.

New S.I.D. map including OD Business District (click to enlarge) - Courtesy of Downtown Dayton Partnership

In November 2010, Dayton Commissioners Joey Williams and Nan Whaley met with the OHDS board and suggested a possible solution that all parties might approve.  This involves the ability for the city to divide the OD into two separate voting precincts – the residential neighborhood and the 5th Street business district (based on new SID boundaries that includes existing businesses off of 5th such as Thai 9, Jay’s Seafood and Inn Port D’Vino).  The residential precinct could then vote itself dry, meaning that no liquor permits could be granted to any business within the residential precinct – a binding law that unlike the informal “Rule of 17” resolution, could not be overruled by the city commission or the state liquor board.  With this in place, it is believed that an overwhelming majority of neighborhood residents would then approve getting rid of the “Rule of 17” in favor of more growth in the business district.  As it stands, a letter of agreement between the OHDS and ODBA for the purposes of establishing a new voting precinct in the OD has been signed by the ODBA president Mike Martin, and the ball is now in the OHDS’s court.  There is a monthly general membership OHDS meeting tomorrow (Tuesday February 8 at 7pm), and while the OHDS board doesn’t necessarily have to vote on anything it is believed that this will be the main topic of discussion.  Proponents of the agreement are urging fellow residents to attend this meeting and have their voices heard.

In my many discussions with various players in this saga, I believe there are still neighborhood influencers and OHDS board members who will likely continue to push to keep things as they are, with the “Rule of 17” kept intact.  Sources tell me that the board is evenly split on this latest proposal, and it is unlikely the board will vote in favor of the proposed agreement because of a concern about a lack of specific language that would require the precinct lines be drawn and the dry-neighborhood proposition be placed on a ballot before removing the “Rule of 17” (a feeling that the ODBA refuses to cooperate because of a few conflicting personalities on both sides also exists among various residents).  Ironically, the neighborhood risks losing all protection including the “Rule of 17” regardless of whether or not the OHDS votes to move forward with the agreement, since the “Rule of 17” is an informal resolution that the city commission could eventually dismiss anyway – a distinct possibility given that the most recent commission vote to appeal the state’s granting of a liquor licence to the B&B barely passed 3-2 (with Nan Whaley and Matt Joseph opposing the appeal).  Not to mention that the state can grant liquor licenses regardless of the “Rule of 17”.  Only by voting the residential precinct dry can the OD residents guarantee that no bars can open in the residential neighborhood.

Photo Credit: sbluerock on Flickr

As objectively as I’ve tried to present this complicated situation, I should disclose my own personal bias.  I don’t live in the OD but I have lived downtown for the past 7 years, and while I understand the residents’ concerns about the impacts that businesses on Fifth Street have on their quality of life, I also think that the “Rule of 17” is a draconian tool that has negatively impacted the vibrancy of Fifth Street.  The OD is not just a historic neighborhood with a business district, but it is THE entertainment district for the city and the only authentically local entertainment district in the region; its vibrancy or lack thereof affects all of us, not just the OD neighborhood.  This latest proposal makes sense, and I applaud the leadership that Nan Whaley and Joey Williams have shown in bringing it to the OHDS.  I also applaud the efforts of people like Lt. Larry Faulkner, who has been working closely with bar owners to make sure that incidents are reduced.  It is time for the OHDS to recognize that the status quo is not acceptable, and it is time to adapt to changing times.  It is also time for the ODBA to get over past differences between various individuals and understand that there are in fact many residents and OHDS board members that want the same thing as they do – a vibrant business district.  If language has to be adjusted to make more people comfortable, then make it happen so that we can finally get rid of the “Rule of 17” and move closer toward a united and thriving Oregon District that the rest of the city and region can be proud of.

I attended the public OHDS membership meeting following this article on Tuesday 2/8 – here is the follow-up.

Roll Out The Barrels

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Orange Barrels, Orange Barrels Every Where I  see!

This quote from comedian Todd Yohn (and video below) is about to describe downtown Dayton as our federal stimulus money funds the final phase of the $3 million “Gateway Project.”  Work is projected to begin this Thursday on Main Street and will continue through November.  The following streets are set to be under construction:

• South Main Street, from Sixth to Washington;

• First Street, from I-75 to Main;

• Monument Avenue, from I-75 to Ludlow and from Jefferson to St. Clair;

• Patterson Boulevard, from Monument to the Riverside Bridge;

• Perry Street, from Monument to Sixth;

• Sixth Street, from Main to Wilkinson;

• Third Street, from I-75 to Webster; and

• Wilkinson Street, from Monument to Sixth.

Expect lane closures  and plenty of those “Orange Barrels” as you cruise through downtown!

When Street Art & Government Clash

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OD Knit Graffiti - photo credit: Delectable Dayton

The City of Dayton seems to be stuck somewhere between two forces.  The first is a government mired in an old bureaucratic attitude and uncreative culture with strict rules that focus on regulating instead of facilitating, perhaps from a different era when old captains of industry controlled things in the community.  The other is a new generation of a few progressive-thinking city staffers & officials, a citizenry made up of those who create music and art, and those who enjoy living where creativity (sometimes spontaneous) is embraced and encouraged.  The same subset of city residents that actually CHOOSES to live in the city for the love of an urban environment, despite the enormous challenges that the city faces.

Last month, the Delectable Dayton blog did some great reporting on the spontaneous “knit graffiti” (or “yarn bombs”) that popped up in the Oregon District, and the subsequent heavy-handed reaction by public works employees who allegedly responded to a few complaints by removing this spontaneous street art and threatening to bill the “offending artist” for said removal.  The final chapter in this saga ended with the issue moving from the stand·pat publics works department to the more progressive planning department and a call for this kind of situation to be resolved in the future by community stakeholders instead of city staff.  This was a great example of an issue going viral on the social networks (Facebook, individual blogs, etc.), and the social network reaction is what caused the change in this incident’s trajectory within the city government.  Yes, the more progressive factions of the city government are very plugged into online social networks and I predict we’ll see more actions and reactions come from these online discussions.

Getting back to the OD yarn bomb incident – it is my opinion that we must have a major shift in attitude when it comes to street art in this town.  While the old guard tends to favor more planned, less risque and established out-of-town artists when it comes to public art, the new generation of creatives wants public art to be more spontaneous, thought-provoking, unique and most importantly – done by local artists.  This isn’t to say that city government has always come down against this new generational attitude as Garden Station is a perfect example of city government acting as an enabler.  But other efforts such as c{space have run into a strange combination of conflicting attitudes within city government; regulators vs facilitators, squashers vs champions, traditional vs progressive.  And then there is the OD Yarn Bomb Incident.

Street art can be controversial yet it is important to any urban environment – it differentiates an authentic downtown from the more sterile environments found in typical suburban shopping malls and corporate-driven lifestyle-centers like The Greene.  Nothing against those environments – different strokes for different folks.  But the more diverse lifestyle options a region can offer, the stronger it will be in attracting a talent base necessary for economic growth – and a strong, viable and authentic urban core is an absolute necessity to any region’s economy.  So how do we strike the proper balance between encouraging our local artists when it comes to spontaneous public art, and ensuring that we are creating a truly inspiring urban environment that doesn’t offend the sensibilities of the average resident or visitor?

A possible solution to the public art dilemma could come in the form of a public street arts council – a group of community stakeholders (local artists, residents, business owners) that could be responsible for evaluating potential planned public art installations and quickly approving permits to local artists.  Organization and communication could be done easily, cheaply and rapidly online as opposed to traditional committee meetings and public townhalls.  And this same council and communication system could be used to handle spontaneous street-art incidents, perhaps with online polls that empower citizens to evaluate – hopefully with a sensible yet more laissez-faire attitude than a government bureaucracy.  Whereas typical vandal graffiti would get a majority thumbs down, completely harmless street art like knit graffiti would likely get a pass (as can be seen by the quick poll set up at Delectable Dayton).

As our city continues its transition from old to new economy, we must be looking forward and implementing solutions such as these – lest we lose for good those who make our city more interesting and those who truly appreciate our urban core.

UPDATE: In case some of you haven’t actually clicked on the links in this post, check out the simple solution that Bristol implemented to deal with rogue street art after the fact: http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2009/aug/31/graffiti-art-bristol-public-vote

RiverScape Just Got Better!

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(the following is an official press release from Five Rivers MetroParks)

Five Rivers MetroParks is excited to announce the completion of Phase III of RiverScape MetroPark, a project that will offer more amenities for visitor comfort and accommodate the needs of RiverScape’s and downtown Dayton’s continuing success. All areas of the park are slated to be open to the public after the ribbon cutting, scheduled for 11:30 AM Monday, June 28.

Executive Director Charlie Shoemaker sees Phase III as a fundamental element in the increasing vitality of downtown and an opportunity to build upon the existing foundation of community partnerships. “Since opening in 2001, RiverScape MetroPark has time and again demonstrated its value as a dynamic urban space in Dayton where all segments of our community come together to celebrate our local pride in a unique and beautiful setting,” he said. “The ability of MetroParks and our partners to gain the support for this next phase stands as a testament to RiverScape’s success as a defining piece of our urban environment.”

Patrons will now be able to take advantage of some new and some improved features of RiverScape MetroPark, including:

·         A covered pavilion with a stage and seating perfect for enjoying festivals, community events, free entertainment or just a relaxing lunch with friends. In the winter, the pavilion will house the ice rink, which will be nearly 50 percent larger than the former rink with additional skating hours, more rental equipment and an extended skating season, starting Thanksgiving weekend, November 26.

·         A new bike hub with secure bike storage, showers and lockers. It will provide a central location for downtown commuters going to work or play, as well as a welcome rest stop for recreational cyclists and active families enjoying our region’s extensive recreation trail system.

·         Food concessions operated daily, and during concerts and events by a local Skyline franchisee, featuring salads, wraps, cold treats, sandwiches and patrons’ favorite Skyline fare.

“The realization of Phase III is because of its community partnerships,” Shoemaker said. “Joining the original RiverScape community partners of Five Rivers MetroParks, the City of Dayton, Montgomery County, Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority, Miami Conservancy District and the Downtown Dayton Partnership, the new phase brought us support from Congressman Mike Turner, whose assistance was invaluable in securing federal transportation grants to fund the majority of this project. Support also came from the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. But foremost, none of this would be possible without the support of Montgomery County citizens. We’re grateful every day that the citizens of this region understand the value of the outdoors and its contribution to the overall welfare and health of the Miami Valley through creating personal connections with nature and instilling long-lasting, positive change for those living in the region.”

In addition to increasing the vibrancy of downtown Dayton, it is the goal of Five Rivers MetroParks to encourage families to become healthy by providing safe, affordable and accessible facilities where they can engage in active lifestyles.

Known for breathtaking landscapes, interactive fountains and free entertainment along the banks of the Great Miami River, RiverScape MetroPark has become a favorite outdoor gathering place in downtown Dayton. For almost nine years, this downtown hotspot has offered a cool getaway right in the middle of the city with free concerts, educational programming and the community’s favorite cultural festivals amid the scene of floral landscapes, hanging baskets and relaxing swings.

Five Rivers MetroParks thanks its community partners and the priceless support from Montgomery County citizens paramount to helping RiverScape MetroPark become an integral part of downtown and a symbol of the city’s pride and continued development of its cultural identity.

To learn more about RiverScape MetroPark and the recent renovations, visit www.metroparks.org/RiverScape or call (937) 275-PARK.

Pecha Kucha Peeks at Atta Girl Art & Gardens

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If you love Dayton, like new ideas and want to see what others who believe in our region are up to, you need to experience Pecha Kucha!  Correctly pronounced its four syllables  “peh-cha koo-cha”, but  it’s perfectly acceptable to say you’re headed to PK night!  The concept originated in Tokyo and is based on a presenter having up to 20 slides to talk about for 20 seconds each.  The images forward automatically and presenters talk along to the images.

Held once a quarter, this Friday, June 25th meeting will also be the public debut of South Park Residents Carli & Hamilton Dixon’s newest adventure: Atta Girl Art & Gardens at 905 E. Third Street, just west of Keowee. The site itself is worth the trip, as you’ll see what these brave entrepreneurs have taken on and are revitalizing an old abandoned 18,000 square foot building into:

* Performance space
* Shared studio space
* Coffee/bicycle shop
* Gallery
* Recording studio?
* Artists’ studios
* Urban gardens

And the line up for Pecha Kucha presentations is pretty amazing to:
There’s a Shakespearean actor, an independent truth telling communications major from Wright State, a cinematic art expert, a puppet theater artist, an architect’s perspective on art like Big Butter Jesus, a women’s rock promoter, an advisor on the culture of India, someone who helped bring back nature with art, a sailor and world traveler, an architect who is turning humble oddly shaped garden fruits into stage pieces, and our MC of the evening will share the odyssey of her art and garden studios.
Cost: $5 (includes 1 soft pretzel and 1 beer) Falafels and additional beer also available.  The actual meeting will take place in sculptor Hamilton Dixon’s new studio 811 E. Third Street (just west across the parking lot of the building pictured above). Event starts at 7pm.
No RSVP needed, just grab some friends and get there!

Greater Downtown Dayton Plan Update

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The organizers of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan unveiled “the plan” earlier today, and we’ll have more info to share soon – but for now check out the video that Dayton’s Kenny Mosher put together that sums up just how important Downtown Dayton is, and why the entire region should believe in its future.

The Downtown Dayton Plan from Kenny Mosher on Vimeo.

Come Celebrate a Victory for Dayton

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Written By DaytonMostMetro.com guest contributor Val Hunt Beerbower – PR Specialist at Five Rivers MetroParks

Cyclists celebrate a victory for Dayton during Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights this Friday!

Cycling is taking Dayton by storm, and this pedal-powered movement has captured national attention.

The League of American Bicyclists has honored Dayton, Ohio, with its bronze-level status for a bike-friendly city. “Communities from all areas of the country, climates and populations see bicycling as an integral component of building livable communities,” said League President Andy Clarke. “The Bicycle Friendly Community program is recognizing those leading the way.”

To celebrate this designation and highlight the emerging prominence of bicycling in Dayton, a special escorted group ride is scheduled in concurrence with Urban Nights. Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights, a group ride, kicks off festivities at 5:30 p.m. Friday, May 14, at Fifth Third Field. “This is a great way to bring cycling to the attention of Urban Nights patrons and raise awareness of bicyclists’ right to share the road,” said Andy Williamson, assistant outdoor recreation manager for the Outdoor Recreation Department at Five Rivers MetroParks, and spokesperson for the Drive Less Live More campaign. “It’s a bigger and bolder version of the regular Courteous Mass rides, in which we promote group cycling with an emphasis on learning the rules of the road. This is more of a parade – complete with local celebrities!” In addition to Dayton Police Department officers, Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights will host two Dayton City Commissioners.

There is much cause for celebration within the cycling community. The application process to become a BFC is rigorous; currently only 140 of the 359 total applicants have a BFC four-year designation. Communities vying for BCF status must establish records in two or more of the five categories which are known as the Five Es:

  • Education: Does the community have systems in place to train children and adult cyclists?
  • Engineering: Are bicyclists included in the city’s transportation plan?
  • Enforcement: Do police officers understand and enforce bicyclists’ rights and responsibilities?
  • Encouragement: Does the community participate in Bike Month, offer bike rodeos, host community bike rides, or otherwise encourage cycling?
  • Evaluation: Does the community have methods in place to ensure their bicyclist programs are making a difference?

Adding to the excitement of the occasion is the upcoming opening of the new RiverScape Bike Hub, part of RiverScape MetroPark’s latest development phase. The Hub will feature secured, patrolled areas with 40 bike lockers, four showers, 42 storage lockers, restrooms and food concession stand, making it convenient for bike commuters to head to work on two wheels as well as families in need of a pit stop while enjoying an afternoon on the recreational trails. “The Hub is only the third bike commuter facility to open east of the Mississippi,” says Five Rivers MetroParks Outdoor Recreation Director Greg Brumitt. “Washington, D.C., and Chicago are the other east coast locations, and we’re only the third in the Midwest (besides Chicago and Minneapolis) to open a hub. Certainly, we’re the first mid-size city to open a special bike hub, and that’s something to cheer about.”

Anyone who can ride a bike is invited to join the celebration at 5:30 p.m. Friday, May 14, at Fifth Third Field. Participants are encouraged to enjoy the rest of the sights and sounds of Urban Nights. Five Rivers MetroParks will have its own bike-friendly activities—free bike rentals and pedicabs will be available from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday.

Learn more about other cycling activities and opportunities by visiting the website www.metroparks.org/cycling or calling (937) 275-277-4374.

Gem City Circle Walking Tours: Sharing the legacy of Downtown Dayton

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Historians Leon Bey and Nancy Roach of Gem City Circle Walking Tours

Some local historians are offering a unique look into the vibrancy of a city’s past, and the possibilities of an exciting, expansive future.

Leon Bey and Nancy Roach, of Gem City Circle Walking Tours, have recently begun their fifth season of walking tours for downtown Dayton, highlighting the famous and not-so-famous aspects of Dayton history.

Bey and Roach met five years ago in a manner that Roach characterized as “fate.”

“It was meant to be,” said Roach. “I was doing research in the local history room at the [Dayton Metro] library. I asked the librarian down there if he could help me with some of the information. It was Leon, who just happened to be working as a substitute that day.

“We starting talking about our interest in the community. So I asked him, ‘Would you like to research with me and do a walking tour of downtown?’  He looked at me and said, ‘I have a walk and I’m looking for someone to do it with me!'”

The walks were born on that day.

The duo’s excitement and enthusiasm for Dayton’s rich heritage is evident to anyone who goes “walkin’ and talkin'” with them on one of their leisurely downtown walking tours, which are given on the first and last weekends of the month.

Bey and Roach weave together historical accounts, personal recollections and photographic images to create a vivid experience.  That experience is often reciprocated when local residents share recollections of their own visits to downtown theaters, department stores and businesses long gone. “Some of the people on the tours, the older people, they have great memories,” said Bey.

The old Journal Herald building at 111 E. Fourth Street. Look familiar? It's currently occupied by the night club Hammerjax.

The tours, however, do more than simply highlight the city’s past – they also offer glimpses into possible strategic re-uses of some of downtown’s historic structures like the Dayton Arcade, which was purchased last year by two developers who are intent on restoring the beautiful, five-building complex to its former glory. (Leon Bey founded “Friends of the Dayton Arcade”, a non-profit group dedicated to raising awareness and money for the future development of the Dayton Arcade.)

Far from just revisiting the glories of days gone by, the walks also examine the cultural, social and economic contributions of various ethnic groups and nationalities in the area.  The tours provide a very street-level perspective of Dayton history. Many topics are discussed: The 1913 Dayton Flood, Abraham Lincoln’s visit to Dayton and the history of department stores founded in Dayton are explored.

Gem City Circle Walking Tours offers these programs (partial listing):

  • Oregon Arts District
  • Ghosts, Cemeteries and Murders
  • Miami & Erie Canal Walk of Downtown Dayton
  • Historic Downtown Dayton’s Main Street
  • Ludlow Street

The fee for each walk is $10. Tours are approximately 3 hours long, with scheduled breaks, including an hour for lunch.  Advance reservations are required. Groups are welcome.

For walk reservations or additional information, contact Leon Bey at 937-274-4749 or [email protected].

Will Dayton be among the Bike Friendly?

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images-88Dayton is making it’s move to become the 2nd Bike Friendly Community in Ohio.  In the last few months the City of Dayton has formed a community wide bike and pedestrian task force lead my Commissioner Nan Whaley, striped bike lanes on downtown roads, produced a transportation based bike map for the entire city limits, and most of all, completed and submitted a Bike Friendly Community Application to the League of American Bicyclists.

In the next few weeks the League of American Bicylists plans to announce the 2010 Bike Friendly Community award winners.  Currently only 1 community holds this honor, Columbus, who was named just last fall as the first Bike Friendly Community in Ohio.  Other communities such as Riverside have submitted an application yeilding only an Honorable Mention (meaning, “Not there yet but keep up the good work!”).

2010 submissions were made from two Miami Valley communities, the City of Dayton and the City of Troy.  Both have a very active cycling community and are invested in working toward making the entire Miami Valley a more bike friendly region.  The only other submission in Ohio, to my knowledge, was from Shaker Heights, in the Cleveland Area.

Keep your eyes open for the announcements coming soon.  Good Luck to both Troy and Dayton, the Outdoor Evangelist is rooting for you both.

If you are looking for other exciting cycling related events, visit Drive Less Live More for exciting new programs and event in 2010 such as Bike to the Dragons Games, an expanded Bike to Work Day event list, Bike to It Concert Series at Dave Hall Plaza and of course, one of my favorites, the Courteous Mass and Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights Rides .