The Scioto Mile is a signature park along the Scioto River stretching from the Arena District to Whittier Peninsula. This $38 million investment in the Riverfront is critical to the revitalization of downtown. The project consists of two parts:

1. The Promenade on the Scioto Mile
The Promenade on the Scioto Mile – a grand Promenade stretching along Civic Center Drive from Broad Street to Rich Street. The Promenade will serve as a seamless green corridor connecting Battelle Riverfront Park with the John W. Galbreath Bicentennial Park. It will be 30 feet wide and lined with large deciduous trees on both sides of the street to provide a canopy of shade during hot summer days.

The historic carved limestone balustrade, a beaux-arts architectural style built as part of the floodwall project in the 1920s, will be fully restored to its original condition. Next to the balustrade will be a 4-foot wide linear water canal with a series of water jets to animate the water surface and a continuous stone bench on which visitors can rest and dip their feet in the cool, moving water.

A 14-foot wide multi-purpose pedestrian pathway will allow for unrestricted movement along the Promenade. A 4-foot wide stone colonnade loggia with trellis structure, accent lighting and copper-roofed pavilions will be built adjacent to the pedestrian pathway. Swinging benches will be integrated into the colonnade, along with traditional park benches, card and chess tables for the enjoyment of users.

In the center of the Promenade will be a plaza with seasonal flowers in attractive planters. The plaza will feature a signature water feature which will be the centerpiece of the Promenade. The Promenade Fountain on Huntington Plaza will attract children and adults alike and create a cool place to meet. The simplicity and the richness of the materials used in its design, including its marble base, give this fountain a civic characteristic appropriate to the Ohio Judicial Center across the street.

The Promenade will be constructed to facilitate the popular summer festivals, including water and electric service hook-ups. Free wireless Internet service will be available. Civic Center Drive will be narrowed from four lanes to two and converted to two-way traffic flow to make the Promenade more accessible and safe. The cost for the Promenade is approximately $20 million.

2. The John W. Galbreath Bicentennial Park
This popular Park will be transformed with several new features. A stunning 15,000 sq. ft. water fountain will replace the existing fountain, consisting of several different pools of water that can take myriad geometric shapes with special effect lighting to facilitate a varied viewing experience throughout the day. The fountain will have interactive areas with children access, as well as a central pool with a towering jet of water that will operate 365 days a year.

A stone-paved plaza and arcing seat-wall will be built adjacent to the fountain. The Park will get a permanent band shell made with a reflective metal exterior and wood interior to enhance acoustics. A glass-enclosed café restaurant with outdoor dining terrace overlooking the Park will serve as an architectural icon along the Riverfront. Attractive seasonal floral displays and landscaping will enrich the Park experience. The cost for these improvements to Bicentennial Park is approximately $18 million.