Elements the College Hill Crawford Field Committee Want Included in the Pleasant Hill Academy Site Plan

Representatives of the College Hill Forum have worked with Cincinnati Public Schools for the past eight months to create a new site plan for Pleasant Hill Academy. We ask that these elements be included in any site plan approved by the Forum:

1. An historic plaque honoring John T. Crawford.

2. A south-facing raised bed school garden

3. A baseball field on the old school site

4. Basketball courts visible from the street.

5. An outdoor classroom (modeled on North Avondale) on a hillside

6. Keep the play structure on the lower playfield.

7. A well lit walking path created by retaining nine feet of the asphalt on the perimeter of the playfield. The asphalt on the inside of the path will be removed and returned to green space.

8. Keep the concrete retaining walls, steps, sidewalks and most of the trees on the west side of the old building.

9. Reduce the size and height of the library parking lot to increase visibility and security and onsite water retention.

10. Reach an agreement with the city on who owns and maintains the Devonwood Walk-through. Add a light and make it accessible.

11. A plan to keep the school grounds well maintained and safe. The grounds are currently very overgrown which has led to increased illegal activities and misuse. The overgrown woods supports a herd of deer.

12. A multi-purpose practice football/soccer/physical education field with upgraded turf behind the school building.

Key Points of the Cincinnati Public Schools Proposal for Crawford Field/Pleasant Hill Grounds

Some key points of CPS proposal

o Demo of old Pleasant Hill/Modular structures

o Improve traffic flow and athletic fields

o No change to library and new school

o Widen drive for busses

o Connect handicap spaces to library with sidewalk

o Take away parking lot on west side of library

o 160 x 360 field(Football for 7^th and 8^th graders) replacing pavement

o Retaining access to Reid and Wittekind

o Walking loop paths

o Field in back northeast will be green space

o Paved area in back will be taken out

o More than 50% is hard surface (concrete/roof) under new plan, 30% would be

o Reduced number of parking spaces

Good-Bye Remarks for Amy Finnegan, Forum President

Remarks delivered by incoming Forum President Phyllis Slusher at outgoing President Amy Finnegans last Forum meeting, May 25, 2010.

As much as Amy Finnegan loves this neighborhood, she’d finally had it with some out-of-control neighbors --and bought a new home outside of College Hill.

In February, the College Hill Forum Board unanimously rejected Amy’s offered resignation and asked her to stay on through the end of her term.

Sadly, that’s tonight. When we lose Amy Finnegan, we lose a major contributor to this community. And we lose a Forum president who never lost her cool -- or her class --during her busy term as president.

Amy led us through a tough decision making process with the Episcopal Retirement Homes proposal for the Eastern Star property. She took a lot of slings and arrows on behalf of the Forum, but never returned fire.

Perhaps, in her finest hour, Amy convinced the owners of the Hillrise apartments to work with the CH community - after years of unsuccessful attempts to get the owners to respond. Amy organized the investigation which disclosed no workable plan to improve conditions for residents. She led the community campaign to keep Hillrise from being rewarded with government money -- and to hold Hillrise accountable for their failings – and for their bedbugs.

Instead of simply complaining about EZ Market, she went to the store to discuss our concerns with the owner and get him involved. She later worked with the CPOP committee to effect some major improvements there.

Amy founded our National Night Out celebration to honor our fire fighters and police officers. Every year, she only got the exhibitors, got the food, got the drinks, got the volunteers, got the band, made the fliers, did the marketing and made sure it always was a fun event that got College Hill on the news – in a good way!

Amy has walked with Citizens on Patrol, she’s cleaned up litter and trash at every clean-up, worked every Pumpkin Patch and every Rhythm Race. She’s taken every Garden Tour, shopped at Farm Market, patronized most every business on the Avenue and built relationships with state and local officials – and she’s done it all with energy and enthusiasm.

Please join me -- with energy and enthusiasm – as we say goodbye and thank you to Amy Finnegan.