I recently took a morning stroll on the nice walking path along the Great Miami River behind the Downtown YMCA.
Riverscape Metropark is a very popular destination on the east side of Main Street, but not as many people continue across and experience the other side.
The path dates back to 1970 with the launch of a major River Corridor Project, which was supported by donations by the Dayton Rotary Club and the Garden Club of Dayton, who also took on a significant role in planning and implementation of a one mile walkway beginning here behind the YMCA.
Today signage identifies it as the River Walk along the Great Miami Riverway.
Today, some of the path is beautifully framed by lines of mature sycamore trees, creating a “tree tunnel” type of experience that gives the walk an almost European feel.
Dayton could use a lot more corridors like this around the city overall. The rows of trees make the walk along a path or sidewalk more pleasant and enjoyable as well as comfortable in the hot summer. To its credit the city, along with the land bank and other organizations, has been working on a new effort to restore and expand the tree canopy.
Looking across the Great Miami River, you can see the Dayton Art Institute and Masonic Temple in the Grafton Hill neighborhood to the east:
And turning back to the north, you see the McPherson Town neighborhood across the river:
The floating structure in the foreground was built to be an amphitheater and stage called River’s Edge, which opened in Fall 1980.
It was described as a “$1.3 million amphitheater, a ship-shaped concrete stage, stairways, ramps and plazas” and was said to be able to seat 1,000 people (Dayton Daily News, 8/26/1980). It also used to have a small bridge to walk across to the stage area.
Even before it opened, construction, which began in spring 1979, was “repeatedly delayed by high water.” Persistent flooding was a major factor in why it did not last long as a performance space.
But it does still give some interesting character to this section of the river, and the ramps and stairs are still used by pedestrians and bikers.
And the walk is also framed by the back of the historic Spanish Revival YMCA building that was built in 1929.
The River Walk along the Great Miami Riverway (W of Main): A Map
If you stay on the upper section, you’ll need to cross Main Street to get to the Riverscape side. But although the Google Map doesn’t show it, you can walk behind the building housing Bar Granada:
Andrew, thank you for the river walk. I often wondered what this walk was like as it was started long before much of Riverscape was opened.
You are very welcome. It’s one I definitely enjoy today, and I would have loved to have seen what it was like back when they were trying to do entertainment on that floating pavilion!