river access. “You can’t put steps on the levee. You can’t put a flagpole on the levee because it’s protecting the entire community. Because of this natural elevation, the east side of this bank is higher than that elevation, it was never designated.” The $14 million streetscape project transforms this advantage into reality. Plans include laying back the current steep riverbank to create two canoe and kayak access points, with one being ADA accessible. “We plan on having canoe and kayak lockers. If you’re canoeing down the river, you can pull off, secure it, have a place to clean up and go in and have dinner downtown,”Westendorf says.The vision includes outdoor entertainment, with concert venues viewable from the water. Franklin’s position on the Great Miami River Trail, named Ohio’s Best Bike Trail in 2019, connects it to 99 miles of paved paths. The Slipcast Brewery, a $5 million project at Sixth and Riley, will anchor the northern edge of downtown. “Light means life,” Westendorf emphasizes, describing color-changing lighting installations that will create Instagramworthy backdrops while extending downtown activity into evening hours. 6 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 07
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