City Council committee holds meeting in OTR to hear from residents

CINCINNATI (WXIX) - The Cincinnati City Council’s Healthy Neighborhoods Committee is once again taking its meeting on the road to speak directly with residents in Over-the-Rhine.

On Wednesday night, the committee spoke with residents about issues, concerns and highlights when it comes to living in OTR.

Several topics that were mentioned in the meeting were business investment, property development, parking and community relations, and safety.

“Parking is one of those perennial issues, and as development has moved to the northern part of OTR, we’re starting to have more and more issues with parking, which is a mixed blessing. It means there are a lot of people that want to be in the neighborhood, they want to live here, they want to shop here, they want to visit, but it puts a stress on the people who live here and trying to find a space to park,” said John Wulsin, OTR Community Council President. “It’s gotten harder over the last few years as the neighborhood has continued to become more popular.

Crime is also something residents are worried about.

According to city statistics, homicides and rape cases have gone down over the previous years in OTR, but burglary and auto theft numbers are trending upward.

“I think there are some issues other neighborhoods are dealing with, I think that some of the issues that are unique in OTR is because we have this density of residents and businesses, and we have a lot of people living in a close area, and so some of the challenges that creates is some of the people literally, and sometimes metaphorically, are brushing shoulders,” Wulsin explained.

The OTR council president says that some workers had to even be escorted from their cars to and from work in the area.

However, one exciting feature coming to OTR is the Findlay Rec Center.

“CRC has been working with the city to get a new rec center,” Wulsin said. “[There’s going to be] an indoor pool and we’re going to have outdoor rooftop fields, we’re going to have a climbing wall, a lot of great fitness facilities, spaces to meet for the community council and other groups, places to have birthday parties, a roller rink - there’s so much.”

Several businesses and organizations attended Wednesday’s meeting at the OTR Rec Center.

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