Cincinnati Parks: Eden Park's Newest Attraction Is Here! Come Visit Tom Jones Commons

Press release from Cincinnati Parks:

Sarah Moskovitz

2021-07-23

Tom Jones Commons 

Eden Park is a true urban oasis and is among one of the most visited Cincinnati Parks. People love its diverse features, like Twin Lakes Overlook, Presidential Grove, Krohn Conservatory and Mirror Lake. If you enjoy Eden Park now, we’re excited to share it just got better with its newest attraction. Tom Jones Commons, a 3.5-acre area located south of Mirror Lake and along Martin Drive near the old reservoir, is an important extension of this park because of its many features, like wetlands, new trees, a walking loop, a nature playscape and connectivity to other parts of the park. This new addition to Eden Park is evidence our parks system is always evolving and improving, and we couldn’t be more excited for the public to go out and enjoy it. Our very sincere and special thanks go to the benefactor who made this amazing new space possible, Tom Jones.

How and why did Tom Jones choose this space to leave a legacy and create a place for everyone to enjoy? Well, it’s quite an inspiring story. Tom lived in Mt. Adams for 40 years, and upon retiring from P&G, he began taking morning walks through Eden Park. These daily walks led to friendships with Cincinnati Parks staff including Casey McCann Parks District Crew Leader who would often join Tom, regular encounters with local wildlife, like deer and ducks, and small acts of kindness, such as picking up trash.

Eden Park gave Tom so much, he wanted to return the favor. How could he give back in a meaningful way that would benefit both the park and the community? Tom connected with Steve Schuckman of Cincinnati Parks and Jennifer Spieser of Cincinnati Parks Foundation, and together they created a plan to transform the empty reservoir space below Mirror Lake into a place where community members can gather, recreate, play and explore. Tom described the Commons as “A space coming to life offering something for everyone, a true representation  of why I believe in and support parks. Wherever you live, parks make that world a better place for everyone. Be a part of their story. Use and support and caring is your way to say thank you.” We are beyond grateful for his vision and generosity and can’t wait to see the positive impact it has on the park and the community.

This project wouldn’t be possible without our amazing partners at Cincinnati Parks Foundation, The Board of Park Commissioners, The City of Cincinnati and all the Cincinnati Parks staff involved in this project at every level. “On behalf of our Park Board, staff and especially all of those who use our parks, we offer our gratitude for the generosity and passion of Mr. Tom Jones in the further development of Eden Park at the Tom Jones Commons. We are thrilled to welcome this amazing new feature to our parks system allowing our residents to enjoy this space in new ways for many years to come,” said Kara Kish, Cincinnati Parks Director.

Read more below to learn about the history of Eden Park and the reservoir, and the various features of Tom Jones Commons. We can’t wait to see you out exploring this new part of Eden Park.

History of Eden Park and reservoirs 

Cincinnatians of the early nineteenth century generally regarded the area now known as Eden Park as largely useless wasteland. While much of the area lay within the city limits and was not far from the center of town, its rough features and inaccessibility prevented it from being developed.

Cincinnati is fortunate to be ranked as a top 10 park system, however as this project represents, no one is resting on their laurels. The Cincinnati Park Board, staff and key partners, such as the Cincinnati Parks Foundation, volunteers, and the sincere generosity of individuals such as Tom Jones, are working to seize every opportunity to improve our parks, amenities and programs for the enjoyment of everyone. In addition, we want to thank MKSK Landscape Architects and Prus Construction for their work on the project.

This press release was produced by Cincinnati Parks. The views expressed here are the author’s own.