The Impact:
Transformation at all scales
A project as versatile as this can have benefits for people at all levels in a community. From individual health benefits to countywide access to parks, transforming underutilized cemeteries creates many benefits.
Benefits for Communities and the Environmental
Community Benefits
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Mental Health Boost​
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Physical Health​
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Stronger Social Connections​ and Reduced Loneliness
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Improved Property Values​
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Reduced Noise Pollution​
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Educational Opportunities​
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Cultural Expression
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Safety and Security
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Inclusive Access
Environmental Benefits
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Improved Air Quality​
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Climate Regulation​
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Carbon Sequestration​
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Stormwater Management​
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Habitat for Wildlife
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Biodiversity and Green Spaces
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Sustainability Education
County Wide Vision
In Cincinnati, 91% of residents live within a 10-minute (about 0.5 mile) walk from a park or greenspace.
Could that be a reality for all of Hamilton County?
Most people in Hamilton County live reasonably close to a cemetery because of the large number of them and their even distribution across the county.
A 0.5 mile buffer around cemeteries, parks, and greenspaces captures most of the area of Hamilton County.
By reimagining our cemeteries as multifunctional greenspaces, we could start to make a park within a 10-minute walk a reality for all of Hamilton County.
Neighborhood Connection
As urbanization continues, cemeteries are no longer on the outskirts of town, they are increasingly being enveloped into towns' and cities' urban fabric. By making the cemeteries multifunctional, they can better be incorporated into the neighborhood, its functions, and its community.
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This project suggests connecting cemeteries to other existing neighborhood amenities through a network of trails.
In Cheviot, longer Go Vibrant walking paths can be created to encourage visitors to the area to walk on the sidewalk or bike on the roads between neighborhoods amenities like Harvest Home Park and the existing Green Township Rail-Trail.
In Price Hill, an older existing carriage road and abandoned railroad bed can be used to reestablish a walking path that can connect two existing parks and trail network.