Photograph by Sarah McCosham
In 2014 a new park arrived in the beloved ’burb of Blue Ash, Ohio. Summit Park was the culmination of years of planning, successful tax levies, and community dialogue centered around what to do with the eponymous Blue Ash Airport, which occupied a Jan Brady space between CVG and Lunken.
Photograph by Sarah McCosham
Since its first tentative steps in 2014 (where my son Harvey took his first tentative steps, in fact) to today, Summit has evolved from a modest park with a modern playground and large green space to an entire destination. Let’s count the ways, shall we? Summit Park has several esteemed restaurants. Seasonal ice skating and a robust lineup of annual festivals. An entire shopping village. Outdoor fitness classes. An epic dog park. Luxury apartments and beautiful adjacent neighborhoods. Glorious trails and lush prairies where native plants and pollinators bloom and buzz. And, in a nod to its former life, a record-setting observation tower offering, on a clear day, views all the way to Cincinnati.
Photograph by Sarah McCosham
My kids always gravitate toward the nature playscape, though, for a variety of reasons that speak to each of their personalities. Pearl, my always-moving spitfire, loves flying back and forth on the zip line. Harvey, who I swear is part Spider Man, attacks the climbing area with aplomb. My right-hand girl, Mary, is always happy to push a swing or oversee water play, while Julian, a teenager who loves nothing more than loafing on the couch (with a book in hand, obviously), could swing back and forth for hours.
Photograph by Sarah McCosham
As a parent, Summit Park occupies a special place in my heart, for the above reasons and so many more. It’s one of those places that’s truly the sum of all its parts, and its unique layout and location is certainly part of its charms. As you drive into the parking lot, you’ll notice the former airport landing strip remains intact—not only does it make for an excellent walking loop, but it’s also, as I’ve discovered, a perfect place for kids making the leap from training wheels to two wheels.
Photograph by Sarah McCosham
I guess what I’m saying is that picking a favorite feature of this park is like picking a favorite child—you love them all for so many different reasons and can’t imagine life without your entire rag-tag crew. Blue Ash, and, more broadly, Cincinnati, is so lucky to have you, Summit Park.
Summit Park, 4335 Glendale Milford Rd., Blue Ash
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