My son, Marshall, simply calls it "The Otto Park." We have been visiting the playground at Otto Armleder Memorial for well over a year now. I think the first time I was there, Miles (now a month away from two years old) was still hanging out in the Baby Bjorn. The playground, designed for ages 2-5, is just the right size for my two tykes. The facilities are fairly new, with playground, restrooms, water fountain, and picnic shelter just off the parking lot. Huge open fields surround this area, allowing caregivers to ease their minds about traffic and just let the kids run, run, run. It's never crowded, but there are plenty of people utilizing the paved bike trail so you don't feel deserted: runners, hikers, and dog walkers. The dog park at Otto Armleder gets good reviews. My golden retriever neighbor enjoys it too.
Playground
Shelter
Beyond the playground, the paved trail beckons.
As many times as I've taken the boys to the Otto Park, it was only recently, that I struck out with the double stroller and went exploring. Wow! The boys and I found ourselves immersed in a vibrant Prairie. In this late summer, the grasses and flowering plants were growing high above our heads. How nice to explore it from the comfort of a paved trail. In recent years, I've become more and more interested in native plants, secretly hoping to turn the big, sun-drenched, weed-filled side yard of my house into a beautiful wildflower garden. Maybe when the boys are a little bigger. I wonder if anyone would notice a big patch of missing prairie out here? Hmmmmm... Probably not a good idea. But, the camera captures a few patches pretty well:
The boys and I slowly made our way down the path,
checking the plants,
the butterflies,
the vultures...
This bold bird took some time out of his busy day to make our acquaintance (or he was eyeing Miles as his next big feast--he was awfully close--eek)!
From behind the playground, we had walked down the path to the right (heading south, I believe) and come to a place where the Little Miami River can be accessed for fishing, canoeing, and tossing stones. Here, there is a large grass patch reserved for cars to park, and a bike rack. There are no restrooms or water fountains, though. You can also access a hiking trail here. If only I had known! Since we had already spent quite a bit of our morning at the playground and on the bike path, I knew hiking would be pushing the limits of the all important nap-time and I wanted plenty of time to explore. So, next time I will make it a point to park near the trail head for a hike. (Look for another post in the near future).
I did let the boys spend some time at the river. The water here is shallow enough that we could walk out into the middle of the river with only our ankles getting wet. What a neat feeling! Of course, the boys stooped down to collect stones and little shells for throwing, so they ended up with wet butts too--one of these days, I'll remember to bring extra clothes. Oh, well.
Looking down river, I could see cars moving along the Beechmont Levy bridge. Just beyond the bridge is Lunken Airport. The airplanes come and go continuously overhead, entertaining the kids, and reminding that we're not as far into the wild as it may seem. With all the hustle and bustle of our little city, it's easy to forget how many natural places do exist here. The Otto Armleder Park is a great place to bring the kids or the dogs, the roller blades or the running shoes. But, I encourage you to look beyond the nice, new facilities and take some time to explore the natural wonders beyond. I'm glad we did and can't wait to try the hiking trail next time!
