We know we’re hopping right over Christmas and New Year to Valentine’s Day – but that is just what we do sometimes!
Loveland, Ohio – Debbie Murray was crowned the 2020 Loveland, Ohio Valentine Lady on December 12, 2019, at the Works Pizza in Historic Downtown. Her family and Valentine Ladies who are former holders of the crown lured Debbie to the local restaurant under false pretenses so they could surprise her – and it worked. Debbie becomes the 34th Loveland Valentine Lady.
This exclusive LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV video is of the marvelous moment and contains an interview with Debbie so our readers can get to know the next lady in red you will see all around town next year and in the schools. You might also find Debbie at the Loveland Post Office postmarking Valentine cards, but definitely not on the bulletin board. She’s too nice of a “Lady” for that!
Read these other stories about the Loveland Valentine Program…
Loveland, Ohio – The Little Miami River Chamber Alliance has released the walking map for Saturday’s Christmas in Loveland in Historic Downtown.
A Few Fun Facts About Christmas in Loveland
The event takes place from 4-9 PM, Saturday, December 14.
Train rides will be available at the Loveland Museum Center as well as a trolley that will take guests from Downtown Loveland to the museum.
Maps of all the activities will be placed inside local businesses and by the clock tower in Downtown Loveland.
The back portion of Railroad Avenue will be closed for horse-drawn carriage rides.
You can line up for carriage rides on Railroad Avenue across from Lyle’s Bike’s, Brews & BBQ.
A Holiday Trolley will be available to transport people to the Loveland History Museum from Harrison Avenue at no charge.
Entertainment will be held in the center of downtown next to the fountain.
Right Click on the MAP to open a larger view or download this file and print your own. The Maps will also be available at downtown businesses on Saturday. (2019 Christmas in Loveland Walking Map)
Be swept back in time while visiting Old Historic Loveland on this special day. Everything from Jolly Ole’ St. Nick and Mrs. Claus at the North Pole, to a live Nativity scene, to a Winter Wonderland!
This is the time of year that Loveland Businesses give back to the community. This complimentary event offered to the community draws over 3000 individuals each year and is Loveland’s way of saying “Thank you for your Business!!”
This illustration* shows the reconfiguration of the streets in Historic Downtown in the City of Loveland’s Downtown Strategic Development Plan
(“Right Click” this Map and open a new tab or window for an enlarged view)
Intersection reconfiguration – Develop parcels
• Explore, design and fund a reconfigured Loveland Avenue at State Route 48/Second Street.
• Confirm feasibility of Broadway Square-About.
• Explore, design and fund a reconfigured Broadway and State Route 48/Second Street intersection.
• Develop sites created by reconfigured Loveland Avenue and Second Street reconfiguration.
Loveland, Ohio – The 5-10 year timeline of the City of Loveland’s proposed Downtown Strategic Development Plan could throw a wrecking ball into the current strategy of how to route school buses, EMS, Fire, Police, and other rush-hour vehicular traffic to a proposed new school campus at Grailville.
Under the Loveland School District’s facility master plan adopted on April 16, they will be constructing a new Pre-K through fifth-grade campus on 110 acres at the property known as Grailville, located on O’Bannonville Road, east of downtown Loveland. Preliminary plans show the main entrance to the new school campus to be on St. Rt. 48 near St. Columban School and the White Pillars Subdivision. There will also be ingress and egress on O’Bannonville Road.
The real estate is currently owned by the Grail, an Ohio nonprofit organization. The District has an option to purchase the vacant land.
The map above shows the reconfiguration of the streets in Historic Downtown in the City of Loveland’s Downtown Strategic Development Plan that was approved by the Loveland Planning and Zoning Commission this past August and by Loveland City Council on September 10.
The Downtown Strategic Development Plan proposes placing a new commercial development into a space freed-up when West Loveland Avenue and St. Route 48 is bisected. Also, a “Square-About” replaces the current five-way intersection at St. Route 48, Hanna Avenue, 2nd Street, and Broadway.
On July 26 the District passed a resolution asking voters to approve a combined 16.78-mill Operating and Bond levy that if passed on November 5, will pave the way to the Grailville campus opening in the fall of 2022.
The street re-configuration is proposed to be implemented within 5 to 10 years, i.e., 2024-2029.
TIMELINE
March 22, 2019 – District acquires an option to purchase 110 acres at Grailville for 3 new school buildings (Pre-K through fifth-grade campus on 110 acres).
April 16, 2019 – Loveland School District’s facility Master Plan adopted that proposes Pre-K through fifth-grade campus on 110 acres at Grailville).
July 26, 2019 – School District puts combined 16.78-mill Operating and Bond levy on the ballot that if passed on November 5, will pave the way to the Grailville campus opening in the fall of 2022.
August, 2019 – Downtown Strategic Development Plan approved by the Loveland Planning and Zoning Commission with bisected West Loveland Avenue and St. Route 48, and a new “5-Way Intersection”. New commercial development will replace part of current West Loveland Avenue and St. Route 48.
September, 2019 – Loveland City Council adopts the Downtown Strategic Development Plan reccomended by the Planning Commission.
September 2022 – Proposed Grailville Campus opens.
2024-2029 – West Loveland Avenue and St. Route 48 in Historic Downtown are bisected, making space for new commercial development.
2024-2029 – “Square-About” replaces five-way intersection at St. Route 48, Hanna Avenue, 2nd Street, and Broadway.
Read the City of Loveland’s proposed Downtown Strategic Development Plan: Downtown Master Plan (Go to page 51 to read “YEARS 5 TO 10 AND BEYOND”)
(*The under-layer of the illustration (MAP) above is taken from Loveland’s Downtown Strategic Development Plan. Arrows and text have been added to show probable bus and vehicular traffic patterns to a Grailville school campus under the plan)
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Some really nice things, in great shape! — including: 2 matching overstuffed armchairs, 4 matching World Market wood tables in various sizes, 5 matching small round wicker side tables, 1 small wicker chest of drawers, 1 lateral file, 10 super-comfy World Market folding wood relaxation chairs with full length cushions, white restroom/bedroom cabinet, monitor, a set of matching rugs – and many small items.
This event is FREE and the public is encouraged to attend
The format will follow the same as in the past:
Candidates will each present for 2 minutes to open the forum.
Questions will be asked for 60 minutes allowing each candidate two minutes to reply or pass.
After 60 minutes candidates will close with a 2 minute speech.
Residents will be putting their questions into a “hat,” and all questions will be screened for duplication. The Honorable Judge Brad Greenburg (Hamilton County Courthouse) will serve as the emcee.
Who’s watching out for Loveland’s resident taxpayers? Our city leaders have ventured down a road with a questionable road map. The city is in the midst of possibly the most expensive civic project ever with $7+ million of resident taxpayer money on the line to construct a parking garage.
Cory O’Donnell lives in the White Pillars Subdivision and is a Loveland City Council Candidate
Who would argue the need for a parking facility given the explosion of visitors to the downtown area? Certainly, there needs to be adequate parking to support the masses that want to enjoy the available offerings.Visitors welcome the day when they don’t have to circle the downtown area for what seems to be an eternity to secure a valuable parking spot. Alternatively, some come to spend their time and money only to turn around and go home…nowhere to park.
Imagine the business owners that are giddy with the prospect of the resident taxpayers footing the bill to get more cash through their doors.Who could blame them for the smiles on their faces? Not me; what a gift!
But here’s where the roadmap leads to resident taxpayer disaster. There is no published plan to recover the $7+ million and make the taxpayers whole. Further, my calculator can’t get to a full lot, 365 days a year for 30 years, that will recover resident taxpayer investment.
I am far from knowledgeable about developing, constructing and managing a public parking garage. My assumption is our city leaders are well versed in public policy, zoning, codes, and other daily municipal functions, but there are specialists in private development that have the knowledge and expertise to make this happen on a for-profit basis.
Is it too late to get the proper road map that assures resident taxpayers are not left holding this massive debt?
P.S.Our city is already committed to close to $48,000 annually in debt service for the Christman Farm property on Butterworth Road acquired in 2007 which has remained vacant all these years and has disappeared from the city council’s interest. This translates to hundreds of thousands of resident taxpayer’s dollars being flushed down the proverbial toilet for too many more years.
Can you afford more?Who’s going to step up to the plate and get the answers?
Loveland, Ohio (The Staycation Resort of Southwest Ohio)- I met Meredith Taylor and Mark Bersani on the most beautiful of sunny afternoons on the bank of our State and National Scenic and wild Little Miami River yesterday to ask them questions about the up-coming Loveland Frogman Race, but the conversation also turned to important topics of interest about two Loveland institutions. Mark and his wife Robin own Loveland Canoe & Kayak and Meredith is the Program Director of the Little Miami River Chamber Alliance.
Click the paddle to learn more about the Loveland Frogman Race and how you can register. Registration is filling up fast!
The Frogman Race is centered at Loveland Canoe & Kayak in Historic Downtown and Mark promises plenty of available parking in the civic lot adjacent to his business. You will be taken by bus into Warren County to canoe/kayak back to Loveland, and then bike the Loveland Bike Trail to Miami Township’s Riverview Park and sprint back again. Sprint if you can, however, Mark and Meredith say the event is more for fun than the competition of it. There is however plenty of pride and friendly home-grown competition in winning or beating your time from last year. Can you claim the title of “Top Frog”?
Individual spots (all of the kayaks have been reserved) for the 5 Mile Canoe/Kayak, 8 Mile Bike ride, and 5K Run have filled, but you can still register as a team and reserve a canoe.
Both Meredith and Mark were pretty coy in their answers when asked whether anyone would run into the famous Loveland Frog along the course, in or out of the river!
We also talked about wine tastings, morning mixers, the Chamber’s 300th member celebration, the Fall for Symmes Fall Festival, and the annual Chamber award banquet.
Mark shares the remaining dates on their river calendar if you still want to get on the scenic river this year and how he and Robin are hosting a large group of inner-city youth on the river immediately after the finish of the Frogman Race.
PHEW! That’s a lot of good information. I hope you enjoy our conversation.
Loveland, Ohio – In 2018, the City contracted with Yard and Company to prepare and create a Downtown Master Plan.
The Planning and Zoning Commission met on August 20 to hear Yard and Company present their final plan.
During the presentation, it was not clear that Yard and Company were yet aware of City plans for a parking garage and new entrance into the downtown from St. Rt. 48, or that the school district has an option to purchase 110 acres of Grailville property for a new school campus.
The Commission voted unanimously to approve and adopt the plan and send it along to City Council for their consideration.
Loveland, Ohio – City Council held a public hearing on August 13, to hear public comments on the proposed purchase of 1.15406 acres of land in Historic Downtown and to construct a parking facility. An entrance to the garage from Rt. 48 is an integral part of the plan presented by City Manager, Dave Kennedy.
The property includes eleven parcels contiguous to First Street to the west and Second Street/State Route 48 to the east. The parcel total 1.15406 acres.
Peter and Matthew Ross agreed to a selling price of $550,000 which matched the appraisal obtained by the City. The total “appropriation” cost according to Kennedy, will be $571,150. Council has already authorized Kennedy to purchase the land.
Council gave the City Manager authority to complete the purchase in May once he completed studies to see if there were such things as environmental or soil problems that would prevent the city from building a garage on the site. These videos are of Kennedy’s report to Council and the public comments they received during the public hearing. After the public hearing, Council debated whether or not to give the City Manager further direction and support for moving ahead with the purchase.
To built the garage would cost between 6 and 6.8 million dollars in addition to buying the land.
Loveland, Ohio – Scott Carney is an artist and photographer and says that he and his family have lived in the Loveland area for over 30 years. He grew up in Carmel, Indiana and studied Fine Art at Ball State University. He took this iconic photo in Historic Downtown on the bank of the State and National “Scenic” Little Miami River. The Little Miami River is one of 156 American rivers designated by the U.S. Congress or the Secretary of the Interior as a National Wild and Scenic River.
You can see more of Carney’s photography and his other art on his Facebook page.
Many know Scott as a former Pole Vault coach at Loveland High School.
We know we’re hopping right over Christmas and New Year to Valentine’s Day – but that is just what we do sometimes!
(“Right Click” this Map and open a new tab or window for an enlarged view)
Read the 
![[Video Interview] Loveland Frogman Race](https://lovelandmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/My-Movie-1.jpg)
by Cassie Mattia
Both Meredith and Mark were pretty coy in their answers when asked whether anyone would run into the famous Loveland Frog along the course, in or out of the river!
![[VIDEO] Parking garage coming to Historic Downtown](https://lovelandmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/feature-loveland-parking-garage.jpg)
Loveland, Ohio – Scott Carney is an artist and photographer and says that he and his family have lived in the Loveland area for over 30 years. He grew up in Carmel, Indiana and studied Fine Art at Ball State University. He took this iconic photo in Historic Downtown on the bank of the State and National “Scenic” Little Miami River. The Little Miami River is one of 156 American rivers designated by the U.S. Congress or the Secretary of the Interior as a 