Anderson Township residents will get their first formal public park on a stretch of the Little Miami River that has been closed to public use since the 1997 flood.
Old Fort Park, a 6-acre property off Debolt Road in the township's northwest corner, will open this fall with fishing platforms, a scenic overlook, an unpaved half-mile loop trail and a natural play area, according to the township's August 2026 newsletter.
Trustee Chair Dee Stone said in the newsletter that the project has drawn significant public interest. "I think it's going to be a popular spot for a quiet retreat and a place to be close to the river, and we plan to present this opportunity as quickly as possible," she said.
The confirmed timeline is faster than expected. As recently as April, the township's newsletter estimated changes could be in place by 2027. In May, assistant township administrator Steve Sievers told WCPO the goal was to open "at least parts of this space as early as later this year or later next year." The August newsletter now confirms the earlier end of that range.
From country club to floodplain buyout
The Old Fort area was once home to the Old Fort Country Club, a seasonal retreat from Cincinnati established in the early 1900s. After a devastating flood in 1997, Anderson Township partnered with FEMA to buy out flood-prone properties through a voluntary program. Over nearly three decades, the township acquired about 400 of the 600 properties in the Old Fort community, according to the April 2026 newsletter.
The land has been publicly owned but largely inaccessible since. Sievers called it "a decades-long effort to get to this point" in a May WCPO interview.
Broader riverfront push
Old Fort Park is one piece of a greater effort. Bass Island, a popular recreation area on the Little Miami near Newtown managed by Great Parks, closed for upgrades in fall 2024 and is also scheduled to reopen this fall. Those improvements include a larger parking lot, permanent restrooms, a looped drive for boat loading, a designated walkway with a ramp to the river's edge and ecological restoration to reduce erosion.
The township is also developing a plan for the former Boatsmith Marina on the Ohio River, acquired in 2014, with public commentary expected later this fall.
Coming up
- Fall 2026: Old Fort Park opens with limited initial improvements (off Debolt Road)
- Fall 2026: Bass Island reopens after upgrades (Great Parks, near Newtown)
- Fall 2026: Public commentary period begins for the former Boatsmith Marina site on the Ohio River
