The city of West Carrollton is making major headway on its $108 million River District redevelopment project.
At center stage of the project is a former wastewater treatment plant in need of clean-up and a segment of the Great Miami River not safe for swimming.
The River District will consist of a whitewater park, a first responder training facility, and mixed-use developments like townhomes and restaurants.
Design work is close to completion and demolition has kicked off.
“This is not just a plan anymore. Work is happening, dirt is moving, and our momentum is real,” West Carrollton assistant city manager Dan Wendt said.
On March 12, city officials shared an update on the project with county and state leaders.
The city expects both the whitewater area and the training facility to open in 2029.
A far cry from its past
The River District project has been years in the making. It’s located off of Exit 47 from Interstate 75.
“This is gonna be a redevelopment project that is going to see…incredible economic development, the opportunity for jobs and revitalization. I was very proud to work to secure $3 million of federal funds which will help in the redevelopment of this property,” said U.S. Rep. Mike Turner (R-Dayton).
“The big part of this is we're making that dam safe for people to actually enjoy the river. And so our residents will be able to enjoy the rivers they've lived around most of their lives, and we'll get people from the region to come in and enjoy our river."
The River District is expected to create 520 permanent jobs and $10 million in payroll. There's $22 million in public and private dollars already committed towards the River District.
The River District will grow into one of the region’s premier destinations and economic drivers, said Montgomery County Commissioner Carolyn Rice.
“This project truly reflects what can happen when vision, collaboration, and strategic investment come together,” Rice said.
The site at 4000 Hydraulic Road used to be the Appvion Wastewater Treatment Plant. Contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, from the 1960s through the early 2000s, the city purchased the 28-acre property in 2012.
Next steps
The city is now demolishing the remnants of the plant and will be spearheading the clean-up with supervision from the Montgomery County Land Bank, the Ohio EPA, the Ohio Department of Development with the assistance of consultants Patriot Engineering and Environmental.
The site will be transformed into a first responder training facility called Rescue World, with over 2,200 first responders expected to come each year. It will integrate swift water rescue training to meet the growing need in a time of rising waters and flood risks, West Carrollton officials said.
That will take place just across the road at a segment of the Great Miami River, fitted with a low dam that currently creates a drowning hazard.
The city plans to reengineer the dam and create a recreational whitewater channel at the area that will include a wave shaper for activities like river surfing.
An area that once presented a challenge is now an exciting community opportunity, West Carrollton Mayor Rick Barnhart said.
“The big part of this is we're making that dam safe for people to actually enjoy the river. And so our residents will be able to enjoy the rivers they've lived around most of their lives, and we'll get people from the region to come in and enjoy our river,” Barnhart said.
