Information
Landmark: Riverscape MetroParkCity: Dayton
Country: USA Ohio
Continent: North America
Riverscape MetroPark, Dayton, USA Ohio, North America
Overview
Often called the crown jewel of Dayton’s Five Rivers MetroPark system, RiverScape MetroPark shows how urban revitalization can thrive, with its buzzing trails, splash fountains, and open lawns drawing people in.It blends lush trees and flowing water with sleek city comforts, creating a spot locals and visitors love to linger in.Once called Van Cleve Park, the site began a dramatic makeover in 1998 when Five Rivers MetroParks took charge, shaping it into a key part of their bold new riverfront plan where fresh trails cut through the green.They imagined a bustling downtown where people could wander to the river’s edge and feel the breeze off the Great Miami.In May 2001, the park opened its gates and the Five Rivers Fountain of Lights burst to life, a moment hailed as downtown Dayton’s rebirth.After nearly two decades in the works, the master plan set out to draw people not only to the river’s edge but onto its surface and into its cool, moving water.After the grand opening, key projects-like the splash and roar of the RiverScape River Run-deepened that bond.RiverScape MetroPark stands out for its mix of recreation, learning, and art, anchored by the Five Rivers Fountain of Lights-an immense spray that arcs high into the air, among the largest anywhere.Concrete towers rise where the Great Miami meets the Mad River, each holding a fierce water jet that blasts 2,500 gallons a minute toward the churning center.The central geyser shoots up to 200 feet, its roaring column drenching the air and spreading in a shimmering circle nearly 800 feet wide.From Memorial Day to Labor Day, it runs in 10‑minute bursts at the start of every hour, like clockwork.The Dayton Inventors River Walk honors the city’s proud legacy of innovation, with plaques and sculptures that catch the sunlight along the water.Strolling the river walk, you’ll come across “invention stations” celebrating local minds like Charles Kettering, Joe Desch, and Ermal Cleon Fraze-each credited with remarkable breakthroughs.RiverScape River Run, a $4 million “grand finale” to the park’s master plan, turned once-dangerous low dams into a vibrant stretch where kayakers glide through sparkling water.The seven-mile paddle route runs from Eastwood MetroPark straight through downtown, offering calm stretches where beginners can glide easily and lively whitewater sections where seasoned kayakers can splash through churning waves.You can rent a kayak during the season, when the water’s warm and the docks smell faintly of cedar.Bright splashes of paint cover the northern floodwall, where a mural shows cyclists pedaling past, kayakers cutting through blue water, and herons lifting off the shore, all framing the River Run in vivid color.MetroParks Ice Rink: From the Friday after Thanksgiving until February, the pavilion turns into a wide sheet of ice under the open sky, giving downtown visitors a chance to lace up skates and enjoy a one-of-a-kind winter pastime.People also play broomball on it-a lively team sport where players dash across the ice in sneakers, swinging short, stick-like brooms to chase the ball.From Memorial Day to Labor Day, kids can splash and laugh in the interactive fountains, where jets of water leap twenty feet high in time with the music.RiverScape Bike Hub sits where the Great Miami River meets the Mad River Trail, in the heart of the country’s biggest paved trail network-a spot every cyclist dreams of, with the sound of water rushing past.Commuters can stash their bikes in secure lockers, rinse off in the showers, and use the restrooms, while on warm weekends or holidays they can rent a bike and ride out under the sun.The park bursts with color in its gardens, where flowering pots line the paths, baskets spill blooms overhead, and still pools mirror the sky.Lush plantings, each tagged with both botanical and familiar names, spark ideas for visitors’ own gardens and turn the space into a calm, green pocket in the city.Founders Point is a graceful, five-sided pavilion honoring the Miami Valley’s rivers, standing on the very spot where Dayton’s first settlers stepped ashore from their boats in 1796.At RiverScape’s west end, the Paul Laurence Dunbar Walk celebrates the Dayton-born poet, where lines from his work are carved into stone at the staircase’s summit.A pedestrian bridge links RiverScape to Deeds Point MetroPark, where you’ll spot a bronze Wilbur and Orville Wright standing side by side and an aviation timeline display, both underscoring Dayton’s proud place in flight history.RiverScape MetroPark buzzes all year with events and programs, but summer brings the lively Music Series, where the Pavilion fills with the sound of free concerts-R&B one night, bluegrass the next, then big band, reggae, Americana rock, or a burst of funk echoing under the warm evening sky.Fitness in the Park offers free weeknight classes from May to July-think yoga under the trees, Bootcamp, Sculpt, BootyMix, Tai Chi and Qigong, even Swerk.Every year during National Bike Month, the National Bike to Work Day Pancake Breakfast brings cyclists together for live music, cycling gear vendors, and stacks of warm, fluffy pancakes-free for anyone who pedals in.Passport to MetroParks launches Memorial Day weekend with live music, hands-on activities, and a sneak peek at Dayton’s biggest cultural festivals.RiverScape often buzzes with major community celebrations, from the lively Dayton Celtic Festival to the colorful Hispanic Heritage Festival and the soulful Dayton African American Cultural Festival.The park comes alive with music in the air, colorful cultural displays, sizzling food stalls, and plenty more to explore."Out on 5th" (Nearby): While not directly in RiverScape, the "Out on 5th" initiative in the adjacent Oregon District complements the park's vibrant atmosphere by closing parts of East 5th Street to vehicular traffic on weekends, creating a pedestrian zone with expanded outdoor dining and entertainment.Just a short walk from RiverScape, the “Out on 5th” initiative brings extra energy to the nearby Oregon District by shutting down stretches of East 5th Street on weekends, turning it into a lively pedestrian zone filled with open-air dining, music, and the scent of sizzling food from curbside grills.
