WELL, THE REDS START A SERIES AT GREAT AMERICAN BALLPARK TOMORROW, BUT TODAY THE ORGANIZATION WAS IN WALNUT HILLS, AND HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS ROLLING UP THEIR SLEEVES FOR ONE OF CINCINNATI’S BIGGEST DAYS OF GIVING BACK. OUR WLWT NEWS FIVE’S MEGAN MITCHELL HAS MORE ON THE BIG CHANGES BEING DONE IN THE HEART OF WALNUT HILLS. NEW LIFE IS TAKING ROOT. THE GOAL IS TO BE TRANSFORMATIVE AND TO LITERALLY IMPACT EVERY CHILD, EVERY FAMILY IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD WITH SOMETHING THAT’S GOING TO IMPACT THEIR LIVES IN A MEANINGFUL WAY. THE REDS COMMUNITY MAKEOVER IS BACK, AND THIS YEAR, FIVE SITES FROM WALNUT HILLS ARE BEING REVAMPED FROM THE GROUND UP. THE DOCTOR ODELL OWENS CENTER FOR LEARNING IS NOW AN URBAN LEARNING GARDEN BUILT TO TEACH STUDENTS ABOUT POLLINATORS, PERENNIALS AND EVEN FRUIT TREES. ACTUALLY, THIS SPACE WAS A BUS TURNAROUND FILLED WITH ASPHALT. WHAT WE REALLY WANTED IS TO BRING IT TO LIFE. SO EARLIER IN THE SPRING, IN APRIL, WE PUT IN ABOUT THESE 30 TREES IN THE IN THE GRASS AREA HERE. AND WHAT WE DID WITH THE KIDS IS THEY ALL GOT OUT AND HELPED US PLANT THE TREES. IN TOTAL, MORE THAN 500 VOLUNTEERS FROM P&G, THE ZOO AND MORE THAN A DOZEN COMMUNITY PARTNERS WERE OUT TO MAKE SURE EVERY ASPECT WAS READY TO GO SO THE KIDS CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE. FREDERICK DOUGLASS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS GETTING A BRAND NEW PLAYGROUND, STEM LAB AND URBAN GARDEN. KIDS CAN COME OUT FROM THE CLASSROOM, GO ACROSS THE STREET. IT WILL BE A THERAPEUTIC GARDEN. THEY’LL BE ABLE TO GO OVER THERE AND JUST RELAX AND BE OUT OF THE CLASSROOM. AND THE TEACHERS CAN USE IT AS A LEARNING GARDEN AS WELL. AND OF COURSE, THE CINCINNATI REDS INVESTING IN YOUTH BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL. SO NOW A NEW SYNTHETIC INFIELD WENT IN AROUND THE CORNER AS WELL. THE REDS, THOUGH, ARE KIND OF THAT CONNECTIVE TISSUE. I MEAN, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE THIS PROFILE AND WE’VE GOT A SUMMER OF EXPOSURE THAT’S UNIQUE. AND WHAT I LOVE ABOUT OUR REDS LEADERSHIP AND OWNERSHIP GROUP IS IT DOESN’T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE ABOUT BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL. IT’S IT’S A BIGGER VISION. OF COURSE, BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL ARE A PART OF THIS, BUT THE BIGGER VISION IS IS COMMUNITY. AND WHILE THIS PROJECT WAS DESIGNED TO BE DONE IN ONE DAY, HE SAYS THE IMPACT SHOULD LAST FOR GENERATIONS. IN WALNUT H
Cincinnati Reds community makeover revitalizes Walnut Hills
Updated: 4:39 PM EDT Jul 24, 2025
The Cincinnati Reds Community Fund spearheaded a community makeover in Walnut Hills, Cincinnati, with hundreds of volunteers working to revamp five sites across the neighborhood and neighboring Evanston.”The goal is to be transformative and to literally impact every child, every family in that neighborhood with something that’s going to impact their lives in a meaningful way,” Charley Frank, executive director of the Cincinnati Reds Community Fund, said.The Dr. O’Dell Owens Center for Learning has been transformed into an urban learning garden, designed to educate students about pollinators, perennials, and fruit trees. Steve Foltz, director of horticulture at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, explained that the space was previously a bus turnaround filled with asphalt. “So, what we really wanted is to bring it to life,” Foltz said. “And, so earlier in the spring and April, we put in about these 30 trees in the, in the grass area here. And what we did with the kids is they all got out and helped us plant the trees.”More than 500 volunteers from P&G, the Cincinnati Zoo, and over a dozen community partners participated in the project to ensure everything was ready for the children to benefit from the new facilities. Frederick Douglass School is receiving a new playground, STEM lab, and urban garden.”The kids can come out, from the classroom, go across the street. It’s will be a therapeutic garden. They’ll be able to go over there and just relax and be out of the classroom. And the teachers can use it as a learning, garden as well to teach,” Gary Dangel, food coordinator for Walnut Hills, said.The Cincinnati Reds are also investing in youth baseball and softball, installing a new synthetic infield nearby. Frank emphasized the broader vision of the Reds’ involvement, saying, “The Reds, though, are kind of that connective tissue. I mean, because we do have this profile and we’ve got a summer of, exposure that’s unique. And what I love about our Reds leadership and ownership group is it doesn’t always have to be about baseball and softball. It’s it’s a bigger vision. Of course, baseball and softball are part of this. But the bigger vision is is community.”Although the project was designed to be completed in a day, Frank said the impact is expected to last for generations.
CINCINNATI —
The Cincinnati Reds Community Fund spearheaded a community makeover in Walnut Hills, Cincinnati, with hundreds of volunteers working to revamp five sites across the neighborhood and neighboring Evanston.
“The goal is to be transformative and to literally impact every child, every family in that neighborhood with something that’s going to impact their lives in a meaningful way,” Charley Frank, executive director of the Cincinnati Reds Community Fund, said.
The Dr. O’Dell Owens Center for Learning has been transformed into an urban learning garden, designed to educate students about pollinators, perennials, and fruit trees.
Steve Foltz, director of horticulture at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, explained that the space was previously a bus turnaround filled with asphalt.
“So, what we really wanted is to bring it to life,” Foltz said. “And, so earlier in the spring and April, we put in about these 30 trees in the, in the grass area here. And what we did with the kids is they all got out and helped us plant the trees.”
More than 500 volunteers from P&G, the Cincinnati Zoo, and over a dozen community partners participated in the project to ensure everything was ready for the children to benefit from the new facilities.
Frederick Douglass School is receiving a new playground, STEM lab, and urban garden.
“The kids can come out, from the classroom, go across the street. It’s will be a therapeutic garden. They’ll be able to go over there and just relax and be out of the classroom. And the teachers can use it as a learning, garden as well to teach,” Gary Dangel, food coordinator for Walnut Hills, said.
The Cincinnati Reds are also investing in youth baseball and softball, installing a new synthetic infield nearby.
Frank emphasized the broader vision of the Reds’ involvement, saying, “The Reds, though, are kind of that connective tissue. I mean, because we do have this profile and we’ve got a summer of, exposure that’s unique. And what I love about our Reds leadership and ownership group is it doesn’t always have to be about baseball and softball. It’s it’s a bigger vision. Of course, baseball and softball are part of this. But the bigger vision is is community.”
Although the project was designed to be completed in a day, Frank said the impact is expected to last for generations.