The Women's Committee for Cincinnati Riverfront Park has commissioned a limited edition silk scarf as part of its fundraising effort.

Only 500 of the keepsake scarves, designed by artist Denise Strasser, will be produced.

"When I first laid eyes on the plans for the riverfront park, the tremendous 'green' area connecting Cincinnati's riverfront to downtown provided the inspiration for the scarf," Strasser said in a prepared release. "I was thinking,'This park is going to put our city on the MAP!' It is so exciting and thus the design!"

Scarves can be purchased for $100 each through the Cincinnati Parks Foundation at (513) 357-2616, or at several Greater Cincinnati locations:

• Absolutely Needlepoint, 7117 Miami Avenue. (513) 561-7999.
• Alligator Purse, 2701 Erie Avenue. (513) 871-6171.
• Arté Nouvelle, 3445 Edwards Road. (513) 841-2783.
• Isle of Skye Cashmere, 7801 Laurel Avenue. (513) 271-2589.
• Khakis, 3434 Edwards Road. (513) 871-1212.

"These beautiful silk scarves will become cherished mementos of a historic turning point for the Greater Cincinnati region," said Helen Heekin and Debbie Oliver, co-chairs of the Women's Committee. "That's because Cincinnati Riverfront Park is destined to become the region's new 'front door' — attracting up to 1.1 million visitors annually and becoming a dynamic economic engine for business growth, increased real estate values, convention bookings and tourism."


More fundraising

On May 26, the Women's Committee will hold its fifth annual Hats Off Luncheon fundraiser, "We're Making History", the first event to be held at Cincinnati Riverfront Park's Jacob G. Schmidlapp Stage and Event Lawn.

The event begins at 11 A.M. with a champagne reception; the luncheon begins at 12:15 P.M. Former Pittsburgh mayor and Urban Land Institute member Tom Murphy will serve as the keynote speaker.

Tickets range in price from $100 to $1,000.

For tickets and information, contact Gretchen Hooker, development associate with the Cincinnati Parks Foundation, at or (513) 357-2621.

To date, the Women's Committee for Cincinnati Riverfront Park has raised over $950,000, all of which will go to support the park.

The first phase of the 45-acre park, which will open throughout this year, will feature the stage and event lawn; the Walnut Street Fountain and Steps; the Bike, Mobility and Visitors Center; the 1,100-seat Moerlein Lager House restaurant and beer garden; a labyrinth; a bike trail; donor wall and promenade; a monument to the Black Brigade of Cincinnati; tree groves; and gardens.

Previous reading on BC:
Chicago-based Bike and Roll to operate new bike/visitors center at riverfront park (3/15/11)
Latest riverfront park video details event lawn, fountain (3/8/11)
New video released for riverfront park (8/19/10)
Megen wins $4.9M contract for riverfront park (7/20/10)
Moerlein Lager House: One year 'til beer (7/14/10)