Loveland is pursuing grant funding to expand and upgrade the playground at Nisbet Park, the downtown gathering spot along the Little Miami Scenic Trail.

The proposed improvements would enlarge the playground's footprint, add equipment for a broader range of ages and replace the existing mulch surface with a synthetic surface to improve ADA accessibility, according to a city announcement.

The city's Parks and Recreation Board was scheduled to review the plans at its Oct. 22 meeting at City Hall before the grant application moved forward. The city had encouraged residents to attend and provide input. The outcome of the board’s review could not be confirmed.

The city’s announcement does not identify the grant program or the amount being requested.

The playground project is the latest phase in an ongoing renovation of Nisbet Park guided by a master plan drafted in July 2021 by KZF Design and Frazer Outdoor Spaces architect Gayle A. Frazer. The plan was shaped by public input gathered through in-person and online surveys, the Clermont Guardian reported.

Construction on the plan's first phase, an ADA-accessible gazebo and pathway, was completed in 2023, according to the Guardian.

The park has seen steady investment under Mayor Kathy Bailey, who has served since 2017. New swings overlooking the Little Miami River and a walking-trail extension were installed in July, funded in part by a $50,642 Ohio Department of Natural Resources NatureWorks grant toward the swing project's estimated $67,650 cost, according to the Clermont Guardian. The Little Miami River Chamber Alliance also contributed $10,000 toward the swings.

The amphitheater is being rebuilt as well. Demolition of the old structure was scheduled to begin the week of May 11, and the city has secured $250,000 in grants for that work, according to the city's construction projects page. The project is estimated for completion in 2026.

Nisbet Park sits in historic downtown Loveland and offers picnic shelters, a pavilion, grills, restrooms, fishing access and a bike repair station connecting to the Little Miami Scenic Trail. The city has not announced a timeline for the playground work or when the grant decision is expected.