Get Avondale Active

Avondale wins award from GoVibrant Million Step Challenge

In 2016, Avondale was proclaimed the winner of the inauguaral GoVibrant Million Step Challenge by collectively logging 31 million steps over the course of 5 months challenge. Avondale beating out Delhi, Madisonville, Walnut Hills and Evanston, and was awarded a total of $4000 (and bragging rights) to continue community health initiatives. Since 2016, Avondale followed up with a first place finish again in 2017, and the awarded funds are being spent on the expansion of the Avondale walking trail, and the addition of cross walk upgrades, painted sidewalk replacements, bus stop and park bench additions, enhanced utility boxes, colored poles for navigating each route, sidewalk paintings that teach dance, and newly planted trees, painted trash cans, other themed route markers.

Louise Shropshire Mural @ Hirsch Recreation Center

The trail enhancement also pays homage to Avondale’s rich history. From the starting point at Hirsch Recreation Center walkers and runners will see a wall mural depicting singer, composer and Civil Rights Activist Louise Shropshire, long time Avondale resident and author of the Civil Rights Anthem “We Shall Overcome.” In 1950 Mrs. Shropshire met Dr. Martin Luther King and Fred Shuttlesworth and the three became good friends. Ms. Shropshire held fundraisers to gain money to bail out protesters from the Civil Rights Movement. Additionally, on the sidewalk in front of Hirsch, will be a mural dedicated to the Avondale Running Club, the oldest established and still active African American Running Club in the country.

The trail curves down Gholson Avenue through Fleischman’s Garden where there are sidewalk murals depicting hope, power, pride and respect along the way. The trail continues to Burnet to Stag’s Barber Shop, at this location there will be a sidewalk mural depicting Muhammed Ali, who routinely traveled from Louisville to Avondale to get his hair cut at Stag’s. According to Ali Stag’s gave the best hair cuts in the country. The trail ends with a sidewalk mural of a zebra in front of the Cincinnati Zoo the second oldest Zoo in the country. The Zoo was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1987. The Cincinnati zoo consistently ranks among the top Zoos in the country.

Routes were codesigned with the Avondale Running Club, goVibrant.

The Avondale walking trail is also designed in partnership with Green Umbrella and the Tri-State trails inititiative. Tri-State Trails is an alliance of trail advocates advancing a vision to connect and expand the region's trail network. The initiative expands access to walkable and bikeable communities to all people.