(Dublin, Ohio) — The City of Dublin invites the greater Central Ohio community to gather in Downtown Dublin for a grand dedication of The Dublin Link and Riverside Crossing Park.
The long-awaited dedication of The Dublin Link pedestrian bridge was rescheduled from March 2020. In addition to dedicating Dublin’s world-renowned landmark, Riverside Crossing Park will officially open, which marks Dublin’s 64th park.
In the heart of Downtown Dublin, Ohio, along the Scioto River, the community is invited to attend a grand dedication of The Dublin Link and Riverside Crossing Park. The ceremony will take place on the East Plaza, across the street from Bridge Park on Friday, March 11, 2022.
What: Riverside Celebration
Why: A grand dedication of The Dublin Link pedestrian bridge and official opening of Dublin’s 64th park, Riverside Crossing Park
When: Friday, March 11, 2022
6 p.m. Strolling Entertainment
6:30 p.m. Synchronized Ice Skaters
6:59 p.m. Welcome and Countdown with Mayor Jane Fox
7 p.m. Brief Pyrotechnics Display
7:01 p.m. Bridge Dedication/Riverside Crossing Park Grand Opening
7:30 p.m. Choreographed Light Show on The Dublin Link
Where: Riverside Crossing Park, East and West Plazas 6635 Riverside Dr., Dublin, OH 43017
The evening will begin with music and entertainment on the East and West plazas. Visitors can enjoy a spin on the popular Riverside Crossing Park ice rink following a synchronized ice skating performance. Following the entertainment, Dublin Mayor Jane Fox will address the crowd and unveil the dedication plaques. During the presentation, a brief pyrotechnics display including close-proximity fireworks will launch over The Dublin Link.
The Dublin Link pedestrian bridge will be closed for event set up from noon through approximately 7:30 p.m. March 11. The Link will reopen to the public after the bridge is cleared.
Free public parking is available at the Bridge Park parking garages, on-street along Riverside Drive or the parking garage beside the Columbus Metropolitan Library – Dublin Branch.
The Dublin Link Pedestrian Bridge
The dedication of The Dublin Link has been two years in the making after the bridge was completed after three years of construction. After the original opening ceremony was postponed just days before the event was planned to take place in March 2020, the City of Dublin is ecstatic to officially dedicate the award-winning pedestrian bridge.
Since the bridge officially opened March 17, 2020, it has become an iconic symbol of Dublin that the City envisioned it be. The community has truly embraced this one-of-a-kind bridge, even making it part of their personal milestones from marriage proposals to graduation photos and selfies to family reunions. The Dublin Link has become a central meeting spot for visitors to Downtown Dublin and a must-see attraction.
Before the bridge was set to open in March 2020, the City held a naming opportunity for Dublin residents to connect with the bridge and be part of its history.
After receiving more than 1,400 submissions, City Council selected The Dublin Link, or “The Link” for short because of the connectivity it represents. Of all the submitted monikers, hundreds suggested “The Link” or a similar name.
A pedestrian bridge linking the east and west sides of the Scioto River has been envisioned since the mid-1980s. Not only does this bridge “link” both sides of the Scioto River, but it also connects Dublin’s past and present – from Historic Dublin to the new, thriving Bridge Park mixed-use development. This iconic landmark between two landings represents connectivity and inclusivity, bolstering the City’s goal to be the most connected community in the U.S.
“We couldn’t be prouder to dedicate The Dublin Link, which has been a vision of the Dublin community and Dublin City Council for decades,” says Megan O’Callaghan, Deputy City Manager/Chief Finance & Development Officer. “Countless Dublin residents and visitors have crossed the bridge since it opened two years ago. But now we are looking forward to gathering together to celebrate all the work that went into making this award-winning bridge a defining City icon. And I promise, it was well worth the wait.”
The Dublin Link has won numerous regional, national and international awards. Among them, the 2020 Outstanding Project Award from the National Council of Structural Engineers Association and the 2021 Outstanding Achievement Award in Engineering Excellence from the American Council of Engineering Companies.
Kokosing Construction, headquartered in Westerville, Ohio, contracted with the City in early 2017 for construction. Materials were acquired from all over the world, including Florida, Italy and Germany.
The Dublin Link Fun Facts
- The world’s longest single span, single tower S-shaped suspension bridge
- Main tower height of 169 feet – OSU Stadium press box (183 feet tall)
- Suspension span of 500 feet long – nearly 2 football fields
- Total deck length – 760 feet long
- 860,000 pounds (430 tons) of structural steel – weight of a loaded 747 airplane or 355 OSU victory bells
- 350,000 pounds (175 tons) of reinforcing steel – weight of 100 mid-size cars or 145 OSU victory bells (2,420 pounds)
- 1,600 cy of concrete – amount of concrete to build 32 new single-family houses (foundations and driveway – 50 cy per house)
- Two suspension cables (120mm diameter) – tensile force in cable of 3,250,000 lbs. each – this force is the weight of 500 adult African bush elephants (6.5 tons each)
- Structural steel was fabricated in Tampa, Florida
- Main and hanger suspension cables were fabricated in Milano, Italy
- Cables were tested in Braunschweig and Bochum Germany
Riverside Crossing Park
Riverside Crossing Park is the newest addition to a broader system of regional parks and local recreational systems, linking to these assets through extensive shared use paths, water recreation access points and scenic natural connections.
The east side of the park is elevated outside of the floodplain and will be a center for activities, public gatherings, cultural events and recreational programs.
Riverside Crossing Park spans both sides of the Scioto River and includes East and West plazas, the West Plaza pavilion, a lower plaza, shared use paths, lawn space and water features. Visitors to the park can enjoy the north lawn and other greenspace later this spring after the grass and landscaping have time to establish.
“We are excited to officially open Riverside Crossing Park and welcome it as the latest addition to Dublin’s extensive 60+ parks and greenspaces,” says Parks & Recreation Director Matt Earman. “Envisioned as one of Dublin’s most important civic and natural spaces, the Park will further enhance and connect Historic Dublin and Bridge Park.”
Pedestrians can use The Dublin Link pedestrian bridge to cross from one side of the park to the other. For those visiting Bridge Park, an additional park amenity includes a pedestrian tunnel located at the north end of Riverside Crossing Park, which allows pedestrians to safely cross under Riverside Drive at John Shields Parkway.
Riverside Crossing Park is also equipped with four smart poles, modern-day technology to enhanced public safety by way of security cameras and emergency call boxes along with the convenience of free-to-use public Wi-Fi access.
The pavilion is equipped with City-owned fiber optic connectivity to the City’s data center. This provides a communication backbone that many City departments utilize, such as building security and badge readers, to management of The Dublin Link’s lighting control system. Once activated, security cameras and the first wireless access point were installed on the pavilion.
As the construction of the park continued, fiber optics and electrical connections were ran from the pavilion to each of our four smart poles. In addition to the security cameras and Wi-Fi provided at the pavilion, each smart pole provides its own wireless access point, a pair of security cameras, and an emergency call box that dials directly into the City of Dublin’s Northwest Regional Emergency Communications Center (NRECC). NRECC dispatchers are able to access the cameras installed throughout the park to better assess and address any situation, including dispatching emergency services if needed.
In just 30 days after its activation in October 2021, the City saw 610 unique devices join the free Wi-Fi network at the park. In the past 30 days, 875 unique devices connected to the Wi-Fi network.
Turner Construction’s local Columbus, Ohio, office was contracted in September 2019 to construct the Riverside Crossing Park. Materials were acquired from around the world, including Wisconsin, Spain and China for the unique granite stone.
The west side of the park will be a more naturalized area with connections to the Indian Run greenway, water access and trail systems. Future trails to the north and south are included in the Park’s Master Plan and will be programmed in the City’s Capital Improvements Program budget in the near future.
Riverside Crossing Park Fun Facts and Distinctive Features
- The east and west sides of Riverside Crossing Park make up a combined 36.29 acres
- Wi-Fi access
- Upper plaza and pavilion to provide a shaded gathering space
- The pavilion features a green roof, gas fireplace, and seating area
- Custom guard railing that utilized the leaf and branch patterns from trees along the river
- Recycling, compost and Big Belly trash compactor containers
- Power service available for permitted events
- Several picturesque water features
- Lighting for use in the evening
- Trees within the plaza that require special soil cells and irrigation placed below the pavement, which allow the trees to grow within the urban plaza space
- Boulder play area with artificial turf and fall attenuated padding
- Built-in amphitheater style seating
- Accessible shared use path along the river
- Pedestrian tunnel connection on the north end of the park to cross under Riverside Drive at John Shields Parkway
- Connections to other shared use paths and parks
- Expansive lawn area for recreational use (area closed until late spring 2022 to allow for grass to establish)
Three Exciting Days in Dublin
Complementing the Riverside Celebration, Fadó Pub & Kitchen will host its St. Patrick’s Day Party. Enjoy live Irish music, good eats and great drinks along Longshore Street in Bridge Park from 5 to 10 p.m. March 11. There is no cover charge for the Friday event. Fadó will host the party again on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. with a $20 cover charge. Drivers in the area should be aware that Longshore Street will be closed between Tuller Ridge Drive and Bridge Park Avenue from 7 a.m. Thursday, March 10, to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 13.
The City of Dublin invites the community to keep the fun going with the St. Patrick Day Celebration happening Saturday, March 12. The day will start at 7:30 a.m. with the Dublin Lion’s Club Pancake Breakfast at Sells Middle School. Before the parade begins, spectators can watch the balloons come to life for the Balloon Inflation at 9:30 a.m. just outside Graeter’s Ice Cream.
To top off the day, Dublin’s “Greenest, Grandest” St. Patrick’s Day Parade will step off at 11 a.m. from Metro Center and travel east along S.R. 161/West Bridge Street through Historic Dublin. Traffic impacts include closing the I-270 exit 17A ramp from 10:40 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. as well as making alterations to the local traffic surrounding the parade route.
To learn more about Riverside Crossing Park and The Dublin Link, please visit our website.
The Riverside Celebration is part of three exciting days in Dublin, which also include the 2022 State of the City on Thursday, March 11, and the St. Patrick’s Day “Greenest, Grandest” Parade on Saturday, March 12.
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About the City of Dublin, Ohio, USA
Dublin is a city of nearly 50,000 residents located just northwest of Columbus, Ohio. It offers residents and corporate citizens responsive services, attractive housing, superior public education, direct regional highway access, abundant park space, thoughtful and strategic planning, innovative ideas and technology and a dynamic community life. Dublin is consistently ranked one of the safest cities in the nation. It is home to more than 20 corporate headquarters, an entrepreneurial center, 4,300+ businesses, world-class events and the urban, walkable Bridge Street District. For more information, visit DublinOhioUSA.gov or call 614.410.4400.
Media Contact:
Shirley Blaine
Public Information Officer
614.230.4683 – Cell
614.410.4523 – Desk
sblaine@dublin.oh.us
Newsroom: http://dublinohiousa.gov/newsroom/
