DELHI PRESS
Your Community Press newspaper serving Delhi Township and other West Cincinnati neighborhoods
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2020 | BECAUSE COMMUNITY MATTERS | PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK
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‘Hood Sanctuary’ planned for West End focusing on history of Black neighborhoods Briana Rice Cincinnati Enquirer USA TODAY NETWORK
Jerald Cooper isn’t formally trained as an architect, but through Instagram, he has been calling attention to midcentury modern design and preservation in Black neighborhoods. “I saw this midcentury home that I had grown up on the street with and I thought, man, I don’t think my people know about this stuff ,” Cooper said. “If we don’t know about the biggest assets in our neighborhoods, then how can we properly protect our neighborhoods?” He was walking down a street in College Hill when he noticed slanted, A-line roofs. It got him thinking, and thus, @hoodmidcenturymodern was created last November. The Instagram page documents and showcases buildings and homes that are in historically Black neighborhoods or have been featured in Black entertainment. The page now has 17,000 followers. Sure, Cooper is not an architecture and design expert, but he does not claim to be. He simply turned a personal hobby of studying architecture and buildings into a platform. Lately, the page also includes houses and images from classic Black movies and music videos. As a child, Cooper attended Revelation Baptist Church, which was recently sold to FC Cincinnati and demolished. Cooper recovered a lot of the pews and furniture from the church and plans to sell them later to benefi t the church. After a few months of planning and reaching out, Cooper has partnered with the Contemporary Arts Center for the West End Project. The current home of the project will be at 1800 Freeman Ave. and will be known as the “Hood Sanctuary.” Cooper has a lot of plans for the building, including mental health services, a saloon and coff ee fl oor. There will also be archives, community meetings and performances in the building. The West End Project will be off ering tours for the next three months that look at the ways hip-hop, pop culture, design, architecture and urban planning collide in the neighborhood. Local historians, activists and artists will join Cooper on the tours and host discussions. With race-related protests nationwide, Cooper and the Contemporary Arts Center saw a chance to really talk about the West End and how it was remembered, the ways it was preserved and how it has continued to change. “I want people to understand the his-
Jerald “Coop” Cooper stands in what will become the "Hood Sanctuary." Coop started a project called @Hoodcenturymodern, which focuses on neighborhoods and midcentury designs. The "Hood Sanctuary" will be used to showcase furniture, act as an office for Dr. Calisha, a psychiatrist focused on self-care for the community and an archive of West End history. In collaboration with the Contemporary Arts Center, tours of the building and West End history will be made available to the public. PHOTOS BY PHIL DIDION/THE ENQUIRER
tory,” Cooper said. “I don’t want to place blame on anyone. It hasn’t been the most civic, sort of in-your-face thing, to remember the neighborhood that was. I wanted to give people the opportunity to learn more.” Some stops on the tour will be the Avery Row House, the former KenyonBarr neighborhood (now called Queensgate) and the Laurel Homes Historic District and Lincoln Court. The fi rst tour was on Sept. 12, but more will be off ered in the next few months. Tickets and reservations are required for the tour due to the pandemic and are available at contemporaryartscenter.org/calendar. Social distancing and masks will also be required. CAC will be releasing audio from the tours.
The building at 1800 Freeman Ave. that Jerald “Coop” Cooper is turning into the "Hood Sanctuary," which will be used to showcase furniture, act as an office for Dr. Calisha, a psychiatrist focused on self-care for the community and an archive of West End history.
10 best park trails for social distancing in Hamilton County Briana Rice Cincinnati Enquirer USA TODAY NETWORK
Golden light bathes Miami Whitewater Forest. PROVIDED
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Outdoor exercise has always been an essential activity in Ohio, and there are plenty of spaces in Hamilton County to get the job done. By now, everyone knows to keep six feet of distance, travel with those who live in your home and wear masks while around crowds. Great Parks of Hamilton County has more than 39 trails that span more than 78 miles. The trails range from easy to diffi cult, some open to bikes, others are best on foot. All 21 parks and preserves are open, but, if you’re looking to avoid people altogether, here are some of the trails in Hamilton County park offi cials have
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said are the best trails for social distancing. Here are the best trails for social distancing in the Hamilton County Parks:
Mitchell Memorial Forest 5401 Zion Road, Cleves, OH 45002 Mountain Bike Trail 8.1 miles This 8-mile trail in the Mitchell Memorial Forest is perfect for a hike or a run. Great Parks of Hamilton County lists this trail as diffi cult. It was designed per International Mountain Bike Association standards and includes moderate to steep terrain, several technical features and some sections of See TRAILS, Page 2A
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