PIQUA – The City of Piqua’s Lock 9 Park won the Placemaking Award in its division on Thursday at the Mid-America Economic Development Council (EDC) 2024 Annual Economic Development Awards.
The EDC presented the awards at the 2024 Mid-America Competitiveness Conference, held December 4 to 6 at the Columbus Hyatt Downtown. Economic Development Director Chris Schmiesing accepted the award on behalf of the City of Piqua.
“The Lock 9 Park public improvements are already driving private investment in new construction and building revitalization projects,” said Schmiesing. “The result will be more living units, additional food and drink and entertainment options, and additional entrepreneurial activity in downtown Piqua.”
Lock 9 Park is a hub for outdoor recreation, leisure and community gatherings that was completed in July 2024. The one-acre space is located on the banks of the Great Miami River and at the intersection of the Great Maimi River Trail and Ohio-to-Indiana Trail.
“Lock 9 Park improvements connect downtown with the trails and the waterway and serve as a hub for outdoor recreation and entertainment activities,” the EDC stated in a release. “More importantly, this incredible public space is inspiring new investments and development activity in downtown Piqua and having a positive impact on the local economy and quality of life.”
The Placemaking category recognizes projects or programs to make a community a better place to live, work and play by transforming underutilized public spaces into vibrant community places.
Award entries were accepted by category – large division for communities with populations over 25,000, medium division for those with populations between 10,001 and 25,000, and small division for communities with populations of less than 10,000.
For more information about Lock 9 Park, visit piquaoh.gov/lock9.
