a new park in the core of the city, Harrison Common, will open on Saturday

Decades ago, the smell of freshly-baked bread filled the air in the Smoky Hollow neighborhood as residents baked their loafs in a handful of outdoor ovens.

Located just adjacent to the university downtown and its growing footprint, The Hollow's population has changed over the years, and outdoor bread baking disappeared from the landscape.

But now in 2011, that heavenly smell is back.

That's because this weekend, a new park in the core of the city of Youngstown opens and the center of the new "Harrison Common" will feature a community bread oven.


And around the base of the oven there is a variety of fresh herbs planted for use on pizzas or other dishes being cooked.


Let's take a look at some of the other aspects of the new park . . .

In the center of Harrison Common, we see a large decorative pergola.


The pergola was one of the components purchased with the $40,000 gift by the Rotary Club of Youngstown.


It's great to see people in the park late on a weekday evening, as this day a mix of men and women were playing rugby on the big field behind the pergola.


Another great feature of Harrison Park is the large granite map built into the base brick surface showing all of the structures in the Smoky Hollow circa 1920-1940.

All of those previously mentioned outdoor bread ovens are denoted on the stone map with a circle. How many do you count on the map?





If you can make it, the ribbon cutting for official opening of Harrison Common will be at 11:30am on Saturday July 9, which will be lead by Wick Neighbors, Inc.

Kicking off the usage of Harrison Common (besides the rugby players) will be the Youngstown Jazz Fest at 6pm. Held last year downtown, this year the Jazz Festival will be held in the Smoky Hollow. All free, but bring your lawn chairs.



Another great investment project into the core of downtown youngstown!

Kudos to all who participated in its planning and donated to its realization.