Update: Spring Grove Cemetery Bike Ban

Our most recent post here at Cincinnati Delusion was written by special correspondent and Northside resident, Chris Dobbs. He wrote a very compelling blog entry about the bike ban that was implemented at Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum when the COVID-19 Pandemic began. Chris reached back out to me and wanted to provide our faithful readers an update. You can follow Chris on Twitter to stay up to date on cycling around Cincinnati here: @cdobbs7.

Spring Grove Cemetery Bike Ban Update

Written by Contributor Chris Dobbs:

Several people reached out to Spring Grove Cemetery regarding the bike ban after this post’s publication. On Friday, September 24, I heard from Councilwoman Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney’s office that Spring Grove was announcing a rule change.

Gary Freytag, Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum’s President and CEO, has announced bicycles will be allowed back into the cemetery. He wrote in an email to Kearney’s office: “We are actively working on a process wherein we would issue ‘bike passes’ to responsible cyclists who agree to follow a basic set of operating rules. If followed, these rules will allow cyclists to enjoy our beautiful grounds safely without interfering with our cemetery operations. We are hopeful that we will be able to begin issuing passes before year-end.” Freytag also gave some explanation as to why the bicycle ban was implemented in the first place. “Even prior to the pandemic, we had safety issues with some cyclists (excessive speed, large groups, etc.).”

Spring Grove has not provided many details on the pass system, other than what’s in Freytag’s announcement. It’s currently unclear if the pass system will involve a fee, how long a pass will last, or if the pass system will be open to all riders. When I contacted Spring Grove Cemetery for more information on the bike pass system, Debbie Budke, Spring Grove’s public relations manager, replied that Spring Grove was still working on details regarding bike permits. Budke said final determinations about the pass system would be shared with the public when they were ready - presumably by the end of the year, as Freytag indicated.

This post will be updated as we learn more about the pass system. Until then - thank you to the readers that reached out to Spring Grove Cemetery. I’m so looking forward to seeing you all back in Spring Grove early next year.