SIDNEY — Whether you’re looking for restaurants or shops, paddling or cycling, museums or events, you’ll find it along the Great Miami Riverway, the new brand for the river corridor.

The Great Miami Riverway is a 99-mile, mixed-use district of charming river towns connected by land and water trails from Sidney to Hamilton.

“This new brand and placemaking effort is an outgrowth of the 2014 study done by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) of recreational assets on 99 miles of the Great Miami River,” said Janet Bly, MCD general manager. “One of the strongest recommendations by USACE was for the region to build a strong, unified identity for the Great Miami River.”

At the request of local communities, MCD has been coordinating the project with 18 partner agencies along with Studio Graphique, a Cleveland-based consultant.

“These communities recognize the potential to maximize riverfront investment and economic development by approaching the river corridor as a unified, connected, regional place,” says Cathy Fromet, principal for Studio Graphique.

“Since Sidney was first settled in 1919, the Great Miami River has been a valuable asset,” said Sidney Mayor Mike Barhorst. “Fresh, drinkable water is necessary for people to thrive, and the river has provided drinking water for the citizens of the City of Sidney since it was founded. Moreover, water has also been used as a waste disposal system, historically allowing cities along rivers and streams to remain “cleaner” that their counterparts.

“That having been said, the river continues to be an underutilized asset within Sidney,” said Barhorst. “Branding will hopefully be a first step to more fully harnessing the river as a recreational asset that increases tourism and improves the quality of life of our residents. Canoe liveries, bicycle shops with bike rentals, shops that sell running shoes, restaurants, taverns, upscale housing and a host of other ideas can transform our idea of what the river can mean to Sidney moving forward.”

Among the goals of the Great Miami Riverway Placemaking Initiative is to develop and implement ongoing marketing, planning, and programming to:

• Increase use of recreational, historical, and cultural assets.

• Increase tourism.

• Grow private investment.

• Strengthen river corridor neighborhoods.

• Improve workforce attraction and retention.

The partners are now working to assemble funding for a full-time coordinator. That person will manage the Great Miami Riverway Placemaking Initiative, implement a marketing and communication program to attract visitors to the Great Miami Riverway, and help the partners promote the Riverway in their own marketing programs.

Partners in the Riverway will have the opportunity to showcase their assets, such as businesses, parks, and events, to audiences that might not be aware otherwise.

Organizations like Ohio’s Great Corridor Association have been working for several years to capitalize on the economic assets of the river. Each year, the River Summit, held at the University of Dayton, draws more than 250 people.

Look for Great Miami Riverway signage, advertising and events in 2017.

The 18 partners who have supported the Great Miami Riverway effort are Sidney, Piqua, Troy, Tipp City, Riverside, Dayton, West Carrollton, Miamisburg, Moraine, Franklin, Middletown, Hamilton, Montgomery County, Miami County Park District, Five Rivers MetroParks, MetroParks of Butler County, University of Dayton and Miami Conservancy District (MCD).