Columbus wants your input on its new parks plan
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Illustration: Gabriella Turrisi/Axios
The future of Columbus parks is taking root.
Why it matters: Officials are creating a new master plan, dubbed Playbook Columbus, to guide park development and programming over the next decade.
- The city hopes its parks system will grow equitably alongside its burgeoning population and in ways aligning with residents' priorities.
The latest: Over 3,500 people shared their opinions in a September online survey, Columbus Recreation and Parks spokesperson Kerry Francis tells Axios.
- Now community centers around town are hosting "dot polling" stations this month to gather additional input. Guests can quickly place dots to answer questions.
Follow the money: Colorado-based firm Design Workshop is helping with the planning process through a nearly $800,000 contract.
The big picture: Recreation and Parks currently operates 422 parks throughout our region.
- That's over 14,000 acres of parkland containing 230 miles of trails, 171 playgrounds, 25 nature preserves, 28 community centers and nine pools.
State of play: The department's most recent master plan came out in 2014, but a lot has changed since then.
- Columbus gained over 86,000 people between 2013 and 2023, a population increase of over 10%, according to census data.
- Expectations for park designs have shifted since the pandemic, and demands for green space are greater than ever, the National Recreation and Park Association notes.
Zoom in: Much of the 2014 plan has been accomplished, and some of it will roll over into the new plan, Francis says.
- Finished tasks include replacing two pools and a community center, renovating two centers, acquiring 800 acres for future parks and upgrading security.
What we're watching: Ongoing projects include a new aquatics center in partnership with Columbus City Schools, a Kilbourne Run Sports Park revamp and the Linden Green Line.
- Two more pools (Tuttle and Marion Franklin) will be replaced and three more centers (Beatty, Whetstone and Sullivant Gardens) upgraded.
- A new senior and arts facility, the Fran Ryan Center, will open next year.
What's next: Expect open houses and focus groups after the holidays to "dig deeper" on common themes pulled from the community surveys, Francis says.
- A draft plan is expected by summer 2025, per the Playbook Columbus website.