3 hours ago - News

You can now explore Columbus' newest Metro Park

Alissa Widman Neese

Sign for Great Southern Metro Park with park hours 7:30 AM to dark, surrounded by large light-colored stones, a boulder, bare trees, grassy field, and a partly cloudy sky with the sun low. — The entrance to Great Southern Metro Park, 3447 Hirst Drive. Photos: Alissa Widman Neese/Axios

Columbus' newest Metro Park officially opens in a month — but visitors can already enjoy some of it as progress continues.

Why it matters: Great Southern Metro Park adds green space to an underserved South Side neighborhood and will eventually connect to downtown via the Scioto Trail.

The latest: The site is in "soft opening" mode, with a ceremony scheduled for April 1, Metro Parks spokesperson Jill Snyder tells Axios.

Zoom in: About 27 acres is accessible, and several folks were already exploring the trails when we stopped by recently.

Obstacle course stations are installed, along with restrooms, a soccer goal and an observation deck and swing overlooking a limestone quarry.
Some of the land is being reclaimed, marked by "prairie in progress" signs.
A playground and more picnic tables are coming this month, Snyder says.

A person rides a bike on a paved winding path through a grassy area with leafless trees under a partly cloudy blue sky, with utility poles and a white building in the background. — A biker enjoys a new trail, with a "prairie in progress" to his right. The Great Southern Shopping Center, right, abuts the Metro Park.

The big picture: Great Southern is one of two Metro Parks set to open this year, the system's 21st and 22nd.

Bank Run Metro Park, between Lockbourne and Obetz, will open May 16.
The 166-acre site will focus on big gatherings with a 300-person event space, 5K trail and performance stage.

A map shows Columbus-area Metro Parks. Great Southern and Bank Run are highlighted. — Explore an interactive map. Data: Metro Parks; Note: Excludes Clear Creek in Hocking County; Map: Sara Wise/Axios

Context: Both new sites are on the smaller side, with Metro Parks owning about 70 acres at Great Southern.

Highbanks is around 1,200, for reference, and Scioto Audubon and Inniswood are 120.

Flashback: The new projects are behind an initial 2024 timeline, with land agreements and site work taking longer than anticipated, Snyder says.

Great Southern encompasses land that was once Columbus' Heer Park and a well-known homeless encampment.

Bank Run is formerly a quarry and the Hoover YMCA Park.

Follow the money: A 10-year levy approved in 2018 is helping fund development.

It costs homeowners just over $33 annually for every $100,000 of home value.

Wooden railing overlooking a calm pond surrounded by leafless trees and dry grass under a partly cloudy sky reflected in the water. — The view from the overlook area, over a retention pond and active quarry in the distance.

💭 Alissa's thought bubble: Situated along the backside of a shopping center and near a sewage pumping station, Great Southern isn't your typical postcard park — yet.

I saw the potential during my visit, amid the prairie grass and saplings taking root.
There's lots of room for growth, and eventual access to the nearby Scioto River will be huge for the area.

Go deeper: City Winery and other development happening on the South Side

A young tree with red leaves protected by a wire cage near a winding paved path with bare trees and a partly cloudy sky in the late afternoon sunlight. — Like this sapling, Great Southern Metro Park is poised to grow into something great.

Wooden bench swing with metal brackets on gravel by a paved path in a park area with leafless trees, picnic table, and partly cloudy blue sky. — A swing bench and an overlook in the distance, facing an area where the park should expand south.

Brown field with sparse grass under a partly cloudy sky, a red sign saying "Prairie in Progress," and a winding paved path on the right, bordered by bare trees and power lines in the distance. — A "prairie in progress," with the overlook area in the distance.

Outdoor fitness area with a wooden cargo net climbing structure on wood chips, a sign labeled "Cargo Net," grass field, and overcast sky with scattered clouds. — One of several obstacle course stations installed at the park.

Gravel path winding through a leafless forest under a blue sky with clouds, power lines running alongside the path. — A quiet "Canal Trail" through the woods, which will eventually connect to the Scioto Trail.

Forked paved paths in a grassy park area under a blue sky with scattered white clouds. Leafless trees and distant buildings are visible in the background. — The "Heer Loop," on the former Heer Park site.

Outdoor public restroom building with three red doors and two small chimneys, surrounded by leafless trees, rocks, and a winding paved path under a cloudy sky. — The park restrooms are near the parking lot and already open.

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You can now explore Columbus' newest Metro Park

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