Columbus Recreation and Parks Department

Parks and recreation department of Columbus, Ohio

Columbus Recreation and Parks Department

The Jerry Hammond Center, the department headquarters
Department overview
Formed| January 2, 1972 (1972-01-02)
Preceding agencies|

* City Recreation Department
* Division of Forestry and Parks

Headquarters| 1111 E. Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio
39°57′54.493″N 82°58′15.416″W﻿ / ﻿39.96513694°N 82.97094889°W﻿ / 39.96513694; -82.97094889
Department executives|

* Bernita Reese, Director
* Paul Rakosky, Deputy Director
* Eric Brandon, Assistant Director

Website| www.columbus.gov/recreationandparks/

The Columbus Recreation and Parks Department manages parks, recreational facilities, and grounds in Columbus, Ohio. The department oversees 370 parks on about 13,500 acres (5,500 ha).[1] The department also maintains 29 community centers, five athletic complexes, six golf courses, 120 miles (190 km) of trails, five splash pads and interactive fountains, eight pools, an indoor aquatic center, 14 nature preserves, three reservoirs, five dog parks, and a skate park.[2]

## History

[edit]

### Early history

[edit]

In 1839, Columbus created its first park, five years after becoming a city. The park, Livingston Park, was made into an official public park in 1885.[3] In 1851, Dr. Lincoln Goodale donated 40 acres to the City of Columbus for use as a park. That site became Goodale Park. In 1867, the city acquired property for what would become Schiller Park in what is now German Village.[4]

In 1895, the Franklin Park Conservatory opened to the public and was owned and operated by the department until 1989.[5]

In 1904, the city formed an 18-member park commission and maintained playgrounds in four city parks.[6] The City Recreation Department was founded on July 15, 1910, and opened up five recreation centers in the following two years.[3][7] In 1920, the first municipal golf course was established and a day camp in 1927.[6] The Maryland Pool was built by The Columbus Dispatch in 1929, later gifting it to the city to make it the city's first pool.[7][6]

The Recreation Department took over management of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in 1951, but later gave up ownership to the Zoological Park Association, Inc., a non-profit organization, in 1970. The city continued providing funds from the city's general fund, however, until 1986.[8]

On June 6, 1953 the Columbus Park of Roses opened to the public, following all the paths and gardens laid out, and enclosed by a fence. At this time, the garden had 20,000 plants. The park utilized 13.5 acres (5.5 ha), though with 35 total acres including woodlands and a natural ravine of the surrounding Whetstone Park, which at the time was the largest in Columbus with 100 acres (40 ha).[9][10]

### Current department, 1972–present

[edit]

In 1972, voters approved the merger of the Recreation Department with the Division of Parks and Forestry to form the current department to better coordinate the management and planning of the parks.[2][11] Having begun his term as superintendent of the Recreation Department, Melvin Dodge was named the department's director and began the development of the Olentangy Riverfront to create a park with a floating bandshell, amphitheatre, and bike trails.[12][11] During his tenure, he helped to create Columbus's current park system, including recreation centers and riverfront parks.[4][12] He also saw the Columbus Zoo grow into a renowned zoo.[4][12] Dodge retired in 1985, and was succeeded by James W. Barney as director.[13][14]

In 2019, Bernita Reese became director of the department, the first Black woman in the position.[15]

## Governance

[edit]

The Columbus Recreation and Parks Department has a nine-member commission who are appointed by the mayor that establishes the policy direction of the park. A director oversees programs management, administration, and facilities management of the department.[11][14]

### Columbus Recreation Department Superintendents

[edit]

* Edgar S. Martin, 1910-1912
* R.S. Wambold, 1912-1915
* A.W. Raymond, 1916-1929
* Herman L. Wirthwein, 1929-1932
* Charles E. Seddon, 1932-1939
* Jack Cannon, 1940-1942
* Rodney Ross, 1943
* Nicholas J. Barrack, 1944-1966[16]
* Melvin Dodge, 1967-1972[17]

### Columbus Recreation and Parks Department Directors

[edit]

* Melvin Dodge, 1972-1987[18]
* James W. Barney, 1987-1992[19]
* Gary N Fenton, 1993-2000[20]
* Wayne A. Roberts, 2000-2006[21][22]
* Alan McKnight, 2007-2015[23][24]
* Tony Collins, 2015-2019[25][26]
* Bernita Reese, 2019-present[15]

## See also

[edit]

* Government of Columbus, Ohio
* List of parks in Columbus, Ohio

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Columbus Recreation and Parks Guide | Fall 2019". Issuu.
2. ^ a b "Recreation and Parks Department: About Us". The City of Columbus. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
3. ^ a b "Early Parks: 1834-1909". Columbus Recreation and Parks. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
4. ^ a b c Staff Writer. "Parks system observes 100 years of operation". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
5. ^ Miller, Kevin (2017-08-14). "History". Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
6. ^ a b c "Columbus Recreation Department: 50 Years of Service to Columbus". Columbus Metropolitan Library. 1960. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
7. ^ a b "History: 1910-1929". Columbus Recreation and Parks. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
8. ^ "2004 Columbus Annual Report". The Columbus Zoo. 2005. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-26.
9. ^ "Columbus Park of Roses". 1956. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
10. ^ "Welcome to Columbus. The National Rose Show...The Park of Roses". Columbus Rose Club, Central Ohio Rose Society. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
11. ^ a b c "Columbus Parks and Forestry Annual Report 1972". Columbus Metropolitan Library. 1972. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
12. ^ a b c Staff Writer. "Mel Dodge, Columbus booster extraordinaire". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
13. ^ Staff Writer. "Mel Dodge, Columbus booster extraordinaire". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
14. ^ a b "Columbus Recreation & Parks Commission annual report 1986". Columbus Metropolitan Library. 1986. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
15. ^ a b Ferenchik, Mark. "Bernita Reese returns from Alabama to become new Columbus recreation and parks director". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
16. ^ "Columbus Recreation Department: 50 Years of Service to Columbus". cdm16802.contentdm.oclc.org. 1960. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
17. ^ "Columbus Recreation and Parks History: 1960-1969". www.columbus.gov. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
18. ^ "Columbus Recreation and Parks History: 1980-1989". www.columbus.gov. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
19. ^ "Columbus Recreation and Parks History: 1990-1994". www.columbus.gov. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
20. ^ "Parks Boss Gary Fenton Leaving for Similar Position in Virginia". The Columbus Dispatch. March 18, 2000. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
21. ^ "Parks Board Keeps Acting Director in Top Job". The Columbus Dispatch. July 13, 2000. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
22. ^ "Ex-parks director faces day of reckoning". The Columbus Dispatch. November 21, 2006. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
23. ^ "Veteran of department is named its new director". The Columbus Dispatch. January 12, 2007. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
24. ^ "Columbus park leader honored". The Columbus Dispatch. April 19, 2016. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
25. ^ "Recreation - City gets new parks leader from Gahanna". The Columbus Dispatch. May 20, 2015. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
26. ^ "Columbus parks director leaving post for YMCA of Central Ohio". The Columbus Dispatch. May 23, 2019. Retrieved 2023-06-03.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Columbus Recreation and Parks Department and Parks in Columbus, Ohio.

* Official website

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Columbus Recreation and Parks

City parks|

* Columbus Park of Roses
* Franklin Park
* Goodale Park
* Schiller Park
* Sensenbrenner Park
* Topiary Park

| Scioto Mile|

* Alexander AEP Park
* Battelle Riverfront Park
* Bicentennial Park
* Dorrian Green
* Genoa Park
* McFerson Commons
* North Bank Park
* Scioto Audubon Metro Park (Metro Park)
* Scioto Mile Promenade

|

Recreation and trails|

* Cultural Arts Center
* Olentangy Trail
* Scioto Greenway Trail
* Santa Maria Ship & Museum (closed 2014)

Nonaffiliated parks|

* Campbell Memorial Park
* Columbus Commons
* Ohio Police and Fire Memorial Park
* Polaris Founder's Park
* Quarry Trails Metro Park
* Remembrance Park
* Washington Gladden Social Justice Park

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City of Columbus, Ohio

Ohio portal

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Neighborhoods|

* Clintonville
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Enclaves|

* Bexley
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History|

| Significant events|

* 1910 streetcar strike
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* AmeriFlora '92
* COVID-19 pandemic

|

Historic sites|

* National Register listings
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|

Organizations|

* Ohio History Connection
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|

Attractions|

* Budd Dairy Food Hall
* Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
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* Zoombezi Bay
* KEMBA Live!
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* Greater Columbus Convention Center
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Government|

* Mayors
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| City buildings|

* 77 North Front Street
* City Hall
* Coleman Government Center
* Police Headquarters

|

County, state,
and federal buildings|

* Bricker Federal Building
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* Joseph P. Kinneary United States Courthouse
* Ohio Judicial Center
* Ohio Statehouse
* Rhodes State Office Tower
* Vern Riffe State Office Tower

|

Education|

| Schools|

* Columbus City Schools
* Ohio School for the Deaf
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* Patriot Preparatory Academy
* Cristo Rey Columbus High School
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Libraries|

* Columbus Metropolitan Library
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Colleges and
universities|

* Capital University Law School
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* Trinity Lutheran Seminary

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Transportation|

* Central Ohio Transit Authority
* List of routes
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* Historical: Union Station
* Toledo and Ohio station
* Columbus Bus Station
* Proposed: Columbus Streetcar

| Streets|

* Broad Street
* High Street
* Innerbelt (I-670, I-71, I-70, Rt. 315)
* Outerbelt (I-270)

|

Airports|

* John Glenn Columbus International Airport
* Rickenbacker International Airport
* Bolton Field
* Ohio State University Airport

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Sports|

| Current teams|

* Columbus Blue Jackets
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Former teams|

* Columbus Blue Birds
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Venues|

* Huntington Park
* Historic Crew Stadium
* Lower.com Field
* Nationwide Arena
* Ohio Stadium
* Value City Arena

|

Museums|

* Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum
* Central Ohio Fire Museum
* Columbus Museum of Art
* COSI
* Jack Nicklaus Museum
* Kelton House Museum and Garden
* National Veterans Memorial and Museum
* Ohio History Center
* Ohio Statehouse
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* Orton Geological Museum
* Pizzuti Collection
* Thurber House
* Wexner Center for the Arts

Delaware, Fairfield, and Franklin Counties • Columbus metropolitan area • Ohio • United States
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