PUBLIC ART IN

that you don’t have to get into your car and drive to. (The development) is driven by the general public and what they’re looking for now in the way of housing and the ambiance of a community.”

Honoring the history

Recognizing the pivotal role Beulah Park has played in Grove City over the last century, the city wanted to honor the history of the park. On Sept. 17, 2021, the park erected a $250,000 quartz and steel sculpture designed by Craig W. Murdick. It depicts six horses and their riders at the starting line. Murdick wanted to create a piece that encapsulates the excitement at the beginning of the race as the riders break free of the starting line, according to Backiewicz.

“When we dedicated (the sculpture), you could really sense from people within Grove City that have such a strong connection to the former racetrack that there was very much a sense of peace and pride that the racetrack wasn’t forgotten,” Backiewicz says.

There are other nods to the racetrack’s history scattered throughout the development as well. The Clubhouse development was designed as a tribute to the park’s racing days with details such as a custom-painted wall depicting a horse race and benches inside the building from the original grandstand. Other communities feature photos from the park’s past and are designed with an equestrian aesthetic. The original racetrack gatehouses are also still at the entrance at Southwest Boulevard.

“Almost all of the homes have some sort of connection to the history,” Backiewicz says. “I think people really enjoy living somewhere where they feel connected to the history.”

By Megan Brokamp