Message from Mayor Richard L. “Ike” Stage

Kids of all ages enjoy Parks and Recreation amenities out and about or at home

March 23 marks one year since Governor Mike DeWine issued Ohio’s first stay-at-home order in a move that prompted drastic changes in our daily lives. The individuals most caught off-guard by those changes were the children as it launched online schooling, harshly impacted extracurricular activities and thwarted everyday interactions with friends.

At the time, not much was widely understood about how COVID-19 is contracted or how to prevent exposure, so we took extensive steps to ensure the protection of our staff and residents. In addition to implementing strict safety guidelines for all City operations, we found it necessary to limit access to our playgrounds and public facilities until more could be learned about how the virus spreads.

Just as outdoor play was becoming a necessity for families to stay active, with heavy hearts we wrapped caution tape around the play structures of all City parks and canceled some of our most anticipated events in order to preserve our community’s safety. Yet we quickly established alternative means of engagement in our Parks and Recreation activities.

First, we introduced a new “Stay Active and Engaged at Home” page on the City’s website, providing fun and engaging activities for families. The page includes links to online tour sites for museums and zoos, fun games and craft ideas, links to fitness challenges and workouts, among many other great activities.

The Parks and Recreation Department worked swiftly to implement greater safety protocols for in-person activities, helping youth and adult athletic teams practice and compete in the outdoor sports they love. After modifications to accommodate social distancing guidelines, park shelters were eventually reopened, and children were welcomed back to the playgrounds with posted precautionary signage and additional safety information for parents.

Throughout this last year, the Parks and Service Departments provided additional efforts to expand and improve outdoor enjoyment for the community, including some cosmetic improvements to The Big Splash. It is our desire to open the family aquatic facility this season and once again welcome families for summer fun. Windsor Park celebrated the soft opening of six new, dedicated pickleball courts and artificial turf was installed on two additional baseball infields, bringing the total number of turf fields to four. Just over a mile was added to our multiuse trails along Borror Road, providing safe recreational use separate from the roadway. Southwest Boulevard roadway improvements included widening concrete pathways on the south side of the street to aid in path connectivity along that corridor. New neighborhood playgrounds were installed in Hoover Crossing, Hoover Run and Hennigan’s Grove subdivisions and are ready to welcome explorers of all ages.

The importance of play can be easily forgotten as we go about our daily lives, struggling to navigate a new normal that includes face coverings, hand sanitizer and online everything. However, one point was certainly confirmed over the last year – play is an essential component of overall health for ourselves and our families.

I urge you to find the “child” in yourself by taking advantage of the wonderful offerings available through our Parks and Recreation Department. Visit our Parks and Recreation webpage and make plans to explore our parks, trails and playgrounds.

Mayor Richard L. “Ike” Stage

Find information on all the activities and amenities mentioned here in The Source section of Discover Grove City magazine or by clicking the Parks and Recreation tab of the City’s website at www.GroveCityOhio.gov. Directly access the Remain Active & Engaged During Stay-at-Home page at bit.ly/GCHomeSource.

Connect with us!

Subscribe to our eNewsletter — From the Grove — at GroveCityOhio.gov. We’re Social @GroveCityOhio