COLUMBUS – Columbus city officials have chosen a Northeast Side location to serve as a large soccer facility after plans to use land near the former home of the Crew fell through.
Mayor Andrew Ginther announced Thursday that the Community Sports Park, which had been — promised as part of the city’s commitment to keep the Crew from moving to Austin, would be located at Kilbourne Run, a 69-acre site near Westerville and Morse roads, according to a release from Ginther’s office.
Originally, plans called for the park to be situated on state fairgrounds property near Historic Crew Stadium but the Ohio Expositions Commission refused to grant a the city a lease, Ginther said.
“While we leave the door open for negotiations with the state and remain prepared to invest in recreation facilities on the fairgrounds site, the community has waited long enough,” he said.
The park is a soccer-specific facility already owned and maintained by the city, which will invest millions of dollars to enhance it, with natural and artificial turf fields, mini-pitches and a championship field with spectator stands, a locker room and lights. The Crew will also use it for its Crew Academy.
City embraces pickleball
Ginther also announced the city will begin work on a three-season pickleball tournament facility at Mock Park, near Historic Crew Stadium, and outdoor pickleball courts at four other parks.
The also plans to begin work on a new 2-story, 40,000 square foot senior center on E. Broad Street that will house much of the arts and senior programming originally held at Martin Janis Senior Center and the Golden Hobby Shop, Ginther announced.