Almost 20 years ago, my husband and I were excited to be a part of this burgeoning little village in the country. It is amazing how quickly time flies.
Today, while we have grown to obtain city status, our small-town charm, beauty, connectivity and friendliness are still fundamental to what we are as a community. I cannot imagine a better place to call home.
Many of you are in town to participate in the nation’s largest walking event, the New Albany Walking Classic. Participants from more than 40 states will no doubt enjoy New Albany’s wooded preserves, trademark white horse fences, golf courses, 1,800 acres of green space and classic Georgian architecture along the course. Dr. Phil Heit, the race coordinator, is a walker himself, and, as our community’s most ardent health and wellness advocate, he, along with his New Albany Walking Club members, enjoys our 32 miles of leisure trails throughout the year.
As beautiful as our community is, however, it’s the people who set our town apart. New Albany is a place where family and friendships are highly valued. On any given day, this close-knit community may celebrate a parade, cheer on one of the school district’s sports teams, watch our own symphony orchestra perform a concert, witness a performing artist at the Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts or even have the opportunity to sit down with a world leader at a New Albany Community Foundation lecture series.
The anchor of New Albany is our Village Center, our social, educational and cultural core. This town center is home to restaurants, coffee shops, government offices, the library, the McCoy Center and the New Albany-Plain Local School District’s 200-acre learning campus, where all school activities and grade levels are synergized into one place.
Our newest Village Center project is a community health anchor that could change the way health is practiced in America. Thanks to a cooperative between the city of New Albany, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Healthy New Albany, our community will be home to the first wellness center ever to blend health care, fitness and community wellness activities all in one place. Called the Philip Heit Center for Healthy New Albany, this center will serve as a gathering place for the community and will also be a national model in the pursuit of better community health and wellness.
Another organic community connection is the New Albany International Business Park. What started out as an idea in a corn field a decade and a half ago ago is now a 3,000-acre business park with three highway interchanges, dual-feed electric power and a state-of-the-art municipal broadband network that can save users as much as 20 percent off their fiber-optic needs. A total of $1.7 billion in private investment has gone into the business park, which now houses 12,000-plus jobs. Those interested in bringing new business into New Albany or expanding the space of their existing business here can obtain more information by calling 614-939-2254 or visiting www.newalbanyohio.org.
I trust you will enjoy your stay and hope you have a wonderful event experience!
