Courtesy of Sara O’Malley
Dublin residents are no strangers to the immaculate pedestrian bridge connecting Historic Dublin to the newer Bridge Park district – however, the beauty of the Dublin Link doesn’t stop there. As a connection between Historic Dublin and Bridge Park, the Link has created a more vibrant and walkable community.
For the city of Dublin, Bridge Park has been crucial to the successful advancement of economic development projects, Sara O’Malley, economic development administrator for the City of Dublin, says.
As of 2021, seven of 10 planned developments for Bridge Park have been completed, O’Malley says, and there’s significant momentum carrying over through the pandemic to this year.
“It’s definitely a cornerstone of our long-term vision for the city of Dublin,” she says.
The addition of the Dublin Link gives Dublin a distinctive connection between different districts.
“It makes us unique that you can, within a three-minute walk, visit the historic core, the culture, the flair of our city and then walk across to this brand new, vibrant, innovative, mixed-use development,” O’Malley says.
The Link and related developments have helped attract businesses and activity that rely on that walkability.
Columbus Food Adventures, present elsewhere in central Ohio since 2010, waited for the completion of the Link and North Market Bridge Park before offering a Dublin area tour, says co-owner Bethia Woolf.
“What’s really special about the tour is that it is on both sides of the bridge,” Woolf says. “People really get to see the old and learn about the history of Dublin, and then we go across the bridge to the Bridge Park development, which is the present and future.”
Featured stops on the Dublin Food Tour include local favorites such as Our CupCakery, a Dublin-based bakery, and North High Brewing, which Woolf says is located in a slightly modernized historic building. The Pearl, a Cameron Mitchell restaurant that came to Dublin in March 2020, has also recently been added as a stop on the tour, she says.
“There’s a lot of wonderful independent restaurants in Dublin and food businesses with a lot of personality,” Woolf says.
Many of these restaurants are also part of the Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA), on both sides of the Dublin Link. The DORA allows patrons 21 years and older to purchase an alcoholic beverage from an approved establishment and carry it as they shop and explore the area.
“Businesses are really taking advantage of DORA to co-mingle with other businesses to attract customers down to the area in a safe, open-air environment,” O’Malley says.
Further open-air activity comes from Riverside Crossing Park, which adds greenery and further connection to nature in the area. The park plans include access to the Indian Run greenway and trail systems on the west side and space for festivals and events on the east side. Activity has already picked up, including an ice skating rink this past winter.
Although parts of the Bridge Park area are still in development, O’Malley says the area is booming as more residential, retail and office spaces move in, making it a high-demand area.
“I grew up in Dublin,” O’Malley says. “A tagline that I heard is, ‘You grew up and so did Dublin.’”
Chloe McGowan is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
