James D. DeCamp ©James D. DeCamp/JamesDeCamp.co
20180926NAB-0064
The ground breaking of the Rose Run Park photographed Wednesday, September 26, 2018 at the site of the new park in New Albany, Ohio. The $17 million project is expected to finish in fall 2019. It will be funded through the issuance of bonds, according to an April 17, 2018 legislative report to City Council. The project will include a 34-foot bridge and promenade that will connect the New Albany-Plain Local School District campus to the New Albany branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library and Market Square, Adrienne Joly, New Albany’s director of administrative services, said. The north landing of the promenade will end in a plaza on the lawn near New Albany Middle School and New Albany High School, and the south end of the promenade will end at a public garden near the library. The improvements will bridge the gap between the learning campus and Market Street, Spalding said. The leisure trail near Rose Run will be rerouted underneath the bridge, Joly said, and stepping stones will lead down to the creek. City crews will remove invasive species growing around the creek to create an area with a high tree canopy. A natural play area, which could include logs, boulders and acrylic mirrors, will be added to Rose Run Park, she said. Dublin-Granville Road, which runs east to west between Fodor Road and Main Street, will remain two lanes, but the road itself will be reduced in width, Joly said. Although a 5-mile bicycle-trail loop ultimately is planned, the first phase of the project will create a half-mile segment from Fodor Road to Main Street, she said. The final version of the loop will feature a bike path and an adjoining walkway. Based on community input and resources, city leaders want to continue the greenway along the stream corridor all the way up to state Route 161, Spalding said. (© James D. DeCamp | http://JamesDeCamp.com | 614-367-6366)
Last year you read about the development of Rose Run Park, one of the most anticipated additions to the New Albany community to date, and learned the details behind some of its coolest features. The new park will have a pedestrian bridge, promenade, trail, bike hub and much more to offer. But that fun was set to come after the park caused, Mayor Sloan Spalding, “a little pain” during its development, because of the road closures happening throughout the year.
However, for some residents like Madison Mundy, who drives past the park construction during her daily commute, the park’s development hasn’t caused any hassle. The closures on Dublin Granville Road only blocks a portion of it, she says, so she finds herself less inconvenienced by the construction and more surprised that it’s almost over.
That positive feedback is exactly what Adrienne Joly, Rose Run’s project manager and the director of administrative services for New Albany, likes to hear. She and the rest of the Rose Run team have done everything they could to make the project development as painless as possible for residents.
“We’ve accelerated the construction of the road portion of the project,” says Joly. “We (plan to) get that open at least by mid-September, if not earlier.”
With the pace of the park and its surrounding roads’ construction quickening and the community’s excitement beginning to bubble over, Rose Run Park becomes more of a reality every day. And that means one thing: the fun is almost here.
Room for Change
Set to complete construction by the end of 2019, the new park will bring a plethora of changes to the City of New Albany. Not only will it be the town’s new epicenter, but it will also provide almost half a mile of greenspace for community events and year-round leisure all while seamlessly connecting important community spaces in new ways.
“Our hope is that it’s going to change the way people are able to move back and forth within the village center and create a new connection from the school campus directly to Market Square,” says Joly.
The development team also hopes to change the way that New Albany residents interact with the environment and each other, including plenty of seating areas throughout the park and more than 30 miles of nature trails.
James D. DeCamp ©James D. DeCamp/JamesDeCamp.co
20180926NAB-0347
The ground breaking of the Rose Run Park photographed Wednesday, September 26, 2018 at the site of the new park in New Albany, Ohio. The $17 million project is expected to finish in fall 2019. It will be funded through the issuance of bonds, according to an April 17, 2018 legislative report to City Council. The project will include a 34-foot bridge and promenade that will connect the New Albany-Plain Local School District campus to the New Albany branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library and Market Square, Adrienne Joly, New Albany’s director of administrative services, said. The north landing of the promenade will end in a plaza on the lawn near New Albany Middle School and New Albany High School, and the south end of the promenade will end at a public garden near the library. The improvements will bridge the gap between the learning campus and Market Street, Spalding said. The leisure trail near Rose Run will be rerouted underneath the bridge, Joly said, and stepping stones will lead down to the creek. City crews will remove invasive species growing around the creek to create an area with a high tree canopy. A natural play area, which could include logs, boulders and acrylic mirrors, will be added to Rose Run Park, she said. Dublin-Granville Road, which runs east to west between Fodor Road and Main Street, will remain two lanes, but the road itself will be reduced in width, Joly said. Although a 5-mile bicycle-trail loop ultimately is planned, the first phase of the project will create a half-mile segment from Fodor Road to Main Street, she said. The final version of the loop will feature a bike path and an adjoining walkway. Based on community input and resources, city leaders want to continue the greenway along the stream corridor all the way up to state Route 161, Spalding said. (© James D. DeCamp | http://JamesDeCamp.com | 614-367-6366)
As a longtime member of the community, Mundy welcomes these changes. She’s excited for the change in scenery and in New Albany’s growth as residents and visitors alike flock to Rose Run to enjoy its amenities and explore the rest of the city’s center.
“Right now, New Albany is a place that you don’t quite go to unless you live here or work here,” says Mundy. “I think this addition will bring more people to New Albany because it’s something people can do that’s a low-cost option for family-friendly things.”
The influx of visitors and future residents gives her and other young professionals like her in the area a chance to make connections.
“It’ll also serve as an opportunity to meet others in the community because right now, I don’t think there’s necessarily a space where you can gather and you can network with the people around you,” says Mundy.
Features to Fawn Over
In addition to the pedestrian bridge above the park’s stream, Joly is excited for children and families to make use of the nature play area. The natural playground repurposes trees that were cut down to make room for the bridge that Joly knows kids will love.
“We’re going to cut those up into little stumps and anchor them together to make play structures and little stepping stones and beams for kids to be able to have a little play experience in nature,” says Joly. “I think that’s going to be a really fun area to be and to watch people use and have that experience.”
Mundy is thrilled to finally have a space close to her where she can get outside, get active and connect with others. Instead of visiting Hoover Reservoir Park, where she and her boyfriend typically exercise, they can head over to Rose Run, get in a good workout and enjoy the nice weather right in the new heart of New Albany.
Mundy knows that no matter what activity she visits Rose Run Park for, she won’t be disappointed afterward, and she’s hopeful that other residents will feel the same way. She adds that, in her eyes, the park will be accessible to everyone and will be a harbor of endless possibilities for the community.
“I can imagine all the different reasons why you would go down there,” she says. “You can take a stroll in the park, get ice cream at Johnson’s (Real Ice Cream) or take a stroll after dinner.”
In just under five months, Mundy, Joly and the rest of New Albany won’t have to imagine the possibilities that Rose Run Park offers anymore.
Tatyana Tandanpolie is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
