After months of meetings, feedback, and debate, Southwest Columbus residents are getting more than a replacement for the original McCoy Park plans. They’re getting a broader vision for parks and recreation across the neighborhood.
On Monday, the Southwest Parks Working Group released its final recommendations, outlining a $35 million investment that would expand recreation opportunities across McCoy Park, Greenleaf Park, and Berliner Sports Park. The proposal is designed to serve nearly 50,000 residents within a two mile drive, a significant increase from the original $20 million McCoy Park plan, which would have reached about 16,500 residents.
The working group was formed earlier this year after the City of Columbus announced that part of McCoy Park would instead become the training facility for the city’s future National Women’s Soccer League team. That decision sparked frustration from neighbors who worried they were losing long promised park amenities.
Rather than simply replacing those amenities elsewhere, the new plan spreads investments across multiple sites while preserving key pieces of the original McCoy Park vision.
“The Southwest community asked for more parks and recreation amenities, and I’m keeping that promise,” Mayor Andrew Ginther said in a statement. “I commit to enacting the solutions of the working group and upping the city’s investment in the neighborhood to $35 million in parkland. I’m grateful to the working group for proving we’re a ‘yes-and’ community, that we can invest in professional women’s sports and grow park and recreation opportunities and access for our neighbors.”
What’s planned for each park
The largest investment remains at McCoy Park, where plans call for a new 7.5 acre community park featuring a therapeutic recreation indoor facility, a universally accessible playground, multi use recreation fields, tennis or pickleball courts, walking paths, greenspace, shelters, permanent restrooms, and community access to synthetic turf academy fields.
A brand new neighborhood park is also planned for Greenleaf Park at Brown and Greenleaf roads. The 8.9 acre park would include an accessible playground, an adventure play area, outdoor fitness equipment, basketball courts, tennis or pickleball courts, walking paths, greenspace, and picnic shelters.
Meanwhile, Berliner Sports Park would receive an adaptive recreation field designed for athletes of all abilities. Plans include either a regulation wheelchair softball field or Miracle Field, along with accessible seating, dugouts, restrooms, lighting, and other improvements.
The report also recommends that Columbus continue acquiring additional parkland in Southwest Columbus to meet future recreation needs while maintaining commitments to stormwater and flood mitigation projects in the area.
For Southwest Area Commission Fiscal Officer Leah Young, the process represented a chance for neighbors to be heard.
“I think this has really leveled the playing field for the Southwest Area Commission to speak our concerns and needs in a way that we can be heard,” Young said. “It was encouraging to meet the ownership group and find that they really are invested in the community and want what is best for the community.”
According to Columbus Recreation and Parks Director Bernita A. Reese, expanding beyond a single park allows the city to reach more residents.
“By looking to three sites instead of one, we’re able to serve more youth and bring more benefit to this important community,” Reese said. “These solutions expand on the commitments made to the Southwest community, and we’re excited to begin work on these spaces right away.”
When construction could begin
The first phase of work will focus on Greenleaf Park and McCoy Park, with groundbreaking anticipated in 2026. Design work for Greenleaf Park and the first phase of McCoy Park is expected to wrap up in early 2027, followed by construction through 2027 and 2028.
The second phase of McCoy Park and improvements at Berliner Sports Park are expected to follow, with the adaptive recreation field projected for completion in early 2029.
For many Southwest Columbus residents, the announcement marks the end of months of uncertainty and the beginning of a larger investment than originally promised. Whether the plan ultimately delivers on those promises will become clearer as construction gets underway over the next several years.
