As we all gratefully welcome spring’s arrival in central Ohio, we can’t wait to get back outside! So I’m especially happy to tell you about some big Columbus Metro Parks news: our new park, Bank Run, is set to open this year.
Bank Run Metro Park is just south of Columbus in Lockbourne, Ohio. Created out of the former Hoover Y Park and an adjacent disused quarry site, Bank Run will stretch to a combined 166 acres. The name “Bank Run” derives from the rock once quarried on site: it’s a term for the mix of gravel, sand, dirt, and small rock fragments commonly found along riverbanks and gravel pits.
The vision for Bank Run moves beyond the typical Metro Park. In particular, it will accommodate large events that we struggle to host at existing parks — think 5K runs, festivals, and very large picnics of up to 10,000 people. All of its facilities will be available for renting separately or in combination.
Bank Run’s features will include:
- Two fully renovated lodges, each accommodating 99 people for sit-down functions, including warming kitchens, microwaves, and industrial-sized refrigerators to make self-catering clean and easy.
- A new 299-person outdoor shelter, plus lots of additional picnic tables and grills and plenty of green space.
- A large stage with electrical connections for music performances or presentations.
- A re-creation of the Granddaddy Slide that was beloved at the old Hoover Y Park. Even bigger than the original, the new slide will be 100 feet long and descend 25 feet for a heart-pounder of a ride. Higher sides will ensure zero spills but no reduction in thrills!
- A 5-kilometer trail that wends its way through woodland and around a large quarry lake.
- Staff-guided kayaking or paddleboarding try-it sessions on the lake.
The park is bordered on the north by a beautiful stretch of Big Walnut Creek, and trails will lead down to the riverbank, where visitors can freely enjoy the scenic views. Acquiring this land for the park also allows Metro Parks to protect this section of the Big Walnut Creek watershed.
There is still much work to be done to finalize parking lots and access roads and to restore utilities at the park, including city water service, and an opening date is dependent on these last pieces of the puzzle falling into place. But it should be soon.
We look forward to hosting our local residents, as well as nonprofit and corporate events, at Bank Run Metro Park over many years to come!
