West Case Park
Welcome to West Case Park!
Columbus Recreation and Parks Department acquired the property from The Ohio State University’s Agriculture Extension Sheep Farm at 2425 West Case Road for a new community park at the end of 2019. The 58-acre site is located off of West Case Road and Sawmill Road in northwest Columbus, and it will become one of the major greenspaces for this area. The parkland has a wide range of possibilities—from sports to hiking to nature to special programming—all within a short walk of more than 6,000 residents. It is also near Carriage Place Community Center.
Feedback from the 2021 online survey:
The major themes residents shared included:
- Enjoy and want to preserve the natural feel of the park
- Desire for more walking and biking paths and safe connections to the park
Some of the top park features you shared that you would most like to see at the new West Case Road Park included:
- Walking paths – natural surface
- Nature observation/conservation area
- Walking paths – paved surface
Learn more about the vision plan
The Vision Plan for West Case Park features an organic, meandering design that references back to the site’s agricultural heritage. The plan offers a single, distinctive park entry onto the site, and it provides improvements to West Case Road for safe and convenient access. The single roadway brings people into the center of the site, providing easy access to all park amenities. A second, separate entry along West Case Road provides access to a new Forestry complex. Although this adds a curb cut along West Case, it also lightens the traffic demands along the main park drive.
This plan provides 3-4 acres of West Case Road frontage for a future library site adjacent to the existing woodland grove. The existing farmhouse is preserved on site. The silos are also preserved with new event and gathering structures.
On-site, the existing wetlands are maintained and enhanced with native wetland planting. An overwide stream channel offers a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to naturalize Slate Run. The invasive vegetation currently surrounding the stream is cleared, and the channel is replanted with native vegetation. A detention pond and wetland shelves collect and manage site stormwater to mitigate downstream impacts. These water features are incorporated into the larger park experience through integration of decks, boardwalks and outdoor education areas.
At the heart of the site, a multi-purpose field is sized to accommodate space for three full sized soccer fields, one cricket pitch, or countless picnickers and park visitors. At the northern end of the lawn, a flexible community gathering space and sports courts offer diverse recreational experiences for park visitors. At the southern end of the lawn, a small event center provides a flexible plaza, lawn and rentable space for individual and community gatherings. Native meadows surrounding the lawn help to preserve the existing site character, provide habitat for native wildlife and create a quiet buffer between the park activities and the surrounding neighborhood. Mown meadow and paved trails provide pedestrian access through the meadows for all ages and abilities and connect visitors with the natural play area located in the southwestern corner of the site.
West Case Park Renderings
West Case Park will offer several new features such as a playground, sprayground, event center, nature trails, pickleball courts, tennis courts and basketball courts.
Anticipated Project Schedule
- End of December 2019: Department purchases 58 acres of land from The Ohio State University
- October 2021: Open house to share preliminary concepts; during this time, we also had an online survey where residents could share their input. Check out the survey results
- August 2022: A public meeting was held to share the design options for the park, and residents shared their feedback
- June 2023: Columbus Recreation and Parks Department shares out the vision plan for West Case Park
- 2026: Construction begins
- Late 2027: West Case Park opens to the public
Key Dates
Oct. 16, 2021
Columbus Recreation and Parks Department hosts the West Case Road Park Vision Walking Tour from 10 a.m.-noon at the West Case Park site. Residents joined representatives from Columbus Recreation and Parks Department and the planning team for a guided walking tour of the West Case Road Park site and to participate in a survey to share their thoughts and ideas about the future West Case Road Park.
Aug. 3, 2022
A public open house was hosted at the Carriage Place Community Center on Aug. 3 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Representatives from Columbus Recreation and Parks Department and the project team shared conceptual plans for the park and ask for residents’ input on the plans. Feedback at this meeting helped shape the final vision for the park.
June 15, 2023
Columbus Recreation and Parks Department shares out the vision plan for West Case Park. It also shares that Columbus Metropolitan Library is interested in building a library branch at this location. Read the vision plan.