Whetstone Park Improvements

The lower North field at Whetstone Park will be rebuilt to improve the playing experience of those fields. This will primarily be achieved by improved drainage and irrigation. This will result in a field that’s safer for play, quicker field recovery, requires fewer closures and is easier to maintain.

Due to these improvements, the field is currently not available for use. The North Fields will open in spring 2026. Although construction will be completed much earlier, it will take time for the field to stabilize and grow, a necessary step for its establishment.

The lower field improvements are part of a broader plan to enhance Whetstone Park. A new playground has recently been added to the lower fields, and other near-term improvements include installing four new bleachers in the bandstand area within the Park of Roses, as well as replacing 26 picnic tables (four ADA accessible), two new grills and benches. During the Fall of 2024, the parking lot next to the enclosed shelter at the Park of Roses was resurfaced.

Additional improvements are planned at Whetstone Park.

This year:

• Pond renovations will be completed in fall 2025. The previous open shelter was removed and will be replaced with a new, smaller shelter, although the new shelter is a long lead-time item and will be installed during the first half of 2026. Benches around the pond will be replaced,  and several hammock groves will also be added to the area.
• An informal trail has been created along the drainage swale from the pond to the river, where invasive trees were removed.
• The failing headwall below the Olentangy Trail will be replaced in Fall 2025.
• The roof at the Park of Roses enclosed shelter will be replaced with a metal roof in late 2025.
• Part 1 HVAC improvements (controls upgrades) at the community center will be completed in 2025.

Next year and beyond:

• Part 2 HVAC improvements (equipment upgrades) at the community center will be completed in 2026.
• Hard surface improvements will be made to the walking path at the Park of Roses in 2026.
• The pond parking lot and Hollenbach Road will be replaced in the Spring/Summer of 2026, along with the lighting poles in the pond parking lot.
• In 2026, the community center’s structural elements, including the foundation, roof and walls will be improved.
• In 2027, the Shared Use Path running parallel to Hollebach Road will be widened and replaced.
• Also planned for 2027, lighting and electrical upgrades will be made to the baseball fields.

All projects and timelines are contingent on funding, the availability of contractors and weather. Updates will be shared on this webpage.