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Children at the Scioto Mile fountains. Tim Johnson.
Something unusual was happening on an early Saturday evening in July. There were people hanging out downtown south of Broad Street. Lots of them, from families with little kids to urban hipsters to suburban couples out for a night on the town.
The attractions were two new parks, which opened within six weeks of each other. Columbus Commons, which debuted May 26, turned the empty, ugly shell of the former City Center mall into nine acres of green space in the urban core. Scioto Mile, which officially sprang to life July 7, transformed the eastern edge of the Scioto River, from Broad Street to Bicentennial Park.
These new jewels didn’t come cheap, with a total price tag of $64 million (the Mile, funded with public and private dollars, cost $44 million alone). And the hope of them driving downtown development will be played out over the coming years.
But for now, it’s about checking out these new curiosities. Folks are strolling through the Commons and stopping to ride the carousel, view the 12 gardens or glance at a book in the reading room, as well as participate in, say, kickboxing classes or watch outdoor movies. At Scioto Mile, walkers and bikers are exploring the water features, landscaping and swings along the promenade, diners are flocking to the Milestone 229 restaurant and plenty of kids are playing in the 15,000-square-foot fountain area with five sets of towering and graceful stainless steel tubes.
