Gahanna Parks & Recreation Board Meeting - December 10, 2025
Gahanna Parks & Recreation Board Meeting - December 10, 2025
The Parks and Recreation Board met on Wednesday, December 10, 2025 at 7:00 PM in Gahanna City Hall Council Chambers. All seven members were present. The meeting focused on the presentation of three design concepts for the new Friendship Park playground, the Director's Report, and committee updates. The meeting adjourned at 7:41 PM.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes: A motion by Miller, seconded by Shepherd, to approve the minutes of the November 12, 2025 meeting passed unanimously (7-0).
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public spoke during Hearing of Visitors.
Discussion Items
- Friendship Park Playground Presentation: Parks Operations Manager Zach Guthrie presented three conceptual designs for the new playground at Friendship Park. The project, budgeted at $750,000 as part of the city's 2026 Capital Improvement Plan, aims to enhance inclusivity and accessibility. Planning began in summer 2025 with a public survey (over 450 responses) and engagement with stakeholders including Jeremiah's Corner, Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities, and local schools. Three concepts were shown, all featuring poured-in-place rubber surfacing, ADA-compliant ramping, and varying play elements. Concept 1 includes minimum-standard ramps, three swing bays, and a ground-level spinner. Concept 2 features a 12-foot main structure with double-wide ramps, four swing bays, a dedicated 2-5 play area, a cozy nook, and integrated shade. Concept 3 combines elements from the first two, adds a roller slide (unique to the city's system), scavenger-hunt features, and communication panels at multiple levels including ground level and Braille cues. Colors shown are placeholders; final colors will be determined through further community engagement. The project team plans to seek a matching grant through GameTime to potentially add features. Construction is targeted for late winter/early spring with completion by Memorial Day. Additional amenities such as benches, tables, and fencing will be incorporated during final design. Board members asked about climbing elements (under consideration, pending grant funding), surface type (poured-in-place), age range (2-12 anticipated for main structure), and whether the $750,000 budget covers the designs (Concept 3 is most vetted and fits within budget; other concepts not expected to cost more). The project will use a national purchasing partnership (Omnia) rather than traditional bidding. Old equipment will be disposed of. Board member Holly Haines praised Concepts 2 and 3 for color cues aiding low-vision users and auditory play features.
- Director's Report: Director Ferrell highlighted staff efforts in snow removal (trails, parking lots, Creekside Plaza), the holiday lights display at Creekside, and staff development opportunities including an upcoming retreat with speaker Annie Prazoli. The annual Holiday Lighting Contest was cancelled due to low participation and staff transition. Board member McCleskey congratulated staff on receiving second place in the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association awards for the mountain bike trail (budget category up to $500,000).
- Committee Reports: Bicycle & Trail Advisory Committee (BTAC) meeting rescheduled to February due to scheduling conflicts. Gahanna Active Senior Advisory Committee (GASAC) meeting scheduled for December 16 at 3:00 PM at the Senior Center. Natural Resources Advisory Committee (NRAC) reported no updates.
Key Outcomes
- Minutes approved (unanimous).
- No formal votes were taken on the playground concepts; the board received the presentation and provided feedback.
- Next steps for Friendship Park playground: Continued community engagement over the next few weeks, final concept refinement in January 2026, progression to design, and clarity on grant funding and construction timeline by February 2026.
- Director's report received without objection.
- Committee reports noted; BTAC meeting rescheduled to February.
Meeting Transcript
Okay, we'll call the meeting to order at seven o'clock. Can we have a roll call, please? Christy Kamansky. Here. Army McCleskey. Here. Paulie Haynes. Here. Eric Miller. Here. Dan Ross. Here. Kat Shepherd. Here. Donna Simmons. Here. All right. Has everyone had a chance to look at the minutes? Can I have a motion to approve? Motion to approve. Second. Any discussion? Roll call. All right. Christine? Yes. Harvey McCliskey. Yes. Colleen? Yes. Eric Miller? Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. All right. Any additions or corrections to the agenda? No. Any hearing of visitors? Correspondence and actions. All right. Unfinished business. Is there anything under there, Stephanie? Then we move on to new business and our friendship park playground. Thank you. So as part of the 2026 capital improvement requests, we do have the friendship. There we go. The Friendship Park playground as part of an improvement that we have outlined in our in our docket. Obviously, Friendship Park is not only one of our oldest parks, but it's also frequented in one of the locations of our summer camp. And so this is a um every playground is a big and important project, but this project specifically has a lot of individuals who have specific desires and have a really good ability to participate in this process.
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