Downtown Columbus is the heart of central Ohio, and the core of our Capital City. It is the business, cultural, arts and government center of central Ohio. It is the place where our community comes together to work, to enrich our minds, to exercise our bodies, to relax and play. When downtown is strong and vibrant, we all are proud to call it our home.

The Scioto Mile will connect disjointed open spaces and foster better linkages between the riverfront and downtown. Enhancing the riverfront and adjacent open spaces will provide the City with important urban amenities and create an attractive destination where workers, residents and tourists can escape from the hectic pace of the city for moments of relaxation, entertainment, recreation or exercise.

All great cities have great parks. Cities, such as Detroit, Hartford, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, and Wilmington are in the process of turning their “diamonds-in-the-rough” riverfront areas into real jewels – important public assets to improve the quality of life for the residents of their regions, and their visitors. Done well, these areas become magnets for economic development investments.

Parks are truly transformative. They fill cities with life. They create jobs, higher property values, and more commerce, while also bringing fun and beauty to cities. Parks are community assets, and as such, the potential impact of a neighboring park is a strong consideration as part of the decision to purchase, invest or finance a property.