A grassroots group advocating to maintain original plans to redevelop McCoy Park as an adaptive recreation area has asked Columbus City Council to change newly proposed designs for Southwest Side parks.
The city released a $35-million plan in June prioritizing three separate public areas with accessibility features such as universally accessible playgrounds, a regulation-sized wheelchair softball pad or Miracle Field, therapeutic recreation indoor facility and more that would also include a new nine-acre park at Brown and Greenleaf roads.
The plans were commissioned after previous upgrades for McCoy Park were canceled for the proposed National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) training facility.
The McCoy Park Community Response Coalition (MPCRC) is concerned about location accessibility, private subsidies, a loss of 20 acres of green space and restricted use of soccer training fields for the public.
Coalition member Jennifer Crayton said the city's new plans are a great starting point, but still do not make up for originally envisioned upgrades. She worries there won’t be any future follow-through.
“It’s time that when we write this legislation that the city starts putting in consequences,” Crayton said. “If the plans don't happen: what is the next recourse for the city or the community?”
The letter lists core mandates for possible changes:
- Mandate and fund Universal Design and Adaptive Infrastructure in the proposed sites and existing parks.
- Require restrooms instead of porta-potties.
- Freeze permits and city funding for the NWSL developer until binding contracts are finalized for private land.
- Restore 20 acres of lost public green space.
- Guarantee “open community play” hours for soccer fields at acceptable fields.
Crayton said she met with Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin about the proposals and remains hopeful about working together instead of fighting.
In a statement, Hardin said, “I appreciated meeting with Jennifer Crayton, a respected advocate for her community. I thank her for raising important issues meant to ensure the proposed amenities come to fruition and are accessible for all."
“City Council's stance on this is clear. We amended the NWSL legislation to require the Administration to form a workgroup for how they would replace and fulfill the initial vision at McCoy Park and to specify that Crew Stadium admissions fee revenue for the training facility is contingent on ‘faithful implementation of this working group and its resulting deliverables.’ We will remain engaged and continue to honor that commitment,” Hardin said.
Columbus City Council still plans to hold a public hearing and vote on the plan following its summer recess. City Council meets next on Aug. 24.