Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks hasn’t broken ground yet for its 20th central Ohio park, but its project already has won an award from the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission for collaborative efforts to push it forward.

Metro Parks, Wagenbrenner Development and the cities of Columbus, Hilliard and Upper Arlington received MORPC’s Collaborative Achievement in Sustainability Award in October for the Quarry Project.

One element of the project is Quarry Trails, a 226-acre Metro Park northeast of Trabue and Dublin roads and west of the Scioto River and Upper Arlington. It will extend as far north as the dam at Griggs Reservoir Park and north of Trabue Road.

The project includes a mixed-use development: Wagenbrenner Development plans to build housing, retail space and commercial offices on 70 acres.

Metro Parks executive director Tim Moloney said the entire site encompasses a little more than 600 acres, but the Shelly Co. has mineral rights to 311 acres that are not part of the park or Wagenbrenner’s mixed-use plans.

Metro Parks officials hope to break ground for Quarry Trails in 2019.

When it’s finished, the park is expected to feature a 26-foot waterfall, trails for hiking, bicycling and mountain biking, rock climbing, fishing and picnicking.

In March, Metro Parks purchased 62 acres of the site for $1.8 million from Marble Cliff Canyon LLC, a limited liability company created by Wagenbrenner, and it bought another 118 acres for $5.3 million in June. Wagenbrenner, through Marble Cliff Canyon LLC, donated 46 acres for the project.

The site currently isn’t open to the public and trespassing there is illegal, according to Moloney.

“Work that is being done on the site is part of the environmental remediation that is taking part as part of the private development on the site,” he said. “Almost all of this is within the land owned by MCC and not Metro Parks. There are about 5 acres of Metro Parks land that need remediation and that work is being completed as part of the purchase of the land and not being completed by Metro Parks.”

Moloney said Metro Parks has received more than $6.1 million in outside funding to support the project: $2.2 million from the state capital budget and about $3.9 million from the Clean Ohio Fund.

“Metro Parks has been looking at this land for many years,” he said. “It’s within 5 miles of about 324,000 people. It gives our users a new experience and it really is going to be a park that has something for everyone.”

Moloney said Quarry Trails programs have not been finalized yet, and that work would determine annual operations costs for the park. However, he said, he estimated those would amount to $750,000 to $825,000 annually.

“Most, if not all, of the operational costs will come from our voted-on levy monies,” Moloney said. “However, we still plan on looking at additional funding sources for park-development costs.

“We have not done a preliminary budget at this time. We are currently estimating that is will be similar in operational costs to Scioto Audubon (Metro) Park.”

In announcing the Collaborative Achievement in Sustainability Award, a MORPC press release noted that the new park would be a regional destination for outdoor enthusiasts, established by “leaders in the region” who have excelled at “partnership work.”

In addition, the release said, the park would preserve and restore more than 60 acres of open space and would help create “a critical link in the Central Ohio Greenways network along the Scioto River to connect downtown Columbus to Hilliard and on to Plain City.”

Moloney said Columbus, Grandview Heights, Hilliard and Upper Arlington are working to determine how Quarry Trails would connect to their communities.

Upper Arlington Parks and Recreation Department director Debbie McLaughlin said Quarry Trails would enhance recreation amenities for central Ohio residents and visitors.

“The addition of the Quarry Trails provides expansive recreation opportunities for Upper Arlington residents and the region,” McLaughlin said. “This park development will encompass nature- and adventure-recreation activities.

“These activities fit in line with desired activities our residents identified in our comprehensive-plan process and will be available in our community’s backyard. We welcome the park development and any opportunity to partner with Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks.”

nellis@thisweeknews.com

@ThisWeekNate

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