On behalf of the Greater Hilltop Area Commission, we respectfully urge your support of the City of Columbus Recreation and Parks Department’s request to renew the lease for Rhodes Park, located at 1910 West Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio 43223. Rhodes Park has served as a vital recreational space for nearly 50 years.

Since its acquisition in 1976, the 51-acre site has provided the community with green space, athletic fields, playgrounds, and a trail connector. Due to its accessibility and location, numerous local sports leagues and youth teams have proudly called Rhodes Park home for decades.

In 1999, Rhodes Park became home to the first ADA-accessible Sports Pad in the Midwest—an innovative project that set a national precedent for inclusive recreational design. While portions of the original pad remain, key components have been removed and not replaced due to the absence of a lease agreement. The remaining elements have exceeded their useful life and are now in urgent need of repair or replacement.

It is important to emphasize that failure to secure a lease renewal would have a wide-reaching impact—not only on the Hilltop—but also on neighboring communities such as Franklinton, the Southwest corridor, West Scioto, Grandview, and even Downtown Columbus. The park’s strategic location near Interstate 70 allows it to serve as a regional hub for recreation, inclusion, and community wellness.

We respectfully request that the State of Ohio grant the City of Columbus a favorable long-term lease agreement. Doing so will allow critical improvements and upgrades to be made, ensuring Rhodes Park remains a safe, accessible, and vibrant resource for future generations.

We sincerely hope you will support continued city operation of Rhodes Park for the next 50 years and beyond. 

Please share! 

Best, 

James White

Greater Hilltop Area Commission Chair