News Flash

Frankfort Square band shell spray painted

City crews spent time Tuesday cleaning up the Frankfort Square band shell in downtown Columbus after the stage backdrop facing east was found spray painted.

Unsolicited spray paint was applied to the wall behind the stage showing a heart with an arrow through it, a name and some numbers, according to City Parks and Recreation Director Betsy Eckhardt. The Parks and Recreation director said City staff on Tuesda...

Columbus teen group aiming to build and open drive-in movie theater

A group of Columbus teens is hoping to help make the community’s future bright by potentially launching a drive-in movie theater in town and more.

Legacy is a collective made of students from Columbus High, Lakeview and Scotus Central Catholic high schools.

“Our main push is to look at what we can do to make Columbus a place people want to come back and raise their families; live and work h...

Columbus Senior Center garage sale on tap this week

The Columbus Senior Center will hold a garage sale later this week.

The sale will take place from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 24, and 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 25, in the air-conditioned Community Room at the Center, 3111 19th St. Items for sale will include home décor, glassware and books, as well as many ot...

WATCH AND READ: City mapping out upgraded pedestrian crosswalks near schools

A City of Columbus initiative is aiming to help keep kids heading to and from school, as well as all pedestrians, a little safer in town.

The City recently installed the first Rapid Flash High Visibility Crosswalk at the intersection of 27th Street and 18th Avenue, just in time for the start of the new school year. The flashers at that crosswalk, fairly close to Columbus Middle School, Nort...

Changing of the guard: City Parks and Rec becomes its own department under Eckhardt's leadership

Public Property Director Doug Moore can still remember his humble beginnings with the City of Columbus when he was just a teenager.

“I was picking up garbage in Gerrard Park when it was brand new,” Moore recalled. “I picked up garbage all over for a summer job as a kid.”

In 1979, Moore took on a full-time City staff role as a park maintenance wor...

Making waves - Krepel relishes working with youth at pools in aquatics coordinator role

The Pawnee Plunge and Aquatic Center are essentially homes away from home for Joe Krepel. His life has been tied to Columbus pools in many ways for decades.

“It’s hard not to love pools. They’re full of life; they’re exciting,” said Krepel, the City’s aquatics coordinator.

On a June 2023 afternoon, Krepel made his way around the Plunge greeting his li...

Pawnee Plunge to open for summer Memorial Day weekend with new season, daily pass options

City Parks and Recreation officials are hoping to offset the waves of inflation caused by the pandemic by introducing a new admission structure at the Pawnee Plunge this summer.

“Unfortunately, since the pandemic, we’ve had a significant increase in our chemical and other costs to run our facilities, and that includes the Aquatic Center and Pawnee Plunge,” Parks and Recreation Manager Betsy Eckhardt said. “All the costs to run ou...

Aquatic Center’s open hours temporarily changing April 22nd for prom

So that its staff members can prepare for and enjoy the Columbus High School prom, the City Parks and Recreation Department has decided to close the Aquatic Center during regular hours (noon-4 p.m.) on Saturday, April 22nd, 2023.

“We wish all our staff and Columbus youth a safe and happy prom,” Parks and Recreation Manager Betsy Eckhardt said.

The Aquatic Center, 1783 10^th Ave. in Columbus, will still be open from 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m. April 22^nd for the “D...