Golf complex among possibilities being examined for Whittier park - Business First of Columbus:

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City Council has decided to spend $45,000 to stud what recreational uses, including a golf would best complement the nature areas planned forthe 160-acre The park will include an $11.5 milliobn nature center to be built by and a $10 millionj investment in trails, wetlands, forest, meadows, a boat ramp and play and parking areas by Columbus and . Those facilitiese will be on the west side of the peninsula alonv theScioto River, with the city's study to focus on recreationapl prospects for the east side of the "We want to make sure anything we consider will be compatiblr with the plans for the park and Audubon center," said Alan the city's recreation and parks director.
"Ws don't want to take away from the grea things the other folkdsare doing." Ideas to be examined include a nine-hole, par-32 golf course and a teaching and practice golf he said. Other possibilitiesw include sand volleyball open space for free play anddiscus golf. "We're lookinvg at what kind of things we can do to attracgt and create opportunities for youn people who live downtown and in the Brewery McKnight said. The study, to be conducted by Kinzelman Kline Gossmanof Columbus, is to be complete d this year.
Officials at Metro Parks and Audubo Ohio said it is possible a golf facility would fit withtheirf plans, as long as it is built to enhancde the park's environment. "Could it work? said Larry Peck, Metro deputy director. "Is it the best use? That's what the city wantzs the feasibility study tolook at." Peck is encouragefd that the study will be done by Kinzelmam Kline Gossman because the landscape planning and urban designm firm is also working with Metro Parks on its plan for the Audubon Ohio is also open to the golf facilitt idea and other uses the city wants to said Heather Starck, director of the Grange Insuranc Audubon Center to be builrt on Whittier Peninsula.
"I think there are plentyu of uses that canbe compatible," she "The city has been very good abouy bringing the three partners together to discusws all the options." Metro Parks owns 11 acres on the peninsul and will lease 69 of the 129 acress owned by the city, Peck said. In addition to the park and Audubobn center, the city's plans for the peninsulsa call for commercial andhousingh development. Use by next year? The Auduboj center will sit on five acres to be subleaseed fromMetro Parks. Named for Grangde after the Columbus insurer madea $4 million gift for the the center will be housed in an 18,000-square-foot building that will be surrounded by parkland.
Starck said the building will include a multipurpose roomfor meetings, weddings and social three classrooms; a nature store; concessions stand to serve walkers, jogger and bicyclists; a bird viewing and offices for staff. Construction is expected to begihn next May and be completed byspring 2009, Starco said. Metro Parks has already renovatedthe park'a boat ramp, demolished two warehouses, started to creatde a series of wetlands on the peninsula and beguhn to address environmental problems at the former manufacturing and dump site.
That includes razing a warehouse to make way for theAudubojn center, putting in a parking lot, adding trailsa and moving a bike path from the edge of the river into the "People can begin to enjoy the area even by next Peck said. "They will reallyh start to see a big differencrdown there."