Chillicothe — The plans to renovate Yoctangee Park and surrounding streets have finally been completed, and renderings are now available to the public. Mayor Luke Feeney explained them in the latest council session.
After covering budget concerns, introducing brownfield remediation by the Transit Center, and mentioning the Wastewater Treatment Plant coming online – in the second half of his briefing to the September 22nd, 2025 council session, Feeney explained what was in, and not in, the park plans.
He said the city was not allowed to post almost-final plans since they were still changing because of budget challenges. The price for materials has been rising, and they had to scale back some plans dramatically. (One scaleback is that there are no new sidewalks on Water Street.)
Another cost-cutting measure was denied, though. Councilman Jeff Creed’s committee voted against the administration’s request to consider replacing the bumpy brick paving of Mulberry Street with asphalt. (The original plan was to replace it with new brick; see the related story.)
The artistic interpretation of new amenities and a recent location map were announced on the city’s Facebook page just before the council session. The post linked to the files on the city’s website; see my side story with full explanations of all the renderings and the map, as well as all the links. (The city’s Facebook post has a long list of comments, questions, and complaints now.)
In his briefing (listen below), Feeney explained that three items had not been funded by the ACGP: a splash pad, pump track, and new skate park.
But he said the city got $900K for a splash pad in Congressionally directed spending, so it is still happening. But since the renderings are for only the ACGP-funded plans, he said it is not shown because of federal rules.
Feeney said new pickleball courts were approved – but next to the other side of the tennis courts, on the site of the skate park – and they were denied permission to rebuild the skate park. So, the city appealed to the state that it was not fair…and a new skate park was allowed.
But it’s not on the map or in any of the renderings because its location is not decided yet. Feeney said it will be best to encourage public participation to choose its location.
He said the skate park needs to be a place that is easy for kids to get to, and to easy expand when additional funding is available. There would be no room for that at the pump track, where it had been proposed.
And that pump track has been located around two sides of the basketball court near the Pump House Center for the Arts – taking up a little of the festival grounds for the Earth Gathering and other events, though not all of it.
Feeney said you will notice many things in the renderings. One is an increase in “passive greenspace,” undeveloped parkland with no structures.
Another is better clustering of activities – like relocated Baseball Diamond No. 1, behind the school building and across Back Road from Bolmer Field, to share parking. (The site of former Diamond 1 will be the Pavilion / Farmers Market and new pickleball courts.) Planners said they were told current Diamond 1 could not be aligned in a worse way, so that is fixed in its new location, facing north.
Feeney mentioned that one rendering is missing the stone bridge (and the land under and around the YMCA), which is inaccurate – they are not taking out the bridge, it was just not included in the renderings.
Otherwise, “if it is in the renderings, it is happening.” Feeney also seconded councilman Jeff Creed that money has been set aside by the city to supplement various projects in the park.
Feeney said work on inside amenities (like in old Memorial Armory) will start this October. He also admitted he’s certain there will be growing pains.
The mayor asked the public to share the renderings and push them out – it’s time to get excited about the project and generate lots of question to send to him ([email protected], 740 / 774-1185).
Feeney also pointed out that council’s Item 2, a lease from the city to the county for the site of the new visitors center, is part of the park project that has been separated out. Chillicothe Council passed it on second reading.
The state has given $5M to the Ross County Commissioners to build that at the northwest corner of Mulberry and Riverside streets, instead of the ACGP funds originally paying for it beside the old armory. (The lease was passed on first reading.)
See a related story on its planning and latest renderings – as well as my Facebook post on demolition of the building there.
Council’s official video is also available (with better audio) on their YouTube channel and as a Facebook video. Stephanie Renner also has hand-held Facebook videos of council: her part one and two.
