Columbus Recreation and Parks Department


The Columbus Recreation and Parks Department manages parks, recreational facilities, and grounds in Columbus, Ohio. The department oversees 370 parks on about. The department also maintains 29 community centers, five athletic complexes, six golf courses, of trails, five splash pads and interactive fountains, eight pools, an indoor aquatic center, 14 nature preserves, three reservoirs, five dog parks, and a skate park.
In 1839, Columbus created its first park, five years after becoming a city. The park, Livingston Park, was made public in 1885. In 1904, the city formed an 18-member park commission. The full department was founded on July 15, 1910 as the City Recreation Department. Five recreation centers opened between 1910 and 1912. In 1972, it merged with the Division of Forestry and Parks to form the current department.