Columbus’ gleaming new Kilbourne Run Sports Park was supposed to get its big moment this weekend. Instead, the ribbon is staying in the drawer while Mayor Andrew Ginther’s office scrambles to answer a basic question from nearby families: if this park is for the community, why can’t the community afford to use it?
Mayor Pauses Opening Over Access Fight
After weeks of complaints from neighbors and pointed questions from City Council, Mayor Ginther has halted the planned grand opening of Kilbourne Run. The ceremonial ribbon-cutting that had been set for this weekend, with a formal opening date of May 16, is now on hold while the administration reviews how, and when, nearby residents can actually get on the turf.
Jennifer Fening, Ginther's deputy chief of staff for communications, told The Columbus Dispatch that “We won’t cut the ribbon until the community access plan fulfills his expectations and commitments to the community.” City staff say they are drafting changes that are supposed to boost access for the surrounding neighborhoods.
What It Costs To Get On The Turf
Columbus Recreation and Parks lists Kilbourne Run as a “prime” soccer facility, with a posted rental rate of $125 per hour and a two-hour minimum. That means the basic block to get on a field runs $250. The department’s rental page also labels the complex “permit only” and shows higher fees for tournaments and clinics.
Neighbors Say The Fields Aren't For Them
Residents who live near the park have been telling City Council that those prices effectively shut them out. They say suburban club teams have already locked in most of the available time, and several neighbors reported that park staff have moved local kids off otherwise empty turf fields.
The Columbus Dispatch reports that neighbors have urged council to reserve at least one field for free community use. Parks officials counter that the turf fields are expensive to operate, are largely booked through October, and that a separate grass field is scheduled to be available for walk-up play starting in 2027.
How Kilbourne Run Ended Up Here
Kilbourne Run was one of the promises tied to the 2018 “Save the Crew” effort and is part of a multiyear redevelopment budgeted at roughly $34 million to $40 million, meant to expand soccer capacity on the city’s northeast side. As Axios has reported, the project shifted to the Kilbourne Run site after state negotiations failed to secure land near Historic Crew Stadium and ultimately included a partnership with the Columbus Crew.
What Happens Next
The mayor’s office says the park will not be considered fully open until there is a community access plan that satisfies neighbors’ concerns, and that staff are having “ongoing discussions” about balancing access with protecting the turf.
WOSU Public Media reports that council members and advocates have floated ideas such as walk-up hours, setting aside one field for neighborhood play, or creating subsidized time blocks for residents. For now, though, there are no formal policy changes on the books, and the city’s most talked-about soccer fields are caught in a standoff over who they are really for.
