Nearly two months after an EF-1 tornado tore through Columbus' South Side, the damage is still visible on porches, rooftops and in the shuttered halls of a community center that once served about 10,000 people a year. Homes remain patched with plywood, trees are still coming down, and the Barack Community Center sits closed, its gymnasium floor warped from water damage and its roof awaiting a repair plan that city officials say could stretch into 2027.
The storm hit Aug. 11, and as reported by WSYX, South Side residents are still repairing their homes and cleaning up storm debris nearly two months later. Among them is Kenneth Carter, whose house took a direct hit when the twister blew out his windows and sent portions of roofs from nearby buildings crashing into his backyard. Carter is now preparing to have a contractor fix the damage, work that comes with a $7,400 price tag, according to the same report.
The National Weather Service confirmed in its preliminary findings that an EF-1 tornado struck Columbus' South Side during the Aug. 11 storms. It was a rare occurrence for the area: per the Columbus Dispatch, the most recent tornado in Franklin County before this one touched down in 2025, an EF0 near Obetz, while the last EF1 to hit Columbus proper traveled 3.75 miles from Olde Towne East to Bexley back in 2018 with winds reaching 90 mph.
A Community Hub Sits Empty
The Barack Community Center remains closed after suffering significant damage to its roof and interior, the station's report notes, including water damage that warped the gymnasium floor. Parks and Recreation official Kerri Francis said tarping the roof isn't feasible because of its design, leaving the building exposed while repair plans are finalized. Francis has described community centers broadly as important places for connection, health, wellness and activity.
That loss is being felt directly by the neighborhood. The center served about 10,000 people last year, including roughly 500 children and about 300 adults and seniors registered for programming, per the same account. Those programs have temporarily relocated to the Driving Park and Marion Franklin community centers — branches that, according to a separate report from NBC4, sit more than two miles from the Barack center, with one separated from the original location by a highway.
A $5 Million Fix, No Firm Date
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther has proposed $5 million specifically for repairs at the Barack Community Center, part of about $56 million in proposed Recreation and Parks capital investments, the station reported. The planned work includes replacing the roof and gymnasium floor, polishing the floor and repairing damaged ceilings and other areas of the building, according to NBC4's reporting. Ginther has visited the center and said the storm cost the city significant time and resources, adding that South Side residents deserve city investment.
Still, there's no guarantee on timing. City officials told NBC4 they do not have a set timeline for the Barack Community Center repairs but are aiming to have it reopened by spring 2027; the station's report similarly estimated the center could reopen by late spring 2027. The city hopes to receive federal reimbursement and additional support, and it may also receive assistance from the state, though neither has been finalized.
Cleanup Stretches Across the South Side
Beyond the community center, the storm's damage rippled across South Side infrastructure. Berliner Sports Park lost more than 30 utility poles and about 1.5 miles of electrical infrastructure, which Columbus Water and Power has since replaced, while Recreation and Parks crews worked to clear debris and address the damage there. Power restoration at the park was expected to take several days, the outlet reported in mid-August, when between 8,500 and 15,000 Franklin County customers remained without electricity — down from a peak of more than 64,000 earlier that week.
Citywide, Columbus lost nearly 200 trees in the storm, with countless others damaged, and Francis said it will take crews a couple of months to finish clearing the wreckage. NBC4 reported that forestry crews expect tree and debris removal to stretch into late fall given the scope of damage across the city.
For Carter, the recovery has become about more than fixing windows. He said he's grateful people are rebuilding the neighborhood and believes the shared hardship can bring residents together — a sentiment that, for a community still waiting on its rec center to reopen, carries real weight.
