Sorting Millstone Creek's Demolition
About half of Millstone Creek Park’s playground was removed this week as work began on its first major renovation since the park opened 14 years ago.
Crews are sorting debris on site, separating recyclable and reusable materials from items headed to a landfill, as the city prepares for a complete redesign of the aging play area.
When the playground was built in 2011, its tall central structure and winding ramps were considered progressive. The ramps allowed children using wheelchairs to reach elevated platforms, meeting accessibility standards of the time. But the design also funneled children along narrow paths, limited sightlines for caregivers, and concentrated most activity above ground.
The project marks the playground’s first major overhaul since it opened.
Renderings of the redesign show a shift away from the towering central structure. Instead, the new layout spreads play zones across the site and uses the park’s natural slope to create elevation without long, switchback ramps. Most features will sit at ground level, with smoother connections between areas. From nearly any bench or walkway, caregivers will be able to see most of the activity at once.
Matt Ulrey, the city’s parks and facilities superintendent, said the redesign reflects a broader change in how communities think about play.
“There’s a difference between being able to get to the equipment and being able to participate in the play,” Ulrey said.
The most significant shift is philosophical. The earlier design focused on access, making sure children could reach elevated features. The new plan emphasizes participation, arranging elements so children of different abilities can play alongside one another rather than arriving at the same structure by separate routes.
City officials say that distinction matters. Accessibility ensures that someone can access a feature. Inclusion ensures they can engage once they do. The redesigned playground aims to encourage shared play, social interaction, and a more intuitive experience for families.
Construction is expected to be completed in August, after weather delays slowed progress.
Millstone Creek’s update reflects a broader shift in park design, as communities move beyond minimum standards toward spaces intended to serve a wider range of users. After 14 years, the park is not only being refreshed but redefined, shaped by what the city has learned since it first opened the playground in 2011.
The Westerville News is a reader-supported publication by Gary Gardiner, a lifelong journalist who believes hyper-local reporting is the future of news. This publication focuses exclusively on Westerville—its local news, influence on Central Ohio, and how surrounding areas shape the community.
Reader funding, including subscribers, protects editorial independence, so coverage is guided by journalists rather than owners or corporate profit goals. It also reduces pressure to chase clicks, letting the newsroom focus on stories worth readers’ time. And it helps keep the site accessible to everyone, including people who can’t pay or live in places where a free press is under threat.
Explore more hyper-local reporting by subscribing to The Hilliard Beacon, Civic Capacity, Marysville Matters, The Ohio Roundtable, Shelby News Reporter, This Week in Toledo, and Into the Morning by Krista Steele.
