CHILLICOTHE — After months of construction, Chillicothe’s Yoctangee Park improvements are officially complete, as city officials and parkgoers gathered to open the rebuilt armory, amphitheater, baseball diamonds and multi-purpose building, according to the Chillicothe Gazette.
The celebration follows earlier openings in the park of a new skate park, new pickleball courts and refurbished tennis courts, the Chillicothe Gazette reported. Together the pieces form a $35 million project funded largely by the Appalachian Community Grant Program.
“These improvements represent an incredible investment in our community and the future of Chillicothe,” Mayor Luke Feeney told the Chillicothe Gazette. “Yoctangee Park has always been a place where our community comes together, and this project creates even more opportunities for families to gather, enjoy recreational activities, and take part in events throughout the year.”
Much of what was added to the park came from resident suggestions gathered during the city’s comprehensive plan process, according to the Chillicothe Gazette. The project updates the park with new activities while preserving its history, including the armory building.
Gov. Mike DeWine joined the celebration and told the crowd this is what he hoped to see from communities when he started the Appalachian grant program — big dreams and a commitment to making the region better, the Chillicothe Gazette reported. “First, I’ll thank all of you, starting with the mayor but all of you, for having the vision to truly think big and to do something that will be here for a long, long time,” DeWine told the Chillicothe Gazette.
Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik told the Chillicothe Gazette the Chillicothe project is the type of transformational investment she wanted to see from the millions of dollars sent to Appalachian counties, and that cities like Chillicothe and their people are what make Ohio exceptional. Feeney also recognized the county partners who helped make the project a reality, telling the Chillicothe Gazette, “When Chillicothe succeeds, Ross County succeeds.”
The work in Yoctangee Park is not finished. A new home for the Ross-Chillicothe Convention & Visitors Bureau is being built in the park, and a splash pad is expected to be added in the future, according to the Chillicothe Gazette. For now, the armory, amphitheater, diamonds and multi-purpose building are open for use.