Why I am committed to the Downtown Recreation Area

As your mayor, I want to take a moment to share my strong support for the proposed Downtown Recreation Area, address some concerns that I have heard, and encourage you to join me in embracing the many opportunities this project presents for our community. The Downtown Recreation Area is more than just a park or public space — it is an investment in the quality of life for our residents today and for generations to come. By activating the Blanchard River waterfront, we are reimagining a core piece of our city to be a place for our community to gather, families to play, and visitors to explore. Throughout the design process, the Parks & Recreation Board and City Council members shared the vision of this space being the "living room" of our community — a place that is free to enjoy and provides opportunities for both passive and active recreation. While this area's primary purpose is flood mitigation, this will only impact the site a few days a year. Ensuring it is useful the other 355+ days is critical to continuing to invest in our city's future. This project will generate new economic activity, increase foot traffic for local businesses, and provide additional amenities that enhance the vibrancy of our downtown. It will also improve access to the riverfront, create inclusive spaces for recreation and relaxation, and support mental and physical wellness for residents of all ages. It is also an investment in our community's future. As it becomes increasingly competitive to attract new businesses and workforce, investing in quality-of-life amenities is critical to help attract and retain talent, support workforce development, and serve as a tool for economic competitiveness. It will enhance our ability to host events, expand tourism, and reinforce Findlay's reputation as a great place to live, learn, work, and play. I have heard three primary concerns from the public throughout this process: maintenance of existing recreation amenities, environmental concerns, and overall cost. I completely understand these concerns, and the city of Findlay team takes them extremely seriously. I want to provide a little more information on each of these. First, the city will continue to invest in and maintain our existing parks. We do not always meet the high standard we have set for maintenance, and that is something we are actively working to improve. Additionally, we frequently receive complaints about parks and trails that are not under the supervision of the city of Findlay. We are currently working with the responsible parties to clearly define maintenance responsibilities and expectations between our entities to ensure that non-city-owned properties within the city of Findlay are managed to our desired level. Regarding environmental concerns related to the park area properties: Safety is my number one priority and that of city Council. Some have implied that because the park area is not being cleaned to a residential standard — which requires 10 feet of soil clearance — we are putting our community at risk. This is simply not true. The properties will be cleaned to a completely safe level: Commercial with High-Frequency Child Exposure. This is the same standard required for daycares, schools, pediatric clinics, community centers, indoor playgrounds, and parks with splash pads or other child-focused amenities. This standard is more stringent than the Parks & Open Space standard. It is based on decades of research and is the state and federal benchmark for ensuring the safe redevelopment of properties. Third, concerns over cost. I've heard from many people: why don't we wait to allocate more local resources until we have commitments from outside sources? How many grants or private donors do you know who will contribute to something without seeing a plan and refined cost estimates? At this point, we are at 30% design, which means there are still many unknowns and the current cost estimates are simply that — ballpark figures. Until we move through a more refined design phase, we will not know the specific costs of each element. Additionally, many state and federal grants now require projects to be shovel-ready — meaning designs must be complete and ready to begin construction within a few months. Some key elements also have to be completed immediately following the benching project; otherwise, they may never occur due to the hydraulic documentation requirements. This makes final engineering work time-sensitive to ensure alignment between both projects and maximize timeline efficiency. One of my core responsibilities as mayor is to ensure that our investments reflect the values and vision of our community. This project aligns directly with the city of Findlay's Strategic Plan by supporting our goals of strengthening community well-being, improving livability, and fostering sustainable growth. We are committed to smart, forward-thinking investments just as was done with significant investments of the past such as Riverside Park, Tall Timbers, The Cube, and Marathon Center for Performing Arts. Each of these ideas seemed a bit out of reach at that point in time, but where would our community be today without them? I am grateful to our community partners, City Council, and residents who have contributed feedback throughout the planning process. There is still much work to be done and opportunities for continued feedback. This is a significant project that requires significant effort and time. I know it may be intimidating, but I have full confidence that this project will pay dividends to our community for generations to come. Together, we are building a Findlay that honors our past and invests boldly in our future. Christina Muryn is mayor of Findlay.