North Orange Park
Clever layout allows parents to keep watchful eye on kids
With so many innovative community parks popping up around central Ohio, it’s a great time to be a kid in the capital city. Sprawling recreation areas, such as North Orange Park in Lewis Center, also make it a great time to be a parent here.
The 36-acre community complex – 25 minutes north of downtown Columbus – contains soccer fields, basketball courts, paved walking trails, a sledding hill and a picnic shelter. The park also has a multi-level playground and a large sand pit, where my young children and I recently spent several hours on a sunny Sunday afternoon.
We dug our bare feet in the clump-free sand and played on a peculiar seesaw where riders stand on either end and propel themselves off old tires.
What makes the space unique is a small hill near the parking lot. I joined other parents for a seat on the well-manicured grass. From the elevated vantage point, I could watch my children play in the sand below or in the two nearby playgrounds. One playground is designed for toddlers with low slides and a rocking car and alligator.
The park is located at 7560 Gooding Blvd. in the North Orange subdivision. Nearby are restrooms and an 8,500-square-foot outdoor community pool with giant, colorful slides. Even though we couldn’t visit the pool (you need to be a member), it still looked cool from the playground.
