Parks department to remove Northbank Park splash pad, add paved ceremony area and archway

Columbus Recreation and Parks received commission approval June 24 to remove the existing splash pad at the Northbank Park Pavilion, replace the paving to create a larger ceremony area and install a 10‑foot‑9 5/8‑inch powder‑coated black fixed archway.

Christopher Scannell, design and construction manager for Columbus Recreation and Parks, and architect Seth Trantz of Lattice Studio explained the project. Staff said the existing fountain’s original manufacturer is no longer in business and the feature was difficult and costly to maintain; the department has recently invested in larger fountain upgrades elsewhere and wanted a more flexible plaza that better supports frequent pavilion rentals such as weddings.

The proposed work replaces the splash pad with pavers that match the existing plaza, relocates existing historic stone benches into a newly defined lounge grove, and installs a sculptural arch at the plaza terminus; electrical power will be provided to the arch to permit event‑scale illumination. Commissioners asked about lighting; staff said existing surface lighting will be upgraded to new LEDs where needed, and the arch will have power available for event lighting, though a broader grove lighting redesign was not included in the current submission.

The commission approved the plans as submitted. Staff also said the Parks Department would consider, outside this submission, whether a child‑oriented water feature or other interactive amenity might be appropriate on the site in a future project.