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Parks master plan sparks land‑swap debate as council considers acquiring roughly 20 acres from school district
Summary
Brandstetter Carroll’s draft parks and recreation master plan highlights Dogwood Pool, Arrowhead and the Hoover complex and recommends systemwide actions. A proposed land-swap with the school district that would transfer about 20 acres to the city prompted sharp public concern about the pool’s future and neighborhood impacts; council adopted a land-exchange ordinance but scheduled further public engagement on park planning.
North Canton’s committee of the whole heard a full presentation of the 2026 Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan and then engaged in pointed public debate over a proposed land-exchange with the school district that would give the city roughly 20 acres adjacent to existing parks.
Consultants from Brandstetter Carroll told council they had reached roughly 1,000 residents through events and an online survey, and that residents rated natural areas, trails and improved playgrounds as top priorities. The consultants identified three sites for focused attention: Dogwood Pool, Arrowhead and the Hoover recreational complex. They presented a menu of options, from modest repairs to full replacement for Dogwood (an estimated $2M of repairs to get another decade of life versus a full replacement option in the multi‑million‑dollar range) to a range of redevelopment choices at Arrowhead (keeping 18 holes, converting to nine holes plus driving range/putt‑putt/pickleball, or converting to a passive community park).
The central public controversy at the meeting was a proposed swap of municipal property for school-district parcels (the land-swap ordinance). Multiple residents who live near the school and Arrowhead asked for more time and broader outreach, saying they had not been given ample notice and worried about rezoning, traffic and the pool’s future. Several speakers urged council to secure the parcels in city ownership so future uses would remain under local control; others urged caution and demanded a clear commitment that the city would plan for a public pool.
Administration and planning staff said the swap would create a “clean slate” of roughly 20 acres and that market valuations (if any parcel were sold for residential uses) are a rough order of $2–3 million; they emphasized that any redevelopment would require public hearings, map amendments and planning commission review. Councilmembers expressed a mix of support for acquiring the land to preserve future options and a desire to slow and expand public engagement. The committee ultimately adopted the land‑exchange ordinance on the floor (Ordinance 25‑2026) while also scheduling follow-up work: Brandstetter Carroll’s plan will return to council files and staff will set up special public sessions so neighbors and stakeholders can shape detailed site-level decisions.
What’s next: Council moved the parks plan item to the July 6 council agenda for filing and scheduled additional public meetings and a working session before final acceptance or any capital appropriation. Consultants recommended a focused pool feasibility study before committing to a specific new facility or site.
