New Albany Community Foundation executive director Craig Mohre sees potential in a recent collaboration with the city.

Years from now, markers installed by the community foundation could be included in a walking tour telling the story of how cooperation and shared visions helped New Albany evolve, he said.

Residents might have noticed the new markers at three locations: the Philip Heit Center for Healthy New Albany, the New Albany branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library and the Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts.

Mohre said the goal is to recognize ways in which organizations and agencies have worked together to create opportunities throughout the community.

“I want to make sure that spirit of cooperation continues,” Mohre said.

Each location will receive a plaque and a marker including information about everyone involved with the project, he said.

Although the first three markers are installed at the Heit Center, the library and the McCoy Center, the plaques have yet to be installed, Mohre said.

All three facilities were collaborations, he said.

The library was a collaboration between the Columbus Metropolitan Library and the New Albany Community Foundation; the McCoy Center was a product of the New Albany-Plain Local School District, the city of New Albany, Plain Township and the New Albany Community Foundation; and the Heit Center was a joint effort among the city, Healthy New Albany, the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Mohre said.

The New Albany Co. also donated land for the McCoy Center and the Heit Center, he said.

The community foundation plans to add three city locations with markers this year, Mohre said.

The school district’s campus will be one, he said, because the New Albany Co. donated land and the New Albany Community Authority was used to help build the high school.

Similarly, the nature preserve and wetlands near the K-1 building were a collaboration between the school district and New Albany, with the goal that the land could serve as an environmental science lab for students, Mohre said.

“It was forward thinking of those community leaders to actually make that happen,” he said.

Finally, the foundation plans to install a marker at Wexner Community Park, 7600 Swickard Woods Blvd., land for which the New Albany Co. opted to donate to the community instead of using for residential use, Mohre said.

Other past and future collaborative projects that might be recognized include the Plain Township fire station at 9500 Johnstown Road, the planned amphitheater at the McCoy Center and the eventual beautification plans for the Rose Run corridor, he said.

New Albany spokesman Scott McAfee said the community foundation’s initiative is an opportunity for future residents to learn the origins of local attractions and facilities.

“They are an opportunity to apply recognition to some of the catalytic projects that have impacted our community in some way,” he said.

By Sarah Sole
From This Week News