New Albany, OH selected as one of Ohio’s Best Hometowns

NEW ALBANY, OHIO – New Albany, Ohio is honored to be recognized as one of Ohio’s best hometowns by Ohio Magazine.

Ohio Magazine annually recognizes hometowns for this award based on community spirit, education, entertainment, health and safety, business environment, and culture and heritage. New Albany is being recognized for the 2018-2019 year along with four other communities in Ohio: Cambridge, Findlay, Media and Troy.

New Albany’s unique focus on four core community values: lifelong learning, culture and the arts; health and wellness; and sustainability; made an impact on the Ohio Magazine selection committee. As a Best Hometown finalist, Ohio Magazine visited New Albany in June. “They were very interested in learning more about how New Albany embraces education, culture, leisure and health,” said Cherie Nelson, Executive Director of the New Albany Chamber, about the site visit.

Gems of the community including New Albany’s 200-acre school learning campus, the McCoy Center for the Arts and the Philip Heit Center for Healthy New Albany were toured along with New Albany’s leisure trails, shops and restaurants.

“We pride ourselves on having a community that is aspirational,” Mayor Sloan Spalding shared, “and very strategic and thoughtful about our growth.” The ideals of New Albany drive a strong sense of civic pride and community service that runs deep within New Albany. As a master planned community, New Albany is particularly fortunate to have cohesion and collaboration of the many community groups, businesses and public partnerships that make it a special place to live, work and visit.

As part of the site visit, City of New Albany Director of Administrative Services, Adrienne Joly shared plans to transform the Rose Run Creek and corridor, overgrown with brush and invasive species, into New Albany’s central park, a civic asset to foster connections among people and with the environment. When complete in late 2019, Rose Run Park will include a bridge and promenade connecting the school campus to Market Square, dedicated bike lanes and walking trails, nature walks along the Rose Run corridor, a library garden, a bike hub, and safer pedestrian access for students.