Goodale Park

It's been four years since my last review update for Goodale Park and today I'm going to tell you how things have been since then. For starters, that last update was during the peak of the pandemic and many things have changed. There's no longer social distancing signage and the tennis courts and playgrounds have been open for a few years now. There's been some updates on the gazebo and pond. I've noticed more benches and picnic tables pop up. I've also found that events hosted here, like Pride and Comfest, have improved in recent years. As for things that I'm happy to say have stayed the same... you can expect the park to be well kept and clean. The trash bins are regularly taken out and I've never seen trash in the pond or anything like that. The landscaping is always beautiful and they change it up a few times a year. I live very close to the park and consider myself a regular and I truly love coming here.

My sister-in-law rented this for her son's birthday party. It is in the center of the park, with plenty of parking nearby. Enter off Park Street and follow the curving lane around. Impressive building, classic looking but renovated and modern inside. Plenty of room for tables, a DJ, food and drink stations, etc. Kitchen in the back, plus bathrooms etc. Nice views all around. Park staff helped us get set up a bit, and were friendly. I was very impressed by the facility and will consider renting it myself in the future. Four hours on a Saturday evening were I believe $350, not bad for this kind of place.

A nice urban oasis tucked in between the Short North and the entrance to 670 freeway. The elephant fountain is a highlight, and there was a live band playing in the gazebo which made for a perfect background. There are plenty of places to sit a spell in the shade. It appears to be kept up pretty well, other than needing some weed killer and some love for the rundown tennis courts. I am always a fan of green space in the heart of a city.

Goodale Park is the OLDEST PARK in Columbus (since 1800's) and one of the oldest in the United States. It is surrounded by a cluster of homes. I visited on and off for several years as a University student and when I lived in Columbus post-grad. I always enjoyed walking through the park especially with the beautiful homes around.There is a statute of Dr. Lincoln Goodale at one of the park entrances. As the name suggests, the park is named after Dr. Goodale. The statute is on the National Register of Historic Places.LOCATION -- The location of the park is in a family friendly residential neighbourhood called Victorian Village but Italian Village, Arena District (downtown), and Short North are nearby too. It is also walking distance to the Columbus Convention Center and North Market.RUNNERS / WALKERS / BIKERS -- The park has tennis courts and a running path. I've ran with running groups in the past where we've done sprints all over the entire length of the park. If you run around the whole park, it is just under is 1 mile which makes it perfect for people training for a race.TENNIS / BASKETBALL -- If you don't enjoy riding a bicycle or running, you can play tennis at the single tennis court. I haven't played tennis here but I've watched others play. There is also a basketball court here.BEWARE OF DOGS -- What I've seen too often at this park is dogs roaming freely without a leash. I believe city ordinance and park rules state that all animals must be on a leash. So, owners of dogs are putting others in a dangerous situation.HOME PRICES -- This is the type of park where Landlords can raise the rent of their properties solely based on the ideal location of living right in front of a park. I know this because a former co-worker of mine experienced this where her landlord raised her apartment rent by an outrageous amount. So if you want to rent or own a home that is across from the park then know that the cost will be high.CONS -- The grass here can sometimes be very bushy. The park could use more benches. PARKING is a pain because it is all street parking and there is no designated parking lot.Overall, I recommend you visit. The POND is super cute and there are always events/festivals here at the park.****- 24/150 total reviews in 2022- 502 total overall Yelp reviews- Reviewed on 13 March 2022

This park is a magnificent example of early Victorian age landscape architecture. It was designed by the same langscape architect that designed the iconic park spaces in Boston, New York's Central Park, the grounds at Biltmore House and many others. His name: Fredrick Law Olmsted. Chances are, if you've visited an older major historic park in the United States, you've been in an Olmsted creation.In recent years Goodale Park has recieved updates and improvements which have helped bring some of the beautiful original character of this gem back to life.There is a wonderful fountain in the park pond which features elephants spouting water atop a pyramid like structure. The aging gates which has fallen into a relative state of disrepair have been cared for. Nearby, the historic Sells Brothers Circus House can be seen (on the Northwest corner of the park. At that corner of the park the amazing red sandstone "Fish Gate" can be seen, which features animal figures and eight human faces depicting the Seven Ages of Man (the eighth is Dr. Goodale, the park's namesake).The park historically bordered an area of Columbus known as Fly Town (because homes in the area "flew-up" overnight). Flytown found its origin in the mid-19th century, and was composed of people of German, Irish, & Welsh origin. A nearby area was at one time known as "Irish Broadway" due to the large community of Irish who came to the area fleeing the great potato famine of the 1800s. Later, African-Americans settled in the area. So, Goodale Park sits in an area that has historically a melting pot of cultures. Those roots still resonate in the dynamic cultural personality and vibrant, eclectic atmosphere of Victorian Village and the nearby Short North Arts District.In the late Spring/early Summer, the park is annually host to Community Festival (known locally as "Com Fest"). It is a free-wheeling event. Don't be surprised if you see some more liberated free-thinking people at Com Fest dressed (to some extent anyway) as they entered the world. Com Fest is a nearly non-stop multi-day music free festival, featuring a wide variety of musicians and bands performing simultaneously on multiple stages scattered throughout the park space.

This park is a must. I'm in Columbus for a volleyball tournament and needed some fresh air. This park is right off the main drag. The added bonus is the park is surrounded by gorgeous, historic, Victorian, houses in Victorian Village. There are several paths that zig zag through the so that you can get a nice long walk without doubling buy anything. There are lots of statues and tributes which adds a layer of history into your stroll which included the dedication to a Black man and his accomplishments post Civil War. You're likey to see someone taking professional pictures because the area is so beautiful.

Photo shoot at the park.https://m.facebook.com/profile.php/?id=100059329794670&name=STSDirectNavUserDecorator

Really like this park and the family did too. The kids liked playing in thr play ground and running around all over. This park has a cool little pond and a very beautiful building right in the middle. There are some tennis courts but we forgot to bring our rackets. We did notice that there are alot of different trees all through the park. Very cool to see the leaves changing on half of them. If we're in the area we will stop buy again.

I have always loved Goodale Park and the area around it. There's free parking by the tennis courts, but also metered and street parking all around the park. It is not a huge park, but big enough for a nice stroll.You're surrounded by beautiful homes along your walk. People always bring their dogs here so that's a plus if you're a dog person. There is a playground, tennis courts, pond, benches, and picnic table.It is also in the heart of the Short North and close to North Market. You can easily grab food and some beverages to the park or get something after. A great place to meet up with friends, get fresh air, have a picnic, or a cute little date.

The homes around the park are magnificent, not that the park was so bad. A Beautiful lake, fountain, gazebo with lots of places to sit. There are 2 elephants spouting water on top of the 5 tiered fountain. The park was beautifully landscaped & immaculate.