Updated Project Components
This project is a grand vision to visually and economically transform the City of Chillicothe, Ross County, and the entire region by transforming the City of Chillicothe’s “central park,” Yoctangee Park. These improvements are intended to enhance Ross County’s status as a global destination for historical and cultural tourism by continuing to advance the vibrancy of Chillicothe’s downtown core.
Background
Located inside Downtown Chillicothe and having been a park space for over 150 years, Yoctangee Park is quite literally the center of community life in the City. Tens of thousands of residents and visitors each year enjoy the park’s numerous amenities. However, as in many similar City “central parks” of this size and scale, several existing amenities are in need of a refresh for the modern era and new offerings are needed for the park to fulfill its full potential. In 2022, the City underwent a year-long planning process involving hundreds of residents, stakeholders, and community leaders to develop the City’s first comprehensive plan since 1948, as well as set a roadmap for how the City should respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
That comprehensive plan, Choose Chillicothe, identified the transformation of Yoctangee Park as far and away the most desired improvement residents and businesses wished to see for the City. In addition, the comprehensive plan also set out a vision for the city to create the “Riverside District” out of several parcels of City-owned land immediately east of Yoctangee Park to attract a modern multi-story mixed use development to Chillicothe. Furthermore, the September 18th, 2023 inscription of the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks as a UNESCO World Heritage Site will bring the world to Ross County’s doorstep. With a 75% to 100% increase in the number of new visitors that is projected to occur following this designation over the next 3 years, upgrading the City’s core downtown assets to serve these visitors while ensuring residents continue to enjoy a high quality of life is the highest priority of both the City and County.
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Phases
Diamond One
Note: Dates listed are not reflective of actual construction timelines
Fall 2025 Improvements
Diamond One will now be located along Back Road across from Bolmer Field. This will not only group these active areas together but will help bolster this area of the park. The field will undergo much needed upgrades to support its use and popularity. Improvements include grading, with lawn seeding applied to both the outfield and infield, along with fresh infield dirt. The field will be reoriented to a more ideal north/northwest direction for optimal gameplay. A concrete area will be added behind the home plate backstop to provide a space for spectators to observe games.
ADA-accessible walkways will connect the field to nearby parking lots, ensuring that people of all ages and abilities can enjoy the games up close. The new location for Diamond One has been carefully selected with the input of the Chillicothe Youth Baseball League leaders to offer similar experiences to the current field, including sloped, shaded seating areas with mature trees, a nearby parking lot, and an open lawn where parents can relax and children can play during games.
Spring 2026 Improvements
The field will be equipped with all-new equipment, including bases, a moveable pitcher’s mound, foul poles, and a scoreboard. Bases will be adjustable to accommodate multiple age groups, similar to the existing setup. Field lighting will be installed to support night games.
Two enclosed dugouts will be constructed and painted in Chillicothe colors. A scorer’s box building will be added to support game operations and the existing concession stand will be moved to the new location for continued use.
The field will be enclosed with galvanized steel chain-link fencing topped with a yellow safety barrier. Multiple fence gates will allow access to the field from various points. A new hooded chain-link backstop, similar to the one at the current field, will be installed. Additionally, the space will be ample enough to accommodate future batting cages.