CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — Turf installation is underway at the new amphitheater in Yoctangee Park, and crews have finished new sidewalks near the skatepark, sand volleyball courts and the Mill Street entrance, the city said, marking the latest progress in Chillicothe’s ongoing overhaul of the park.
New flagpoles bearing American, Ohio and city flags have gone up in front of the historic Chillicothe Armory, and landscaping crews have started planting beds around the building’s entrance, according to the city. Construction across the park is expected to continue through the end of September, the city said.
The improvements are funded through Ohio’s Appalachian Community Grant Program, which awarded Chillicothe $35 million in 2024 for renovations and new construction in and around Yoctangee Park. The grant draws on federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars distributed through the Governor’s Office of Appalachia and the Ohio Department of Development.
Beyond the amphitheater and the Armory restoration, the grant is paying for a new home for the Chillicothe Farmers Market and upgrades to streets and gateways surrounding the park. A new roundabout at Mill Street and Yoctangee Parkway opened to traffic in August, and the city has also added six pickleball courts and resurfaced the park’s tennis courts as part of the broader project.
Mayor Luke Feeney has called the grant a “once in a generation opportunity” for the community, saying it fulfills the vision laid out in the Yoctangee Park master plan and the city’s Choose Chillicothe comprehensive plan.
The city said additional updates on the project will follow as construction continues.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the City of Chillicothe.
