ASHLAND — Park and playground equipment may adorn the former site of Lincoln Elementary School in Ashland by the end of 2026.
While no firm timeline has been set for the future park along West 11th Street — which has been unofficially named “Lincoln Park” — Ashland Mayor Matt Miller said Wednesday the city is prepared to purchase equipment through a vendor once funding arrives from the state.
Pending any unforeseen delays, Miller said the park should be ready to welcome guests by the end of this year.
At the beginning of January, Ashland was awarded $150,000 through the federal Community Development Block Grant Allocation Program, according to a press release from the Ohio Department of Development.
Nearly $11 million was awarded statewide to support community development projects in 51 communities, the release said.
Miller in May 2025 said the 30 W. 11th St. property is located in an area of the city in which people of low- to moderate-income level live — qualifying the project for CDBG funds.
Lincoln Elementary School was first constructed in 1911 and closed in 2013. When it was razed in 2015, the school’s park and playground were also removed.
“For the last several years we’ve talked about the importance of reviving a park at that location,” the mayor said, noting the former park and playground served many nearby families and children.
The city and Ashland City Schools worked together at length to explore the possibility of installing a new park. In March 2025, Ashland lawmakers unanimously approved the $1,000 purchase of the 1.4-acre lot.
“We’re very thankful that they were willing to sell it to us for a very minimal fee and now we are starting the process of developing it,” Miller said.
What to expect at the future ‘Lincoln Park’
The mayor highlighted some of the features visitors can expect to see when “Lincoln Park” is open, including a “state-of-the-art playground.”
He said a portion of the $150,000 grant will be used to purchase playground equipment with “all of the modern playground equipment that people come to expect today,” including things like slides, swings, jungle gyms, etc.
The city has also formed a partnership with the Rotary Club of Ashland, which plans to take on the future park as a community project, Miller said.
“What they (Rotary Club) hope to add to the park is a small pavilion, some picnic tables and benches and a small dog park,” the mayor said.
The city currently has a dog park at Brookside West Park, but it’s on the opposite side of Ashland from the former Lincoln Elementary site.
“They were looking for a community project and they agree that this (“Lincoln Park”) is an important one for the future of our city and to serve the families and children in the northeast side of our city,” Miller said.
At the end of last year, the mayor said a generous local couple made a “very significant” donation toward the installation of the future park.
“I’m not going to reveal their identity just yet. But they will certainly be getting credit for their generous donation when the park gets closer to completion,” he said.
