Year in review: 2024 at Hilliard’s new recreation and wellness campus

It’s officially holiday shopping season, and Downtown Hilliard has something for everyone on your list this year.

Join Downtown Manager Angela Zody on a tour of four local retail shops that offer unique gifts, clothes, accessories, and more for the entire family.

• The Urban Market
• MAK HOME Furnishings
• Birch Tree Home
• The Happy Closet Boutique

Support small business at the Pink Friday in Hilliard event on Nov. 22. Downtown Hilliard is a magical place this time of year with special events, shopping, and restaurants that offer a unique holiday experience. Remember to #shopsmallfirst in Hilliard this holiday season!

It’s almost here! Join us for the 35th annual Hilliard Tree Lighting event from 4-6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 1, in Downtown Hilliard.

This holiday celebration features fun and free festivities for all to enjoy at Hilliard’s Station Park, along Main Street, and at the Historical Village within Weaver Park.

Watch the video to learn more about activities, parking, trolley transportation, road closures, event schedule, and more.

For complete information about the Hilliard Tree Lighting, visit this link.

Hilliard’s innovation and growing technology presence was showcased on a global scale this week at the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) Global Summit in Barcelona, Spain.

Members of City leadership represented Hilliard at the event that included exploration, discussion, and debate on how innovative cities and regions are using the latest technology to benefit their residents and employers. The theme of ICF Global Summit 2024 focused on turning the challenges of today into tomorrow’s economic, social, and cultural opportunities.

Earlier this year, Hilliard was recognized as a Top7 Intelligent Community for the second straight year. Accomplishing this honor put Hilliard in the running for Intelligent Community of the Year, which was announced Monday on the final day of the ICF Summit.

Curitiba, Brazil took home the top honor this year. Hilliard was one of only two U.S. cities named finalists in 2024. The other Top7 finalists included:

• Assaí, Brazil
• Coral Gables, Florida
• Curitiba, Brazil
• Durham Region in Ontario, Canada
• Fredericton in New Brunswick, Canada
• Yunlin County, Taiwan

Hilliard City Manager Michelle Crandall spoke at the conference, along with Economic Development Director David Meadows and Chief Information Officer Duane Powell. All three represented Hilliard as part of panel discussions that showcased our community as a leader in skilled workforce development and sustainability.

“We’re proud that Hilliard is one of the smartest cities in the world, and highlighting our community on a global stage validates that we’re doing things the right way,” Crandall said.

“The award recognizes that we are employing best practices that will attract and train a workforce that prepares Hilliard for future economic growth,” Crandall added. “We are building and using the kind of broadband infrastructure and digital tools that make us attractive to high-tech companies. And we are providing amenities that promote a high quality of life for current and future residents who will call our community home.”

In addition to the Top7 honor, Hilliard was also recently recognized as the first U.S. city to earn ICF’s Full Certification status as an Intelligent Community. This distinction provides objective validation of policies, programs, and accomplishments in our technology-based community. ICF has recognized Hilliard as a leader in broadband connectivity, workforce development, digital inclusion, innovation, community engagement, and sustainability.

Out with the old and in with the smash!

As the Halloween season draws to a close, Hilliard residents can now dispose of their old pumpkins and gourds at the City’s 4^th annual pumpkin composting event, starting Friday, Nov. 1. Simply toss the pumpkins into the designated collection bins, located in the parking lot adjacent to the Hilliard Municipal Building at 3800 Municipal Drive.

The collection bins will be available through Dec. 2, after which the pumpkins and gourds will be taken to a composting facility. There, the Halloween decorations will be turned into a valuable soil additive that will strengthen and nourish the surrounding environment. By harnessing these pumpkins and gourds for good, and keeping them out of trash dumps, residents can have a direct impact on improving soil quality, reducing erosion and greenhouse gas emissions, and decreasing the need for chemical fertilizers, through the power of composting.

Before recycling, please remove any items in or on the pumpkins and do not place them in bags.

The team at Smile Hilliard wants to put a beautiful, long-lasting smile on your face.

On this episode of the Hilliard Business 60, hear from Dr. Rachel Sanyk and learn about her general dentistry practice at 6304 Scioto Darby Rd. Smile Hilliard is celebrating its 10-year business anniversary in Hilliard on Nov. 4.

“We love our patients, we treat them like family,” Sanyk said. “We believe in a personalized experience, providing patients with the highest-quality care that’s the best fit for them.”

Smile Hilliard offers conservative dentistry combined with proactive preventative care for the entire family. They are currently accepting new patients and can offer same-day appointments. Learn more at this link.

In July, Hilliard was selected as a 2024-2025 Best Hometown by Ohio Magazine, and copies of the special commemorative issue are now available at newsstands across the state.

To purchase a single issue or a subscription to Ohio Magazine, visit their website or call 1-800-453-1025. The November/December Best Hometown issue can also be purchased at select newsstands, including Barnes & Noble and Wal Mart.

Each year, the publication recognizes places that make our state a great place to live, work and visit. The magazine selected Hilliard for three main reasons:

🔷Our preservation of local history.
🔷Our development of spaces the entire community can enjoy.
🔷Our support for small businesses in the city.

Hilliard is one of five featured communities featured in the November/December 2024 and July/August 2025 issues of Ohio Magazine, and online at ohiomagazine.com. Other communities recognized include Bryan, McConnelsville, Millersburg, and Urbana.

To determine the honorees, Ohio Magazine solicited nominations and conducted site visits across the state in the spring and summer. The editors evaluated the nominees in six categories — Community Spirit, Education, Entertainment, Health and Safety, Business Environment, and Culture and Heritage — to help finalize their selections.

For more information about past honorees and Ohio Magazine‘s annual Best Hometowns honor, visit ohiomagazine.com/besthometowns.

Comic books, action figures, toys, games, and more! Packrat Comics has something for everyone in Downtown Hilliard.

Jamie and Teresa Colegrove founded the business in 1993, moved their operation to Hilliard in 1997, and have been located in the plaza at 3864 Lattimer St. since 2000. Packrat Comics sells new and old comics, graphic novels, action figures, toys, games, LEGOS, and much more.

Packrat Comics also hosts fun events throughout the year, including their popular Halloween ComicFest event this Saturday, Oct. 26, from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Get ready for a day filled with free comics, exciting trick-or-treating, an all-ages haunted house, and thrilling barrel train rides.

Watch this 60-second spotlight for more details about Packrat Comics and visit their website at this link.

Who doesn’t love a friendly snow road-eo competition?!

Last week, our Operations crew prepared for the winter season ahead with an education session and snow plow obstacle course.

Each member of the team learned new techniques and brushed up on their skills by navigating the course with various snow-simulated skills tests.

The top two finishers, Bud LeMaster and Gerry Yoder, will be going on to a regional competition to determine the best snow plow operator in the area.

Make sure to track Plowy McPlowface and the rest of the City of Hilliard snow plows in real-time this winter at this link.

Hilliard-based company Advanced Drainage Systems (ADS) officially opened its new 110,000-square-foot Engineering and Technology Center on Tuesday at 4671 Raindrop Way.

ADS has invested $65 million into the center, allowing the company to consolidate its product development and testing operations and manufacturing engineering development into one central location. Two hundred new jobs will be created in the Hilliard community as part of the investment.

The 17-acre site is located west of ADS’ Trueman Boulevard headquarters just across I-270. ADS, the largest plastic recycler in North America, is a leader in storm water and septic wastewater management — creating systems under homes, businesses, agricultural fields, and roadways all over the world.

Also in attendance at the grand opening event were Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted and Ohio Rep. Mike Carey, who both praised the company’s journey from start-up to national leader.

Learn more about ADS and its products at this link.

Filming gets underway in the coming days for “Aimless,” a psychological thriller by local writer and director Cyrus Richardson.

Richardson and his team at 12 Stones Productions were recently awarded a $25,000 Innovation Grant from the Hilliard Development Corporation. They also moved their offices into The Junction by Westwood, a co-working space located in Downtown Hilliard. 

As a result, Richardson will film part of his movie in Hilliard, helping promote the industry in the city and boosting the local film economy. 

Watch the video above to learn more and be on the lookout for film crews in Hilliard around the Halloween season!

More information on Hilliard Innovation Grants can be found at this link.

Calling all Hilliard wine enthusiasts!

Firefly Winery is opening this week at 5435 Franklin St. in Downtown Hilliard.

The family-owned urban winery will serve a variety of reds, whites, and fruit wines, along with charcuterie, dips, breads, and light bites.

The grand opening is set for this weekend with the following hours:

• Thursday, Oct. 17, 4-9 p.m.
• Friday, Oct. 18, 3-10 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 19, noon-10 p.m.
• Sunday, Oct. 20, noon-8 p.m.

On this episode of Choose Hilliard, take a tour of their beautiful new 4,500-square-foot facility, get a behind-the-scenes look at their new food and wine menu, and learn the story of how Firefly Winery came to be.

Hilliard couple Jennifer and Joe Hollabaugh are bringing decades of wine experience back to their hometown, thanks to the help of The Westwood Collective and others. We’re so happy Firefly Winery decided to choose Hilliard!

Exciting news, Hilliard: The City’s newest roundabout at Cosgray and Scioto Darby roads is now open to traffic.

On Thursday, crews opened three legs of the roundabout. The south leg of the roundabout, for the new Cosgray Road extension, will re-close to allow crews to complete construction on the roadway.

Traffic barrels will remain in some lanes of the roundabout to prevent drivers from choosing lanes that exit south onto the new street. The Cosgray Road extension, which will provide access to the new Hilliard Recreation and Wellness Campus, The Well, is scheduled to open by the end of November.

This new multi-lane hybrid roundabout will accommodate more lanes for future growth.

Features include:

• Overhead lane control signs (coming soon) to assist drivers in choosing the correct lane
• On the westbound and southbound approaches, separate lanes for left turns, through lanes, and right turns to keep traffic moving
• Raised crosswalks to slow vehicle speeds and increase safety for people walking and bicycling
• “Spirals” and pavement markings to direct drivers from their lane in the roundabout to their exit

Later this fall, two new crosswalks with flashing beacons will be installed to connect nearby neighborhoods and businesses to the more than two miles of new trails built within The Well campus. The crosswalks will also provide access the Darby Town center businesses.

“We are excited to get one step closer to delivering this project to the residents of Hilliard,” said Letty Schamp, City of Hilliard Transportation and Mobility Director. “The new roundabout will not only move vehicles more efficiently through the intersection but, most importantly, will improve safety for people walking and bicycling between our neighborhoods, parks, and local businesses.”

The Well is expected to open in summer 2025.

Watch the video above or at this link to learn how to navigate the roundabout.