The heart of our community: past, present, and future!
Downtown Hilliard is the vibrant home to first-class amenities and events, thriving local businesses and restaurants, and most importantly, thousands of residents and visitors who enjoy this area every year.
Our Downtown is the perfect example of planned, thoughtful growth, with this vision coming to life over the past decade.
Watch the video to learn more about the railroad route surrounding “Hilliard’s Station” and how Downtown Hilliard continues to pay homage to its rich railroad history. Plus, hear how Downtown’s growing business community is paving the way for future growth. This intentional growth will continue to add vibrancy that embraces our past and looks forward to our exciting future!
Leaf collection services to begin Oct. 16
October 5, 2023
Just in time for the fall season, the City of Hilliard’s curbside leaf collection will begin Monday, Oct. 16, and continue through mid-December.
Residents should rake leaves to the curb area (between the sidewalk and street) by 7 a.m. on the Monday of their scheduled pickup week. Crews will collect leaves placed at the curb during scheduled times by neighborhood zones. The quadrant map can be found on our website. https://hilliardohio.gov/leaf-collection/
When raking leaves for collection, please remember to:
Rake leaves to the curb in the green space between the back of the curb and sidewalk.
Do not place leaves in the street or pile them around fire hydrants, mailboxes, parked cars, signs, basketball hoops, drains or streetlights.
Avoid parking cars on cul-de-sacs so trucks can get to the leaves.
Do not mix brush or trash into leaf piles.
Keep children away from leaf piles that are ready for collection
Leaves may cause temporary discoloration to your grass. However, the grass will grow back rich and green in the spring. To prevent grass from discoloring, rake your leaves immediately before your scheduled pickup date.
After the leaf collection period ends, leaves are to be placed in biodegradable paper yard waste bags or in a trash bin designated for yard waste only. The bags or bins should weigh no more than 50 pounds each when filled, and will be collected as part of the normal curbside-composting program every Tuesday.
Choose Hilliard: STAR Dynamics
October 4, 2023
A global leader in stealthy radars and high-tech national defense is based right here in Hilliard.
On this episode of Choose Hilliard, we take a look at STAR Dynamics, a growing radar company that specializes in state-of-the-art systems and software. Since moving its facility to Hilliard in 2007, STAR now employs 40 people with a revenue approaching $20 million. In recent years, the company has landed significant contracts with the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force, and the demand for their product continues to increase.
Local businesses like STAR Dynamics are another example of why the City of Hilliard was recently named a Top7 Intelligent Community of the Year by the Intelligent Community Forum. Thank you for choosing Hilliard, STAR Dynamics! We’re proud to partner with you to inspire innovation and foster technology growth here in Central Ohio.
Be Well Event Offers Parents Resources on Addiction, Mental Health
August 25, 2023
Community leaders are joining together this fall to offer a free event for parents interested in learning about spotting the signs of substance use addiction.
Be Well: Prevention, Awareness, & Recovery, will be held Sept. 20 at Hilliard Darby High School. The free event is open to adults only. The first 300 guests will receive a free meal.
The event will begin with dinner and a resource fair in the school’s cafeteria from 5 to 6 p.m. A simulated teenage bedroom, known as Can You See Me Now?, will be on display in the school’s stage area. Parents are invited to tour the interactive bedroom to learn to spot risky behavior.
A presentation to include panelists of local first responders, health and wellness experts, and school officials will follow from 6 to 8 p.m. in the performing arts center. Experts will discuss substance abuse (including vaping), mental health, recovery, and addiction prevention.
“Our hope is to educate parents,” said Norwich Township Administrator Jamie Fisher. “We feel like this event will not only support our mission of promoting a healthier way of living but provide resources to help individuals make better choices.”
“Research shows one of the best ways to reduce the chances of teens using drugs by 50 percent or more is having an adult or parent have conversations with them about alcohol and drug addiction,” said Dawn Steele, who serves as an attorney with the City of Hilliard Recovery Court.
Research also shows 50 percent of teenagers have misused a drug at least once.
“We want parents to know they should not wait,” said Hilliard Chief of Police Michael Woods. “Don’t wait to have a conversation with your teen, don’t wait to ask for help, and don’t wait before a small problem turns into an addiction.”
The program is funded by Norwich Township Opioid Settlement Funds. Other cooperating partners include the City of Hilliard Division of Police, Norwich Township Fire Department, Hilliard City Schools, and HART (Health, Awareness & Recovery Together).
No RSVP is required.
Choose Hilliard: Booming Growth and Investment Along I-270 Corridor
July 12, 2023
The I-270 corridor and Cemetery Road are Hilliard’s front door.
If you take a drive around the outerbelt, you’ll see just how fast this area is changing and how vital it is to the City of Hilliard’s future economic growth. The addition of research and development facilities, data centers, and a $100 million mixed-use development called Truepointe are changing the game in Hilliard, and it’s only the beginning!
This Monday, City Council approved legislation to move forward with plans for the Truepointe development that is expected to begin construction later this year on an area that will include five-story office buildings, high-end restaurants, a hotel, apartments, retail, and two parking garages.
In this Choose Hilliard episode, we’ll hear from Hilliard-based companies Equity and Advanced Drainage Systems on their future plans and how the City jumpstarted this growth through years of intentional planning and infrastructure improvements.
Professor Roundabout Recaps European Roundabout Trip with FHWA
June 28, 2023
Hilliard’s Professor Roundabout is back in the states following a European roundabout adventure across Poland, Czech Republic, and the Netherlands.
Watch as City of Hilliard Transportation & Mobility Director Letty Schamp recaps the trip she took earlier this month, paid for by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration.
Schamp was chosen to represent local governments across the United States in a Global Benchmarking Program designed to learn more about the implementation of turbo roundabouts in these European countries. Turbo roundabouts use road markings and raised lane-dividers to solve capacity and safety issues that often occur in standard multi-lane roundabouts. The goal of the study is for these findings to be applied and implemented in the U.S. in appropriate locations, in order to help reduce the number of fatalities, serious injuries, and property damage on our roadways.
Fun. Friends. FUTURE!
May 30, 2023
Hear from former City of Hilliard employees who started their successful careers with seasonal jobs here in Hilliard.
So what are they up to now and how did the City prepare them for the future?
Watch the video to hear from some of our standout alumni and learn about future jobs with the City of Columbus, OSU James Cancer Hospital, and Columbus City Schools.
Pave the way for a bright FUTURE with the City of Hilliard. Apply for open seasonal positions today and let the fun begin! 🙂
City Breaks Ground on “The Well”, Hilliard’s New Recreation and Wellness Facility
April 14, 2023
The Hilliard community celebrated the next step on the Road to Recreation Friday in a groundbreaking ceremony for the Recreation and Wellness Campus. City officials also unveiled the new name for this facility, “The Well”, which will serve as a common gathering place for social and wellness activities.
The event, which also included a Touch-a-Truck with construction equipment, was held at the future site on Scioto Darby Road, just west of Municipal Park. City officials spoke on the important role this facility will play in community wellness by expanding Recreation and Parks offerings to residents.
The 105,000-square-foot Recreation and Wellness facility is expected to be completed in 2025. In addition, nearly 25,000 square feet of space within the facility will be dedicated to an integrated medical health and wellness center managed by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. The center will offer rehabilitation and physical therapy.
City Highlights Accomplishments, Looks “Full Steam Ahead” in State of the City Presentation
March 24, 2023
The State of the City is strong. That was the lasting message Tuesday from Hilliard’s 2023 State of the City presentation at Center Street Market in Downtown Hilliard.
A crowd of more than 150 people attended the event with the train theme of “All Aboard and Full Steam Ahead”, harkening back to Hilliard’s railroad roots.
City Manager Michelle Crandall covered highlights from the past year and shared details about Hilliard’s exciting future plans.
The presentation included updates on the new Recreation and Wellness Campus, the Hilliard By Design community plan, the Hilliard City Lab tech initiative, and much more.
Today’s announcement comes as part of the ICF 2023 Intelligent Communities of the Year Award program, which recognizes communities that demonstrate best practices in broadband implementation, workforce development, digital inclusion, innovation, advocacy, and sustainability.
Hilliard City Manager Michelle Crandall attributed part of the City’s success to its construction of the HiFiO fiber-optic network and consistent integration of smart technology into the city’s infrastructure.
The City has also partnered with Converge Technologies on the creation of Hilliard City Lab, a private-public technology testbed that leverages City resources to help high-tech businesses create, test, and launch innovative solutions.
The City hopes to be named one of ICF’s Top7 Intelligent Communities of the Year when that announcement is made this summer.
“Winning a place among this year’s Smart21 communities is an incredible badge of honor and puts the City of Hilliard in the global spotlight,” Crandall said. “Hilliard is connected, smart, and sustainable. We’re excited to show others how HiFiO and Hilliard City Lab are providing services that improve the quality of life for our residents and help companies turn their ideas into reality.”
Additionally, City of Hilliard Chief Information Officer Duane Powell served on a roundtable panel at the ICF Smart 21 conference, discussing how to attract broadband investment. Learn more at https://hilliardohio.gov/economic-development/
The entire list of communities named in the 2023 Smart21 include:
Assai County, Parana, Brazil
Astana, Kazakhstan
Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
Binh Duong Smart City, Vietnam
Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
Coral Gables, Florida, USA
Curitiba, Parana, Brazil
Defiance, Ohio, USA
Doral, Florida, USA
Durham Region, Ontario, Canada
Estevan, Saskatchewan, Canada
Fairfield/Jefferson County, Iowa, USA
Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
Greater Geelong, Victoria, Australia
Grey County, Ontario, Canada
Hilliard, Ohio, USA
Pickering, Ontario, Canada
Ponta Grossa, Parana, Brazil
Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
Townsville, Queensland, Australia
Whanganul, New Zealand
City Launches Sidewalk Maintenance Program to Improve Safety and Accessibility
January 30, 2023
SAFE Sidewalks are coming to Hilliard as part of the City’s new sidewalk maintenance program that provides “Safe Access for Everyone.”
Starting this spring, the City is launching the SAFE Sidewalk Program to evaluate all 200 miles of Hilliard sidewalks, identify areas for improvement, and make repairs as necessary. This program will be an ongoing effort over the next decade to improve the image and livability of Hilliard.
The process began in May 2022, when the condition of sidewalks, trails, and curb ramps were surveyed and inventoried to prioritize repair and maintenance. This information was used to help the City prioritize where repairs are most needed and to ensure all City sidewalks are kept in the best condition. The first neighborhood to benefit from the sidewalk maintenance program will be the Avery subdivision.
In Hilliard (and most other communities), property owners are responsible for maintaining sidewalks adjacent to their properties. Exceptions include when the damage causing the repairs is created by roots from City-owned trees in the public right-of-way or defects caused by manhole covers or utilities. The City also is responsible for repairs and accessibility compliance on curb ramps. When the City identifies a sidewalk in need of repair, the property owner receives written notice of the required work, along with the estimated cost.
Hilliard property owners have two options when it comes to repairing their sidewalks:
Allow the City to perform the repairs and bill them for the work. (Opt-In) Most residents will benefit from this option because allowing the City gets cost savings based on competitive bidding for the large number of annual repairs in the community. Additionally, the City handles the coordination, scheduling and quality control related to the work. Property owners may elect to have the cost spread out over a 5-year, zero interest term through a special assessment on their property taxes.
Make the repairs on their own. (Opt-Out) This work must meet all required City of Hilliard code and standards. Should your sidewalk be identified for repair or replacement, you will be asked to make the repairs within approximately four months. If the work has not been performed by the provided deadline the City will perform the work, with costs billed or assessed back to the property owner. Opting out does not remove the requirement that the sidewalk needs to be improved, it only means that you do not wish to have the improvements made by the City’s contractor.
On this Choose Hilliard episode, we introduce you to IC3D, one of Hilliard’s newest tech companies and a partner with Hilliard City Lab.
This full-service 3D printing manufacturer started in a basement back in 2012 and now owns the largest 3D printers in Central Ohio.
Through Hilliard City Lab, Converge Technologies (a high-tech commercialization incubator) and the City of Hilliard are partnering to promote technology growth and innovation through Hilliard City Lab.
Through this collaboration, the Hilliard becomes a lab for testing new technologies and supporting start-ups that are ready to advance their innovative ideas and products. Using the City’s infrastructure, fiber optic network, sensor technology and real-time analytics, the City and Converge have already assisted several companies in moving from prototype to commercial product.
