Nexus Park announced Toyota sponsorship for recreation space

The Columbus Parks and Recreation Department is updating sponsors of spaces in the revamped Nexus Park facility with tours of the future layouts.

Toyota Material Handling executives and members of the media toured the future location of “The Rec” a new multi-use recreation room in the former Fair Oaks Mall on Tuesday. Toyota will be the title sponsor of the space when it opens next year including a large logo on a Toyota-grey wall in the room.

The recreation room will provide a permanent home for many parks activities that are now spread out through different community spaces and have to be transported from place to place, says Jacob Hendricks recreation manager with the parks department.

.The Toyota contribution will be $250,000, park officials said.

Tracy Stachniak, vice president of human resources for Toyota Material Handling, explains:

Other upcoming sponsorship announcements will be for spaces including a teaching kitchen, Hub, and fitness center. Mark Jones, director of parks and recreation for the city explains.

Work on the fieldhouse is expected to finish by the end of this year, with the first events being held there set for second quarter next year. The rest of the parks and recreation facility is expected to be completed early next year.

Nexus Park is a partnership between the city of Columbus and Columbus Regional Health to turn the former mall into a community center for health, wellness and recreation. CRH is moving its first practices into the western part of the building next month.