First Glance

So Many Opportunities at Our Doorstep

Photo courtesy of Ray LaVoie Photography New Albany, Ohio is a relatively small city with a population of approximately 11,000. By no means is it considered a bustling metropolis that is host to a vibrant nightlife, worldclass restaurants and professional sports teams. To an outsider, one might perceive New Albany as a sleepy midwestern town.

The article in this issue about the forthcoming Charleen and Charles Hinson Amphitheater struck a nerve. I quickly became immersed in deep thought. For a city of our size, the cultural and lifestyle opportunities are incomparable. The amphitheater is one example of a community gem that is available to every resident. For the many of you who know me, I like to fantasize. So let me begin by sharing how a typical day might work for me, mired in the options afforded to me.

I awake fairly early to start the day. I don my workout gear, stay low to the ground as I exit out of my front door so my Ring doorbell does not detect movement, thus preventing the chime from activating and waking my wife. In less than a mile, I reach our newly minted Rose Run Park where my workout takes me under the Raines Bridge as I meander through the winding trail below, occasionally absorbing the sound of the water flowing along the adjacent creek. Should the weather dictate that my workout take place indoors, I can always get a workout inside The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Health and Fitness Center at the Heit.

After an hour, I am back home getting ready to continue the day’s venture. If I’m seeking a quiet place to work or have a meeting, I can saunter over to the Marx Library Garden and engage in an undisturbed private meeting.

My next stop might take me to the Philip Heit Center for Healthy New Albany where I might partake in any number of lectures or perhaps attend a committee meeting.

As evening begins to descend, I may be beckoned to attend a concert at the amphitheater or perhaps a lecture inside the beautiful Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts. At the conclusion of my venue of choice, whether it be the amphitheater or McCoy, I might walk across the street for a cold brew before walking back home.

And so goes my day, participating in community activities without having to shift from park to drive, no less stepping on an accelerator. My lifestyle needs are just a walk away.

Healthfully,

Phil Heit Executive Director Emeritus Healthy New Albany