Columbus will rename the Enoch Drive recreation center for the late District 1 councilor Jerry "Pops" Barnes. The public ceremony is at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13.

The Boxwood Recreation Center on Enoch Drive is getting a new name. Columbus will rename it the Jerry “Pops” Barnes Recreation Center, after the longtime District 1 councilor who died in 2024.

The city will mark the change with a ceremony at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, at the center. The public is invited. The details are in the city’s release of Wednesday, Nov. 4.

Who Barnes was

The city said the new name honors Barnes “for his public service to Columbus, including his time representing District 1 on the Columbus Council.”

Council records give the outline of his last years on the council:

  • He was sworn in for another District 1 term on Jan. 3, 2023, under his formal name, Clairmont J. Barnes, according to the minutes of that meeting.
  • Council members remembered him at their April 23, 2024, meeting.
  • On May 28, 2024, Council voted 6-3 to appoint Byron Hickey to finish his unexpired term.

The last two points come from the minutes of the May 28, 2024, meeting, which refer to him as “the late Councilor Barnes.”

The center

The Parks and Recreation Department lists the center at 1068 Enoch Drive. It has:

  • a game room and a multipurpose activity room
  • basketball courts, a large playing field and a playground
  • computer access, tutoring and cultural programs for all ages

It is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and closed on weekends. The city lists Boxwood Park at 1100 Enoch Drive.

The city’s release gives two addresses for the ceremony: 1068 Enoch Drive in its text and 1110 Enoch Drive in its event details. The department’s own listing uses 1068.

The release does not say when Council approved the new name or when new signs go up.

What it means for you

  • The ceremony: 1:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, at the center. Residents are invited, the city said.
  • Programs carry on: nothing in the release changes the center’s hours or programs. Call the center at 706-225-3725 to check.
  • Finding it: after the ceremony, look for the Barnes name in place of Boxwood on city listings. The address stays the same.

For other places to take the family this month, see our things to do in Columbus page.