Melvin B. Dodge (1924August 19, 1991) was director of the

Columbus Recreation and Parks Department The Columbus Recreation and Parks Department manages parks, recreational facilities, and grounds in Columbus, Ohio. The department oversees 370 parks on about . The department also maintains 29 community centers, five athletic complexes, six golf c ...

and president of the Greater Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Biography

In 1951, Dodge graduated from the

Ohio State University The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best publ ...

with a degree in education. Shortly after graduation, he was hired by the

to oversee Sunshine Park. Working his way up in the department, he became the director of the department in 1967. As director, he led the development of the Cultural Arts Center and Bicentennial Park. He is also credited with hiring

Jack Hanna Jack Bushnell Hanna (born January 2, 1947) is a retired American zookeeper and a former director emeritus of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. "Jungle Jack" was director of the zoo from 1978 to 1992, and is viewed as largely responsible for elevat ...

who brought national recognition to the

Columbus Zoo The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is a non-profit zoo located near Powell in Liberty Township, Delaware County, Ohio, United States, north of the city of Columbus. The land lies along the eastern banks of the O'Shaughnessy Reservoir on the Sciot ...

. Starting in 1977, he served on the zoo association's board of trustees and became a member of the Franklin County Executive Board of the Columbus Zoo beginning in 1985. He left the department in 1985 and Sunshine Park was renamed Dodge Park in honor of his service. In 1985, he became the president of the Greater Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau until his death in August 1991. As president, he devised the funding for the expansion of the Greater Columbus Convention Center through a hotel-motel tax.

Death and legacy

Melvin Dodge died on August 19, 1991, after a long illness. After Dodge's death, the Columbus Zoological Association established the Melvin B. Dodge-Columbus Zoo Educational Scholarship Fund to provide educational scholarships for children whose parents cannot afford the activities. He was inducted into the Columbus Hall of Fame in 1991.

References

{{Columbus Recreation and Parks People from Columbus, Ohio Ohio State University alumni 1991 deaths 1924 births