A city built with care can feel both rooted and forward-looking. That’s Dublin.
A city familiar to those who grew up here and exciting to those just arriving. That’s Dublin.
A city defined by civic pride, volunteerism and a shared commitment to community. That’s Dublin.

You’ll hear how those qualities shape our future in this episode featuring Dublin’s annual State of the City Address.

The first voice you’ll hear is Mayor Chris Amorose Groomes, whose pride in Dublin reflects both her role as mayor and her family’s long ties to the community. From there, City Manager Megan O’Callaghan walks through the State of the City, highlighting the ideas, investments and partnerships helping Dublin plan, connect and prosper.

Infrastructure plays a major role in that story. Projects like the U.S. 33 and S.R. 161 interchange help keep our region moving, while the city’s 30th roundabout continues Dublin’s leadership in improving traffic safety.

Innovation and economic growth are also front and center. The West Innovation District is emerging as a hub for research, higher education and high-quality jobs. At the same time, the Metro Center Revitalization Plan is reimagining legacy office space as a vibrant mixed-use district designed for today’s workforce.

Community health and well-being remain a priority as well. The Dublin Wellness Alliance gathers insight from residents about mental health and belonging, while expanded hospital capacity from Mount Carmel and OhioHealth reinforces Dublin’s growing role as a regional health care hub.

And of course, there’s the fun that brings the community together. Signature events like the Dublin Irish Festival, the Dublin Independence Day Celebration and the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday help create an events calendar that draws visitors from near and far.

If this vision resonates with you, subscribe, share with a neighbor, and leave a quick review too.   We think you'll agree - the State of Our City is strong!

Imagine a sports campus that feels like Dublin: green, welcoming and built for everyday joy as much as headline events. We sit down with SportsOhio General Manager Joe Bauserman and Sports Facilities Companies’ VP Scott Rodgers to share how this complex is turning into a premier destination where families play, adult leagues thrive and major tournaments fuel local restaurants and hotels. The plan starts with steady improvements—reopening soccer and field sports, polishing the driving range and par-3 course and sharpening the customer experience. Lindsay and Bruce then turn the conversation to scale and what the future looks like.

Joe and Scott explain why a public, city-led model changes the playbook: more focus on service, access and programming breadth. They lay out practical ways to get involved now, from joining leagues to following updates, and hint at a wider slate of sports and events—lacrosse, long-drive contests, tournaments and concerts—that keep the campus lively year-round. Drawing lessons from cities like Naples, Florida and Elizabethtown, Kentucky, they show how a venue can be both a weekend festival of play and a resilient community resource that blends wellness, connection, and economic vitality.

Woven through the story are personal moments: Joe’s path from MLB draft pick to OSU walk-on quarterback to GM. Scott’s decades-long soccer career at club and college levels, and their shared belief that competition brings us together, but joy keeps us coming back.

If you care about youth sports, adult rec nights and the kind of “third place” that turns neighbors into friends, you’ll hear a clear vision: an athletic and recreation campus that belongs to Dublin and sets a new standard for how cities play, gather and grow. Subscribe, share with a friend, and tell us what sport or feature you want to see next.

Big nights don’t have to mean big risks. Lindsay and Bruce sit down with Scott Neff, Chair of Safe Ride of Central Ohio and partner at Fado Irish Pub, to trace how a small trauma grant in 2007 sparked a movement. A movement that reshaped how Dublin and Central Ohio residents get home safely and keep streets safer for everyone in the process.

Scott walks us through the funding leap from one‑time hospital dollars to pub‑led sponsorships, and how a simple $10 discount drove action. We dig into behavior change on the ground—bartenders helping guests apply codes, younger riders planning ahead, and the subtle redesign of a night out that quietly saves lives. 

We also talk scale: the role of Dublin City Council, rising redemptions as proof of impact, and the open invitation for more restaurants and neighboring cities to adopt this model. If your community can bring a budget, committed partners, and the will to make safety convenient, the template is ready!  

Subscribe, share this episode with your crew, and leave a quick review to help more people find it. Then do the simplest thing that protects you and everyone on the road: claim the code, plan the ride, and get home safe and sound.

Big goals only matter if they bring people together to connect, grow and prosper. That’s our north star as Lindsay and Bruce sit down with Mayor Chris Amorose Groomes and Vice Mayor Cathy De Rosa to chart Dublin’s next moves: keep the community connected and competitive through investments in the places and systems that support daily life.

We share how new council members add fresh perspectives to four clear priorities that drive the year ahead. Think about bold recreation with the acquisition of the 240-plus-acre Sports Ohio campus. Think of a five-year, $375 million capital plan that upgrades roads, utilities, and technology while revitalizing Metro Center.  We dig into why staying relevant isn’t about the next shiny thing; it's about disciplined investment that attracts jobs and supports the services residents value.

You’ll also hear updates on projects that change how we connect. Citywide fiber is nearing completion, unlocking faster work and learning at home. Regional light rail efforts move into phase two with an eye on a Dublin stop, while the future Signature Trail aims to link the city east to west with safer, wider active transport. And talk about a packed 2026 event calendar: America's 250th celebration, the 50th anniversary of the Memorial Tournament, new Jack Nicklaus–inspired public artwork and Christkindlmarkt coming to Riverside Crossing Park. It all comes together for a year designed to spark pride, joy and a stronger sense of belonging.

We close out this episode with a simple measure of success: a Dublin where people want to live, businesses want to invest, and neighbors want to connect. If that vision resonates with you, subscribe, share this episode with a friend and leave a review.  Your feedback shapes what we build next in Dublin and talk about here on Link Ahead!

What if a city theater could be a school, a launchpad and a celebration all at once? Well, ours is! We kick off the 2026 season of Link Ahead with director-producer-actor extraordinaire Joe Bishara and Coffman Boosters President Josh Mustard to reveal how Dublin’s Abbey Theater blends big-hearted storytelling with serious training—and why audiences keep packing the house.

We start with momentum from 2025: record box office, a stack of Broadway World nominations, and a programming philosophy that pairs joy with rigor. Then, Bruce and Lindsay walk us through the 2026 season: from the slapstick smarts of Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors to the teen edition of Six: The Musical, you’ll hear how students work side by side with professionals and earn stage time the right way. March brings Olympus through the Bound for Broadway program—ten Saturdays that make this craft family-friendly. Additionally, a SpongeBob musical featuring local teachers returning to the stage to help fund future scholarships.

As the 2026 season progresses, The Pub’s Got No Beer mines 1963 Ireland for laughs and history. 1776 heads outdoors for America's 250th celebration, while this summer's 35mm merges photography and theater in a vivid chamber piece. Percy Jackson energizes page-to-stage fans in August, and Velocity of Autumn offers a moving study of aging, autonomy, and family love. Along the way, the Abbey expands offerings for ages six to nine, adding smaller productions, so younger actors grow on the same set with the same choreography.

Josh helps pull back the curtain on what boosters actually do—raising funds, volunteering and building feeder paths—so more kids can find their tribe. Joe shares how his team curates variety, honors audience trust and keeps education at the core without sacrificing fun. Want in? Watch for the DCRC brochure to check for upcoming auditions.   

If this season's guide sparks you, tell your neighbors, follow the show, share it with a theater-loving friend and leave a quick review.   Then, grab tickets and meet us at the Abbey!

We’re closing out 2025 with a 'Top 10 Countdown' of our most popular episodes of the year!  A blending of big-stage moments, behind-the-scenes storytelling, and the everyday work that keeps Dublin a local, regional and national leader. From rock legends to roundabouts, wellness shifts to waste tech, this highlight reel shows how a community grows when people, ideas, and partnerships align.

We revisit a State of the City address that centers on strategic planning and resident relationships.  Then, head straight to the table at Dublin Village Tavern and why it gets more mentions on Link Ahead than anyone or anything else!  Recreation and wellness leader Mollie Steiner helps us trade brittle resolutions for durable intentions and reframes wellness as a daily investment—physical, mental, and social. Director of Engineering Paul Hammersmith always makes safety a priority with roundabouts, shared-use paths, and a new pedestrian bridge that knits neighborhoods together.

On the culture front, Kansas frontman Ronnie Platt and 38 Special’s Don Barnes share how bands stay sharp, tours stay joyful, and crowds sing back the hits. The Abbey Theater's Joe Bishara celebrates a big award streak while pulling back the curtain on how a small venue builds big credibility.  And sustainability takes center stage as Rumpke’s Columbus facility—the largest and most advanced in North America—expands recycling to include clamshells and uses AI to supply Ohio manufacturers.  But you'll have to tune in to find out which episode was THE most popular of the year! 

Thanks for fueling a record year of Link Ahead downloads and conversations. Follow the show, share your favorite moment, and drop us a note with the guests and topics you want in 2026.

What if Dublin's strongest asset isn’t our great neighborhoods, parks, pathways or schools, but the way neighbors show up for each other? Lindsay and Bruce sat down with Brian Carr, the new executive director of One Dublin.  Together, they unpack how a hyperlocal safety net helps families and seniors weather sudden setbacks with dignity. From winter coat drives to emergency bill pay, Brian explains how focused programs reduce stress, restore stability, and remind people they belong.

We trace One Dublin’s journey from a small adopt-a-family effort to a community-powered hub serving thousands across the Dublin City Schools District. You’ll hear how backpacks and school supplies shape academic confidence, why the 'free shop' is about choice as much as clothing, and how a mattress program makes - “no one sleeps on the floor” - a real promise. Brian also shares the data that many miss about suburban needs: one in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch, and Dublin is home to one of Ohio’s largest immigrant communities. That diversity demands more than good intentions—it calls for smart, coordinated support.

Partnerships with the Dublin Food Pantry, libraries, and healthcare providers make it easier for families to navigate resources without hitting a wall of forms and websites. This conversation explores practical ways to help, whether it's a financial contribution or volunteering.  Brian’s vision is simple and ambitious: to grow capacity so that more neighbors are reached, and to make “One Dublin” feel true for everyone who calls our City home.

If this conversation moves you, share it with a friend, bring a coat to the free shop, or set up a donation bin at work.   Your voice ensures the right help reaches the right people! 

What makes a city full of trees feel cooler, safer and more alive?  How do you actually keep that canopy thriving? And what illnesses and diseases should you be looking out for?  Lindsay and Bruce welcome City Forester Jeff Myers, a Certified Master Arborist, to answer those questions and many more!  With nearly three decades serving our City, Jeff pulls back the curtain on how suburban forestry really works, from the science behind pruning to the system that tracks our 33,000 street trees.

We walk through the boundaries between city and resident responsibilities and why Dublin pairs sidewalk repairs with supervised root pruning. Jeff explains why late fall is your prime time for pruning, what 'live crown ratio' means for a tree’s stability, and how different species demand different pruning cycles. You’ll hear why topping weakens trees, how to use the three‑cut method, and what a good branch collar cut looks like.

We also get candid about current threats and trends. Anthracnose flared up after a cool, wet spring while emerald ash borer remains at low but watchful levels. Drought stress lingers into the next season, so Jeff lays out when watering helps and when the root zone is simply too big to make a difference. Along the way, he shares how GIS maps show live pruning zones plus why Dublin holds contractors to a higher bar with on‑site certified arborists on every job. 

If you care about your street, your shade and your safety, this conversation gives you clear, actionable guidance to protect the trees you love. Follow the show and share it with a neighbor who has 'that one problem maple'. We guarantee they'll thank you for it!  

Ambition meets action as we sit down with Operations Administrator/Sustainability lead Emily Goliver to unpack how Dublin is turning big goals into everyday progress. From electrifying the light‑duty fleet and expanding public EV charging to building rain gardens and rethinking zoning, we walk through four pillars guiding our new Sustainability Plan.  

Emily pulls back the curtain on zero waste operations at major events, including on‑site sorting teams, composting stations, and cleaner power options. We explore the three R's to reduce, reuse and recycle through real programs that not only conserve precious resources but beautify our neighborhoods too.   If you’ve wondered how to handle e‑waste, foam, or seasonal pumpkins, you’ll get the roadmap—plus a reminder that batteries never belong in the trash.

Equity sits at the heart of the strategy. We talk multifamily recycling for renters, affordable access to services, and future plans like curbside composting within three to seven years. The data keeps us honest and motivated: a 47% diversion rate (one of the highest in Ohio!), city facilities powered by 100% renewable energy, and EV charging that saves residents money while shrinking emissions. 

Ready to help Dublin lead among leaders? Follow our monthly City Manager Report and check-out the volunteer page to get involved.   If this conversation sparked an idea, subscribe, and share with a neighbor to keep our momentum going to be THE most sustainable global city of choice!

Trucks rumble, cones wobble and burgers sizzle—but the real story is how Dublin gets winter-ready long before the first snowflake. We’re live from Dublin’s SnowGo Roadeo where practice meets performance and friendly competition sharpens the skills to keep roads safe. You’ll ride along with veteran staff, hear how new drivers learn to maneuver massive plows through tight turns, and pick up practical tips that make leaf collection smoother for everyone on your street.

We talk with the Director of Public Service about snow school, route rehearsals and the rapid transition from a 10-week leaf program to full winter operations using the same vehicles. Our City Manager, Megan O'Callaghan, jumps into the big rig to feel the visibility challenges first-hand and shares how materials, equipment checks, and route familiarity all come together to protect the community. Then we geek out with the City’s Data and Analytics Manager to unpack the SnowGo and LeafGo systems: sensors and GPS, automated vehicle location feeds, turn-by-turn route guidance and how prioritizing arterials, collectors and residential streets reduces deadheading while speeding recovery during storms.

If you’ve ever wondered why your block gets plowed when it does, how the City tracks progress in real time, or what you can do to help crews move faster—like keeping leaf piles off the street and away from mailboxes—this conversation lays it all out. Preparation is quiet work, but when the storm hits, the results are loud and clear: safer streets, fewer delays and a community that understands the plan.

Enjoy the on-the-road energy, meet the people behind the plows and the data, and see how planning, training, and technology turn winter weather into a manageable mission. And don't forget to follow the show, share it with a neighbor and leave a review to help more residents find these valuable insights