Mill Creek MetroParks Veggie Gardens Celebrates 25th Anniversary
Where can children get their hands dirty and have good clean fun? At the Children’s Vegetable Gardening Program, that’s where! The Children’s Vegetable Gardening Program (Veggie Gardens) at Mill Creek MetroParks is growing gardeners and smiles all summer long! Celebrating 25 years of growing gardeners, vegetables and smiles, Veggie Gardens (as it is affectionately called) continues to be a busy summer place for planting, harvesting and gardening activities.
The first Veggie Gardens class was held at Fellows Riverside Gardens in the summer of 1992. In 1998, the program moved to the MetroParks Educational Farm in Canfield due to the construction of the D.D. & Velma Davis Education and Visitor Center. This unique gardening program, sponsored by Mill Creek MetroParks – Fellows Riverside Gardens, is a 2-year hands-on independent gardening program for children who have completed second grade and older. Each child has his/her own 3′ x 10′ garden to tend all summer long. The focus is on basic gardening skills as each child plants, waters, weeds, and harvests their own garden. Lessons are fun, engaging and informative to include hands-on activities and cooking. An important part of the program are the Green Thumbs. Green Thumbs are youth volunteers who have completed the 2 year program and return as volunteers to mentor the young Veggie Gardeners. The Green Thumbs along with dedicated adult volunteers have helped power this amazing program over the past 25 years.
Classes meet one Saturday each month from March through June from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. During summer break, classes meet every Wednesday 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. through August. The final class is a clean-up day on a Saturday in September. The fee for the class helps to cover seeds, plants, tools and activity supplies.
All Veggie Gardens’ alumni gardeners and volunteers are invited to join the celebration at the Family Harvest Picnic on Wednesday, August 16 from 6 – 9 pm at the Mill Creek MetroParks Farm in Canfield. Please RSVP to 330-740-7116 by August 3, 2017.
Mill Creek MetroParks Parking Lot Closures
Multiple parking lots and asphalt surfaces throughout Mill Creek Park will be temporarily closed for the MetroParks annual asphalt sealing and preventive maintenance project. The work is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, July 19, 2017. Lots will be closed for several days and will reopen once vehicular traffic is permitted. Several of the prominent lots and surfaces scheduled for work include the following:
· Lanterman’s Mill (Main Parking Lot)
· Newport Wetlands
· Davies Wetland Trail (Newport Wetlands Trail)
· East Golf Bike & Hike – North (Shields Road Parking Lots)
Several minor lots along East Newport Drive and West Newport Drive will also be affected. While the lots are closed, the facilities they support will remain open and accessible for public use. Rentals and scheduled programming will not be impacted by this project. Please use alternate parking lots to access these facilities when lots are closed.
In the event of inclement weather, the work schedule will be delayed and adjusted accordingly.
Notice of MetroParks Special Board Meeting
The Board of Park Commissioners of Mill Creek MetroParks will hold a Special Meeting on Monday, July 17, 2017, at 6:30 pm at the MetroParks Farm. The only agenda item is Executive Session, to discuss pending or imminent court action, and to consider the appointment, employment, discipline, or compensation of public employees.
Two reports set future plans for geese population at Mill Creek
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – Last week, two reports were issued examining geese overpopulation in Mill Creek Park, which has been a problem for three years now, ever since 240 of them were rounded up and killed.
Both reports will be used to determine future park policy.
AUDUBON CANADA GOOSE REPORT FOR MILL CREEK PARK
USDA-WS REPORT OF GOOSE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES WITHIN MILL CREEK PARK
“It basically gave them a baseline of how many geese were found at the park on this specific day,” said Jeff Harvey, President of the Audubon Society/Mahoning Valley.
The Audubon Society/Mahoning Valley counted 146 geese in Mill Creek Park on June 26 — all of them around lakes Newport and Glacier.
Two months earlier, the U.S. Department of Agriculture counted 131 geese in the park. It also counted 28 nests and 114 eggs, almost all around the Newport Wetlands. Those eggs were addled — shaken — to make sure they wouldn’t hatch.
The Audubon Society count found only six goslings.
“So that means USDA did their job,” said Denny Malloy, chairman of the Mill Creek Wildlife Committee. “They located the nests correctly. They went in eight times. It was money well spent and now there’s going to be a no net gain of geese in Mill Creek Park.”
Both Malloy and Harvey are okay with the process of addling.
“It’s proven to work really well to keep the urban goose population down in human conflict areas,” Malloy said.
“At least you’re not killing the geese,” Harvey said. “You’re trying to control them. That’s probably an effective method you can use.”
One thing Harvey would like to see is the baseline number for the number of geese allowed in Mill Creek Park but he could not say what that number should be.
“There’s no set numbers of geese per acre of water or anything like that that we can recommend to the park,” Harvey said.
Mill Creek Metro Parks Commissioner Tom Shipka said he expects the two reports to be forwarded to the park’s wildlife committee and eventually, a policy on geese to be developed.
The two reports also recommended stricter enforcement of the “don’t feed the geese law.” The Audubon Society suggested changing the habitat of the Newport Wetlands, making it harder for geese to nest.
Both studies suggested the addling program be continued.
Mill Creek MetroParks gets state funds for land acquisition
The Ohio Public Works Commission has awarded Mill Creek MetroParks $43,980 from the commission’s Clean Ohio Conservation Fund.
Those funds will cover 75 percent of the $58,640 cost of acquiring five undeveloped parcels located on the west side of Glenwood Avenue and the south side of Devonshire Drive.
MetroParks Planning & Operations Director Steve Avery said the parcels, which comprise 2.86 acres, are located in wooded areas that are adjacent to park land.
The acquisition is part of an effort by the MetroParks to obtain and preserve open space in the Glenwood Avenue corridor.
View the full article at vindy.com
Army Reserves Training in Mill Creek Park
On Saturday, July 8, 2017, from approximately 8:00 am – Noon, a local regiment from the Army Reserves will be conducting Unit Movement Training in Mill Creek Park. The Reservists will be training in areas near Lake Glacier and the Lily Pond.
Mill Creek MetroParks Golf Course to Host 1st Annual Couples Scotch Tournament in July
Mill Creek MetroParks Golf Course will hold a Couples Scotch Tournament on the North Course on July 22, 2017 with a 6:00 pm shotgun start. The event is a modified scotch tournament with teams consisting of three ladies and three men on each team, rotating shots through the course of the round. This years event theme is a Hawaiian Beach Party. All contestants are encouraged to dress the part and welcome to decorate their golf carts for the evening of play. “The first annual couples scotch tournament is a great way for area couples to enjoy time with friends and have fun in a relaxing atmosphere. The Mill Creek Golf Course PGA staff is excited to have added this event to our 2017 tournament line up and continuing to play a part in expanding our reach to golfers in the Mahoning Valley. We encourage couples of any skill level to be a part of the excitement,” says Brian Tolnar, PGA Director of Golf.
The tournament entry fee is $50.00 per couple and includes 9 holes of golf for two, tournament prizes, skill event prizes and picnic buffet after the round. Registration is available at the Mill Creek Golf Course Fieldhouse or by calling the Golf Shop at 330.740.7112. Sign-up deadline is Wednesday, July 19, 2017 at 5:00 pm.
For more information about the Couples Scotch Tournament or the Mill Creek Golf Course, visit our website at www.millcreekmetroparks.org.
Junior Par-3 Golf Tournament to be held at the Wick Recreation Par-3 Course
The Mill Creek MetroParks Par-3 Course at the James L. Wick Recreation Area will be hosting the 2nd Annual Junior Golf Tournament for youth between the ages of 5 – 13 on Thursday, July 13, 2017. The 18 hole stroke play tournament will consist of three age divisions (Ages 5-7, Ages 8-10, Ages 11-13) for boys and girls. Tee times starting at 9:00 am.
The entry fee is $10.00 per junior and includes 18 hole greens fees, prizes for the winners and snack after the round. To register, contact the Mill Creek Wick Par-3 Course Golf Shop at 330. 740.7114.
Notice of Splash Pad closure for repairs
The wet playground in the James L. Wick, Jr. Recreation Area will be closed this week due to a water line break. It is expected to be back open for the weekend.