Mill Creek MetroParks Projects Progressing
The Ford Nature Center redevelopment project is wrapping up, while the East Hike and Bike Trail project is just getting started.
Watch the video on WFMJ.
Outside media coverage of Mill Creek MetroParks
Next phase of bike trail to start as 3rd phase goes through court
Phase II of the Mill Creek MetroParks East Park Hike and Bike Trail is getting started.
Beginning Nov. 1, a staging area will be set up in the overflow parking lot near Lanterman’s Mill, but the lot will remain open for public use.
Phase II of the plan is a continuation of a project to increase safety for cyclists and pedestrians as they travel through the East Park Corridor. It includes an 8-foot wide paved asphalt trail that extends from US-224 in Boardman Township to Old Furnace Road in Youngstown. The work should take about 60 days.
Phase III of the project, which will extend the trail into Green Township, is making its way through the court system. The Ohio Supreme Court is hearing an appeal by the Board of Commissioners of the Mill Creek Metropolitan Park District after a lower court ruled that it can not claim eminent domain in using property owned by Diane Less for the trail.
Less is one of 13 landowners whose property is needed for the trail.
The appeal was filed May 5 and was accepted by the Ohio Supreme Court Sept. 14. No further court dates have been set.
Read the original article at WKBN.
Phase Two work to begin on Hike & Bike Trail in Mill Creek Park
Work is scheduled to get under way Tuesday on Phase Two of the East Park Hike & Bike Trail in Mill Creek Park.
Crews will be clearing land, excavating, and pavement work along a new trail parallel to East Park Drive just north of Canfield Road.
The project is a continuation of work done three years ago to allow pedestrians and cyclists to travel through the East Park Corridor in Youngstown and Boardman.
A portion of the Lanterman’s Mill Overflow parking lot will be used by the contractor for staging equipment but will remain open for use by the public.
No roads, trails, programs, special events or rentals will be impacted by the temporary closures.
The project is expected to last approximately sixty days in total, barring any inclement weather that would delay or prolong the anticipated project schedule.
Read the original article at WFMJ.
Mercy Health Foundation golf tournament continues to be financial success for Valley
A local golf tournament at Mill Creek Park is continuing to be a financial success for the Mahoning Valley.
The Mercy Health Foundation’s American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Junior All-Star event and AJGA preview events took place at Mill Creek Golf Course in late June.
The tournaments hosted 276 junior competitors including eight junior players who earned their spot in a Sunday regional qualifier event for the Junior All-Star event.
This year alone, the tournament had an economic impact of $408,097 in the Mahoning Valley and a total of $2,227,491 since its inception in 2016. This impact includes lodging for families and AJGA representatives, rental cars, dining and entertainment spending.
In addition, an $8,950 donation was made between the Mill Creek Metroparks Foundation and the AJGA Ace Grant, which came from the money raised for the AJGA tournament and Junior Amateur event held on the Monday prior to the main event.
The AJGA has raised a total of $59,950 for charities and has represented players from all 50 states, as well as 29 different countries.
Read the original article at WFMJ.
Kravitz and Mill Creek MetroParks to continue partnership
Mill Creek MetroParks has signed a deal to continue partnership with Kravitz.
Rydar Group, LLC has signed a three year agreement with Mill Creek MetroParks to keep Inspired Catering by Kravitz and the Garden Cafe by Kravitz.
Kravitz was originally awarded the food contract with Mill Creek Park in 2016.
Patrons are able to enjoy views of Mill Creek and Lake Glacier, and are able to book public and private events in the Davis Center.
Inspired Catering offers daily lunches, private catering and Sunday Brunch. They also host public events, including Breakfast with Santa, Easter Brunch, Celtic Garden Celebration, Mother’s Day Brunch, and the Summer Garden Party.
Read original article at WFMJ.
Scout gives disc golfers a break
Before month’s end, Boy Scout Gabe Dearing, 15, will be finishing his Eagle Scout project by installing benches on the Mill Creek MetroParks’ disc golf course in Canfield.
Gabe, the son of Kathleen and Albin Dearing of Poland, is a sophomore at Poland Seminary High School.
His project is five months in the making and involves many stages.
“So far he had to create a construction manual, a bill of materials, build a prototype and practice the installation of the prototype,” Gabe’s father said. “As of right now, he has completed the prototype, practice installation and construction manual. On Aug. 6, he completed the construction of the (five) benches that are required for the project.”
Five Scouts and three adults participated in construction of the benches. Utilizing EDGE (Educate, Demonstrate, Guide, and Enable), Gabe was able to lead the team through the construction process. He first educated them on safety and construction practices, then demonstrated and guided them through assembly of the bench. This enabled the team to build the rest of the benches on their own.
Gabe said he has some time invested in his project and more to come when the benches are installed.
“There are currently about 30 man hours in the project between building the prototype, buying and prepping the material, Day One assembly and paint and stain,” Gabe said. “The installation Saturday will add about 18 more man-hours to the project.”
It’s taken some balancing of his schedule.
“I took advantage of weekends when I didn’t have anything going to work on the design and the project plan,” he said. “Once the Eagle proposal was complete, I was able to work in several time slots to get all the prep done. Going to Scout summer camp in July provided a break from the project, but I knew that as soon as I got home, I had to make some progress before soccer season started and the weather turned bad.”
As for what Gabe enjoyed about the project, he said: “Leading the Scouts in the construction of the benches. I had a solid plan, so I was able to enjoy the time and have fun with it.”
Gabe’s brother Noah, 19, installed fishing line receptacles at the MetroParks Farm’s fishing pond three years ago. Their dad said the park offers a lot of opportunity and the Dearing family members are big park users.
“Gabe wanted to perform a project that would benefit an outdoor activity for the park,” Albin Dearing said. “His mother is a big user of the park, especially with her friends who are part of the Steel Valley Triathalon Club, and they are often biking and running in the park system. As a result, Gabe reached out to Nick Derico, Mill Creek Park natural resources manager who had worked with Noah on his project in 2020.”
He said Derico offered several project ideas, but Gabe preferred the bench project because it presented multiple opportunities for him to demonstrate leadership during the planning, construction and installation phases.
Gabe is a member of Troop 9002 based out of the Poland United Methodist Church. He plays high school soccer on the junior varsity team.
He has amassed 21 merit badges, including 12 Eagle merit badges that are required to get an Eagle award. Once having completed 31 merit badges, he will be eligible for a bronze and gold palm in addition to his Eagle award. Palms are issued upon completion of a specific number of merit badges.
MONTHS OF WORK
Work on Gabe’s project began in April. He was approved for the project through the BSA Great Trail Council. He had to work off a design the park hoped would give disc golfers a place to rest their bags and discs off possibly wet ground.
Derico said the disc golf course at the MetroParks farm is becoming popular. He said its use is seasonal and weather-dependent, but it does get daily use in season.
“It is very welcome to have permanent benches along the disc golf course,” he said. “This project was identified several years ago, and we are excited to finally see the benches being installed. The addition of these benches throughout the disc golf course will give players a place to rest between holes, watch friends or even just a dry place to set their gear.”
Derico said the MetroParks normally works with one to three scouts a year who are striving for their Eagle award. Once the benches are installed, the project will be done and Gabe can plan for a November Eagle Award Court of Honor.
Gabe plans on attending The Ohio State University but hasn’t settled on a major yet.
View the original article at The Vindicator.
Fellows Riverside Gardens Plans Major Makeover for Children’s Garden
Mill Creek MetroParks says a new, children-centered project at Fellows Riverside Gardens is the largest in more than 20 years for the Mahoning Valley landmark.
Costing $3 million, the two-phase project began with the construction of the Margaret Cushwa Education Building in 2020. The second phase is expected to begin in the spring of 2023 and will include the addition of a five-component garden concept and entry plaza.
A maintenance facility will be added in Phase Three.
This marks the largest development at Fellows since the opening of the D.D. and Velma Davis Education & Visitor Center in 2000.
The significant improvements to the children’s gardens will allow for a reshaped, modernized experience for children as they explore and learn about nature, said Aaron Young, MetroParks executive director.
Construction of the 1.5-acre-garden at Fellows will include the transformation of a two-decades-old facility into a learning space for all park visitors. MetroParks’ staff will also lead horticulture and ecology education in the building upon completion.
Multiple gardens will be included to show children and visitors how each component works to create the ecosystem:
- Harvest Garden – children will learn about planting, maintaining and harvesting vegetables though hands-on activities in outdoor learning labs
- Forest Garden – learning labs will teach children how trees and forests absorb and store carbon dioxide
- Streams Garden – an interactive garden, children will learn how water sustains plants and animals
- Hummock and Lawn Garden – an area surrounded by unique hummock mounds will provide relaxation and play
- Sensory Garden – reflexology is explored through sight, smell, taste, sound and touch.
There will also be a Wonder Rooms Garden where children and visitors pass through a unique landscape with fun enclosures for children to explore.
Overall Concept Plan
The children’s garden will be funded by private donations through the Mill Creek MetroParks Foundation, said Chris Litton, development director.
These latest improvements are a component of the larger, $20 million Love Mill Creek campaign – an ambitious effort to secure long-term improvements to the park system, he added. The MetroParks system will be provided with $10 million in capital improvement funding and the other half in endowment funds for long-term care of Mill Creek, Litton said.
This is the first year of the MetroParks’ second, five-year capital improvement plan, which proposes “significant investment in our existing infrastructure,” Young said.
“From improvements to our roads, bridges, parking lots and many miles of trails, to the full redevelopment of the Wick Recreation Warming House and even new park development at Springfield Forest, these improvements will have significant impact on MetroParks users’ experiences,” he said.
Interest and use of the park were heightened over the course of the pandemic, Young said, which “served as a reintroduction to the benefits of local MetroParks, and we are no exception.”
“Park use exploded during the pandemic and has really not declined since then,” Young added.
The Children’s Garden redevelopment project announcement comes two years after a multi-million-dollar renovation to the Ford Nature Center began.
Russell + Mills of Fort Collins, Colorado, was selected to design the new gardens.
Naming rights opportunities for the Children’s Garden are still available, including the garden itself and each of the five component gardens. Other opportunities for naming rights with Fellows and around the MetroParks are also available.
Donations to the Children’s Garden can be made to the Mill Creek MetroParks Foundation by contacting Litton at (330) 718-2699.
See the original article at The Business Journal.
Local car dealership donates to Mill Creek MetroParks
A local company donated a generous amount of money to Mill Creek MetroParks Thursday morning.
Boardman Subaru donated $3,500 to Mill Creek Metro Parks to plant trees. The check presentation happened at the Collier Preserves.
This is all part of the “Subaru Loves Earth” initiative to plant a tree for every vehicle sold during the month of April. $25 was donated for each vehicle up to the $3,500 cap.
“It’s thanks to the generosity of businesses like Boardman Subaru that enable the MetroParks to further its mission at the highest level. As you can see the contributions from Boardman Subaru are gonna allow us to expand our planting efforts at Collier Preserve,” said Executive Director of Mill Creek MetroParks, Aaron Young.
Mill Creek Metroparks expect to plant several hundreds of trees at Collier Preserve soon.
See the original article at WKBN.
New title sponsor for AJGA junior tournament
Mill Creek MetroParks is excited to announce a multi-year title sponsorship agreement with the Mercy Health Foundation of the Mahoning Valley, Farmers Trust and the Howard and Jeanne Karr Charitable Foundation and Meridian Healthcare and other organizations for the 7th Annual AJGA Junior All Star Golf Tournament to be held at Mill Creek Golf Course. The four-year sponsorship agreement includes $25,000.00 per year and succeeds the Mahoning Valley Hospital Foundation who held the 2018 – 2021 tournament sponsor title. Since the events inception, the AJGA Junior All Star Tournament has had a financial impact of around $2,000,000.00 in hotel stays, dining, shopping, and included over $70,000.00+ towards local charities.
“We’re excited to have this partnership which collaborates to support this wonderful event that does so much financially for the Mahoning Valley. The local community has enthusiastically embraced the event since its inception in 2016. This event continues to showcase the MetroParks on a national level,” says Brian Tolnar, PGA Golf & Recreation Director.
The 2022 tournament will take place on Mill Creek’s South Golf Course from June 19 – 24 and will consist of a two-part tournament series (Pre-Season Tournament & All Start Tournament). An AJGA Junior Amateur Tournament will be held on Monday, June 20, 2022, for those wishing to play with one of the top junior golfers from around the world. Information regarding the schedule of events can be found at www.ajga.org.
See original article at WFMJ.
Mill Creek to host PAC Championship in 2023
The Mill Creek Golf Course will host the 2023 Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) Spring Golf Championships for the first time in history. The event will take place on Friday, April 21 & Saturday, April 22, 2023, with the women playing on the North Course and the men playing on the South Course. The two rounds will get underway at 10:00 a.m. each day.
This year’s PAC Championships will feature a 72-hole stroke play event, with 36 holes contested this fall and another 36 holes played in April. From 2017-18 to 2021-22, the PAC Championships featured a 54-hole championship format for both the men and women, with 36 holes contested at the Fall Championships and another 18 holes played at the Spring Championships.
The combined 72-hole team totals will determine PAC team champions and winners of the league’s automatic qualifying bids to the 2023 NCAA Division III Championships. The All-PAC teams, as well the PAC Players of the Year and PAC Newcomers of the Year, are determined by the combined 72-hole scores from the PAC’s Fall and Spring Championships.
The event will showcase 10 collegiate institutions between Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia which include: Allegheny College, Bethany College, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Geneva College, Grove City College, Saint Vincent College, Thiel College, Washington & Jefferson College, Waynesburg University and Westminster College.
Last year, the men’s spring event was held at the world-renowned Oglebay Resort in West Virginia. The women’s spring event was played at Cedarbrook Golf Course in Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania.
“We’re excited to host this prestigious event in the Mahoning Valley for 2023. Events like the PAC Championships really exemplify what Mill Creek MetroParks are all about in its mission to provide park, recreational, educational, and open space facilities of regional significance. In addition, the opportunity to fill area hotels and restaurants as well as showcase the MetroParks, makes this another great golf tournament for our community,” said Brian Tolnar, PGA Director of Golf.
“The PAC is excited to bring its spring tournaments to Mill Creek MetroParks and its two outstanding Donald Ross courses. This gives us the opportunity to host both our men’s and women’s championship at the same site, which has been a goal for our league coaches over the past several years,” said PAC Commissioner Joe Onderko. “I am looking forward to working with Bryan Tolnar and the rest of the staff at Mill Creek to provide our student-athletes with an outstanding championship experience in the spring of 2023.”
In addition to the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA), Notah BeGay III East Coast Regional, Junior Optimist Eastern Regional Tournament, Roseanne Schwartz NCAA Invitation, Youngstown State Kick-Off Classic, PGA Hope Program, U.S. Kids Cleveland Tour and Northern Ohio PGA Sections Junior Tour, the PAC event will be the 8th national and/or regional golf event in which Mill Creek serves as host. Spectators are welcome to attend the 2023 PAC Men’s & Women’s Championships and a small number of volunteers will be needed for the event. Details on volunteering opportunities will be announced in the Spring of 2023.
Read original article at WFMJ.