OUTSIDE MEDIA COVERAGE OF MILL CREEK METROPARKS

Orchids in bloom at Mill Creek Park

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Spring feels particularly distant this week as low temperatures hit the Valley, but a kaleidoscope of color is in bloom at Mill Creek MetroParks.

The annual orchid show, Jewels of Winter, opened Tuesday inside Fellows Riverside Gardens.

“It’s always nice this time of year to see color. People come here to the gardens to see the exhibits, see the flowers, grab a cup of soup in the cafe, warm up their senses and get ready for spring,” said Fellows director Andrew Pratt.

The orchids featured in the display vary widely in shape, color, size and scent.

One variety, called Sharry Baby or chocolate orchids, has small, burgundy flowers and emits a distinct cocoa aroma.

In this winter’s exhibit, the flowers are paired with pieces from the collection at the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry & Labor.

Fellows staff collaborated with the museum to select artifacts, including a sample of iron ore, safety glasses and industrial boots.

“This year we decided to have an homage to the Valley’s industrial roots, specifically the steel industrial roots of the Valley. … We thought it would be a nice juxtaposition between flowers and harsher artifacts,” said Pratt.

In keeping with the theme, Fellows staff constructed a fountain out of an old drum cap from a fuel tank.

During the display, the Gardens will host two orchid-repotting clinics Feb. 9 and 19. Interested participants can bring their own orchids or purchase them at the clinic.

Although orchids are difficult to care for, their flowers are surprisingly hardy.

“By the end of the show, most of these flowers should be there,” said Pratt.

The show will run until March 3. Fellows Riverside Gardens is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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Sprout Club children become mad scientists

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Mill Creek Park hosted its monthly Sprout Club meeting on Dec. 13. Park educator Lynn Zocolo ran the event, with a mad science theme.

“We are doing science experiments,” Zocolo said. “If they get a little dirty, that’s even better.”

Sprout Club is a program for preschool-age students, with themes changing month to month. For this program, children got to perform a number of science experiments. Those included testing whether items will sink or float, blowing up ivory soap in the microwave and creating “elephant tooth paste,” according to Zocolo.

“They are all going to wear goggles and they will be able to play with all of that stuff,” she said.

Children were also able to create a fizzy Jell-O experiment and examine a “magic leak proof bag.”

“We will fill a regular plastic bag with water and put pencils through it and it will not leak,” Zocolo said. “It gets them that hands on learning experience.”

During each event students get a special treat, this month being a special concoction of Jell-O and ice cream.

“I don’t go into any of the science behind all this because they are preschoolers we are just going to have fun,” Zocolo said.

She said that it helps get students thinking about science concepts down the road.

“I see some children at their very first class they are so shy and about half way through they get excited and say ‘Ms. Lynn I did this, or that.’”

The class is part of a three part series, at the end of which children receive a trinket from the park for their graduation.

“We have fun, and that’s what I want for them, just to have fun,” Zocolo said.

Next month’s programs are ice cream and beaver themed.

“I always have a wonderful group of volunteers that help,” Zocolo said. “That’s very important because I need all the help I can get.”

For information on upcoming Sprout Club events, go to www.millcreekmetroparks.org.

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MetroParks plans capital improvements worth $5.36 million

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Mill Creek MetroParks planning and operations director Steve Avery presented the park’s capital improvement plan for 2019 at the board’s Monday meeting.

The plan is expected to cost $5.36 million, with grant money comprising at least $1.18 million of the total.

The plan’s largest project is the redevelopment of the Ford Nature Center, which is expected to cost $3.3 million. 

Thus far, the park has raised about $1 million. The park has also secured a $1 million challenge grant for the project from the Sand Hill Foundation.

Other big-ticket projects include the construction of a maintenance area near the Wick Recreation Area, which will cost about $500,000, and improvements on the golf course, which will cost about $300,000.

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Promoting unity through art

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Students from Trumbull and Mahoning County schools and area colleges are coming together in unity as part of a “Unity Project”designed to not only showcase students’ artistic talents but share a message of building a better community and world.

The Unity Project with the theme “UNITE! Dream to build a better community, a better World” is being displayed through Jan. 31 at Mill Creek MetroParks Fellows Riverside Gardens. A reception and open house to meet students who took part in the project is set for 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the D.D. and Velma Davis Education Center.

Tracy Schuler Vivo, director of Visual and Performing Arts for Youngstown City Schools, said this is the second year for the project, which started with Youngstown school children and has expanded to eight other area schools such as Austintown, Liberty, Lordstown, Kent State University and Youngstown State University.

Each school and district submitted large 3-foot by 4-foot collaborative paintings on canvas in December. Pieces include images, symbols, letters and lines along with a theme and quote.

“The Unity Project is a true community effort. The project symbolizes unity through the collaborative painting process. The students showed a lot of effort and work in completing this. This project brought everyone together and shows the community that we can all be part of something together,”she said.

There will be 24 canvases, with 12 from Youngstown schools.

Vivo said students in both elementary and high schools had the opportunity to contribute to the Unity Project, painting in their own way. Each painting was accompanied by a quote explaining each building’s take on unity.

Each school received a blank canvas to be utilized for a collaborative painting / project with visual art students creating a unified vision for the collaborative project in correlation with the theme. A title for the piece and an original quote generated by the discussion between the visual art teacher and students also accompanied it.

“This project was a big success last school year in its inaugural year and we are now broadening our reach to other districts and area universities this year. Last year’s images will soon be displayed permanently in downtown Youngstown in collaboration with YSUscape,” she said.

Following the display at Mill Creek Park, the exhibit will be shown at other area locations for the remainder of the 2018-19 school year, at community venues such as Mahoning County Library branches and the McDonough Museum of Art.

Verna DelDuca, art teacher for Lordstown schools, said each student taking art at Lordstown High School was asked to develop and contribute to the art piece that promoted community building. When completed, the project was titled “Rays of Light” with the slogan “Let the community rays of light shine.”

View the full article at tribtoday.com

Mill Creek Park still looking for $1 million to renovate Ford Nature Center

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Four years ago, Mill Creek MetroParks announced plans to renovate the Ford Nature Center. But, the park system is still $1 million short of the money needed to get it done.

It’s been a long fundraising effort which, if all goes as planned, should end in the next few months.

Looking at some of the park’s drawings can give you an idea of what a renovated Ford Nature Center will look like.

“As you move around to the back of the building, you’ll see some dramatic changes,” said Mill Creek Development Director Chris Litton.

The back of Judge John Ford’s 106-year-old house will be the focal point of the renovation, with a landscaped patio on top of a new exhibit space built into the hill.

The exterior will be cleaned and the carriage house transformed into an education center. Inside is where, since 1972, students have been taught about nature. It too will be redone with new stairs and an elevator added.

“It’s a $3 million project. We’ve raised $1 million over the course of the last year and we received a million dollar match from the Sand Hill Foundation of Menlo Park, California,” Litton said.

Sand Hill is run by the daughter-in-law of the late Judge Ford, who lived in the house and gave it to the park. When she heard the house was going to be preserved, she wanted the Ford family to be a part of it.

That leaves $1 million still to be raised, which Litton admits is a lot of money. But, he hopes to have it done by spring.

“People love Mill Creek and love the Ford Nature Center, so we’re very optimistic that we’ll reach that goal,” he said.

The renovation won’t start until all the money is there.

“We’ll start when we have the full $3 million in pledges,” Litton said.

It’s possible some park money could eventually be used, but not $1 million worth.

“We can put park money towards it, but we want to see how much we can raise of the remaining million,” Litton said.

View the full article at wkbn.com

Fellows Riverside Garden hosts annual winter celebration

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The Mill Creek MetroParks are celebrating Fellow Riverside Garden’s 60th anniversary during their annual Winter Celebration.

This year’s celebration has a “Frozen in Time” theme to celebrate the diamond anniversary of the facility.

Jaime Yohman, the park’s Community Engagement Director, said that annually non-profit organizations purchase 60 trees spread throughout the facility to decorate during the event.

“It’s a community event, and we have a large response from the community throughout the month of December,” Yohman said.

Along with the annual tree walk to celebrate the anniversary, the committee created a memory wall.

“We reached out to the community and asked for any pictures of the gardens throughout the years,” said Sharmon Lesnak, the head volunteer for the event. Lesnak, along with Pam Nock and Debbie Walker, organized the event and coordinated the volunteers.

“We really want to thank the volunteers. They’re great and this would not be possible without them,” Lesnak said.

The planning for the event begins in early June when the committee starts organizing work shop days. During the workshops, Lesnak said they hand-make ornaments to use during the month of December to decorate the gardens.

This year, Lesnak and other committee members used plastic bottles and permanent markers to hand make ornaments for the event. All supplies were donated by community members and created by volunteers.

“It’s a huge undertaking every year,” Yohman said. “But Sharmon is very creative and we always have a beautiful turn out.”

The event will also feature characters from Disney’s “Frozen” to fit the theme.

Sister’s Anna and Elsa will make an appearance on Saturdays during December for children and their families to enjoy.

“It’s really a big community event,” Lesnak said. “We always try to have something for the kids to enjoy.”

Along with the tree walk and the visits from Disney characters, the event will feature a number of musicians to entertain community members. The community is also invited to bring a donation of non perishable food that the park will give to the Second Harvest food bank at the end of the event. Kravitz Deli will also offer food specials throughout December at their Garden Cafe.

“Community members can come in, see the lights and have a nice meal at the cafe,” Yohman said. “It’s really a great event everyone seems to have fun.”

Frozen in Time will run through Dec. 30 at Fellows Riverside Garden, with the garden staying open till 7 p.m. on Saturdays to accommodate guests.

“We really owe so much of this to the lovely volunteers,” Lesnak said. “Without them none of this would be possible.”

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Mill Creek Receives $500K for Ford Nature Center Renovation

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Mill Creek MetroParks has received $500,000 from the Florence Simon Beecher & John D. Finnegan Foundations to support the renovation of Ford Nature Center.

The donation will be used to renovate the carriage house, which will serve as an education building and the hub of group tours. For the donation, the carriage house will be named the Beecher Finnegan Education Building.

“This building will serve as the gateway to learning about the natural wonders of the world for thousands of local school children each year. Its impact on not only the Ford Nature Center but the entire MetroParks will be felt for generations to come,” said MetroParks director of development Chris Litton in a release.

So far, a third of the $3 million cost for the renovation project has been raised. The Sand Hill Foundation of Menlo Park, Calif., will match donations made after Nov. 1, 2018, up to $1 million.

Ford Nature Center was donated to Mill Creek MetroParks in 1968 by Tom and Susan Ford, the children of the late Judge John W. Ford. The building, designed by architect Charles F. Owsley, briefly served as the park’s administrative office before being converted to Ford Nature Center in 1972.

Each year, more than 14,000 students visit the center, Litton said, to take part in its exhibits, programs, walking trails and special events.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.

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Renovation project at Mill Creek receives $500,000

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The Ford Nature Center at Mill Creek MetroParks announces it has received a $500,000 contribution toward renovations. 

The Florence Simon Beecher & John D. Finnegan Foundations combined to make the donation to the $3 million project. 

This donation will directly benefit the renovation work on the carriage house which will serve as an education building, a central hub of all school-based and group tours of the Ford Nature Center upon completion. 

The MetroParks Board of Park Commissioners has elected to name the completed structure “The Beecher Finnegan Education Building,” in the donor’s honor. 

“Our grateful appreciation goes out to the Florence Simon Beecher & John D. Finnegan Foundations for their generous contribution to the new Education Building at the Ford Nature Center. This building will serve as the gateway to learning about the natural wonders of the world for thousands of local school children each year. Its impact on not only the Ford Nature Center but the entire MetroParks will be felt for generations to come,” says Chris Litton, Mill Creek MetroParks Director of Development.

The project has currently raised $1 million of the $3 million goal, and The Sand Hill Foundation of Menlo Park, California has offered a challenge grant which will match donations raised after November 1 up to $1 million.

View the full article at wfmj.com

Mill Creek Park plans renovations for Ford Nature Center

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Mill Creek Park aimed to collect the money needed to renovate the Ford Nature Center on Giving Tuesday on Nov. 27.

Chris Litton, the director of development, said that the center hasn’t received serious renovations for 25 years.

“The renovations are much needed,” Litton said.

To help them reach this goal, the park received a matching grant from the Sand Hill Foundation in California.

Litton said Sand Hill would match every dollar raised by the park up to $1 million to benefit the center.

“We have never really done this before,” Litton said. “This is a first for us.”

The park was able to raise $7,423 on Tuesday which will be matched by the grant to total $14,846.

Litton said the largest donation of $5,000, came from Thomas and Katherine Shipka.

“We are very grateful to the Shipka’s for their generous and continued support of the Mill Creek MetroParks Foundation,” Litton said.

The Ford Nature Center opened in 1972 and is the epicenter of education programs for the park.

Currently housed in the center are the Habitat Room, the Discovery Room and a Live Animal Room.

Children are able to travel to the center to learn about local animals, their habitats and other aspects of the nature in the park.

The center also houses a teachers’ resource center, which has a range of books, videos and other materials for local teachers to use in their class rooms.

The center offers a variety of programs for school age children throughout the year, marking it as one of the most utilized buildings in the Mill Creek Park.

Litton said construction on the center will likely begin in Spring 2019.

“It’s an important building and it needs the renovations,” Litton said.

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Mill Creek MetroParks invites community to celebrate holiday season

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Mill Creek MetroParks invites guests to celebrate the holiday seasons at Fellows Riverside Gardens.

Volunteers set up 60 trees along with lights and decorations through the Davis Center. 

This year’s theme, Frozen in Time, is a celebration of the garden’s 60th anniversary. 

One woman said the event is enjoyable for the whole family.

“It’s fun to bring all the little cousins, so that they can see, you know, all the themes every year and it’s a good tradition,” said Mya Agee.

There’s also scavenger hunts and live music.

The activities are free to the public and will continue Tuesday through Sunday every week in December from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

There is also Winter Nights on Saturdays, which includes extended hours until 7 p.m. and an outdoor light display.

For more information, call 330-740-7116.

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