“I love to carve pumpkins!” exclaimed Penelope Roush, 5.

Her enthusiasm was matched by her brother, Parker, 8, as the two took part in pumpkin carving at Fellows Riverside Gardens this week ahead of Sunday’s Pumpkin Walk at Twilight.

Sitting next to Penelope, Parker eagerly carved a Batman-themed design into a massive pumpkin.

“You might want to put in the newspaper how fast I am,” he said proudly.

The two were there with their great-grandmother, Sue Newman of Liberty. The three will be back Sunday with their whole family. As dusk sets in, they’ll be on the look out for their creations lining the gardens’ paths.

“It’s a wonderful event,” Newman said. “It’s beautiful. When they’re all lit up, it’s breathtaking.”

Parker and Penelope’s pumpkin masterpieces will be among 1,000 to 2,000 that will be on display Sunday. Pumpkin carving continues today and Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the gardens service building. People are invited to come out and carve, with pumpkins provided by the MetroParks.

“It’s 15,000 pounds of pumpkins we got this year,” said gardens Director Andrew Pratt.

On Sunday, all of them will be set up along the gardens’ winding paths. Over the years, the pumpkin walk has become a popular event. Even with rain in the forecast, Pratt said he expects a turnout of about 10,000 people.

“It think it’s becoming a family attraction. It really brings people out,” he said.

Adding to the fun will be local musician JD Eicher and family-friendly activities. Cider and apples also will be available.

The event begins at 5:30 p.m. and runs until 8. Pratt suggested that visitors show up early, as the gardens’ parking lot fills up quickly. Additional parking will be available at a nearby church off Mahoning Avenue and on the streets adjacent to the gardens.

Among those who plan to turn out Sunday are Gina DiGiovanni of Warren and Leanne Lee of Girard, who were carving pumpkins Thursday.

This year marked DiGiovanni’s first time participating in the carving. She plans to bring her two kids Sunday.

“Halloween is my favorite season, and I just wanted to help out,” she said, estimating that she’d already carved 10 pumpkins. “I love Mill Creek MetroParks.”

Lee, who skillfully carved an abstract design into her pumpkin, has been to the pumpkin walk several times before.

“I love to come take pictures of all the people walking through and the lights,” she said.

“It’s just a really nice atmosphere.”

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Mill Creek MetroParks announced Friday it is partnering with the Youngstown Phantoms hockey team and the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation to bring a street-hockey rink to the James L. Wick Recreation Area on the city’s West Side.

According to a news release, plans are in the works to renovate the former ice-skating rink at the Wick Recreation Area into a space for what’s called “Dek Hockey.”

Dek Hockey is a variation of ice hockey in which the game is played using a ball, either outdoors on foot or with inline skates.

The MetroParks noted the project coincides with the 50-year anniversary in February of the ice-skating rink opening at Wick Recreation Area and comes 15 years after that rink closed in 2002.

For the past several years, the MetroParks has offered ice-skating opportunities in other areas, such as at the Lily Pond and the volleyball courts at Wick Recreation Area.

“Partnerships like these are going to allow us to increase recreational opportunities to our park visitors. This opportunity gives us the ability to link past history of the former ice rink to a new form of recreation that is growing in popularity,” said Aaron Young, MetroParks executive director.

The project’s timeline has not been determined, park officials said.

The Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation and its partners will cover the costs and manage installation of the rink, according to the MetroParks. The project is at no cost to the MetroParks.

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Mill Creek Park hosted an event to encourage those with mobility challenges to walk the East Golf Hike Bike Trail on Aug. 31.

Dr. Nicole Mullins created the “Let’s Move! A Walk for Those with Mobility Challenges“ event for those who may have any troubles walking. Mullins, a doctor of exercise science at Youngstown State University, brought her students to help encourage people to walk the trail and live healthy lifestyles.

“Even if it hurts, it’s better to move,“ she said. She brought papers to pass out with research information on it. She explained that walking and moving will help both physically and emotionally, as exercise positively affects moods.

Mullins own bilateral hip dysplasia injury inspired her to make an event to help people with other movement challenges. She had trouble moving but needed to work to get herself back into walking shape. During this time, she could only walk a little and used walking poles to take pressure off her pain points.

She also found another program called “Walk with a Doc,“ set up for those with movement challenges to walk and also have someone present to answer their questions. While not doctors, Mullins and her students have information on exercise and health to help others.

Carol Vigorito, the Recreation and Education Director of Mill Creek Metroparks, discussed how the program first got started. She said that Mullins had contacted Mill Creek through email asking to create the event. Vigorito said that the parks were happy to collaborate on this fantastic opportunity.

Mullins does not expect everyone to go the same amount because everyone has different abilities and health. Instead, she asks that everyone puts forth effort and walks as much as they want. The walkers should create their own goals after seeing what their current abilities are.

The group welcomes anyone who wants to walk to join. She explained that a walker in the past had worried about feeling silly about getting out and walking, so Mullins puts forth effort to help alleviate that worry. Her students help anyone on a walk and placed encouraging messages along the trail.

More information on the group and the event can be found at Mill Creek Park’s event page at www.millcreekmetroparks.org/events/. The group welcomes anyone no matter the mobility need, stating that walkers may use canes, walking poles or other equipment.

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West Newport Drive in Mill Creek Park is closed for a road-improvement project. The project consists of improvements to West Newport from Canfield Road to the Hampton Drive entrance, according to a news release. Mill Creek MetroParks aims to improve storm-water drainage and road surface conditions. The project is expected to last about one month.

 

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Four years ago, Mill Creek MetroParks devised a strategic master plan, part of which included making improvements to the park itself.

This year, that capital improvement plan finally began.

A number of capital improvement projects have been going on throughout the summer and will continue to go on throughout the park.

Aaron Young, executive director of the park district, said a wide variety of projects were completed this summer.

“One of them is the Wet Playground at the Wick Recreation Area. If you’ve been there on a warm summer day like these past few weeks, you’ve seen the kids using that. But we’ve also moved forward with a lot of our infrastructure improvements, from storm water infrastructure and also our roads and bridges,” he said.

Volney Rogers Field also had some improvements made, like it’s tennis courts and the pedestrian walkways that lead to them, along with the walkways that lead to the pickleball and basketball courts.

Currently, work is being done on West Newport Drive and the East Cohasset Hike and Bike Trail.

“Those are some of the improvements that are less sexy or appealing as some of the courts and some of the other recreational opportunities. But, without the infrastructure you can’t get to some of those recreational opportunities … We’re pleased with our progress and we’ve got more to do,” Young said.

Next year, the Mill Creek MetroParks board is planning on moving forward with the future design and renovations of the Ford Nature Center. This design project is focused on bringing the center up to MetroParks standards.

Work will also continue into next year on the extension of the East Cohasset trail.

“We hope to begin construction mid-2018 on the bike trail and that would take that from Western Reserve Road all the way to the Mahoning County/Columbiana County line,” Young said.

Overall, the park’s capital improvement plan is long-term.

“It’s governing the MetroParks for the next levy cycle at a minimum, which is 15 years. So, we’re nine months in to the next 15 years,” Young said.

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