Notice of December Board Meeting

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The next Regular Meeting of the Board of Park Commissioners, of Mill Creek MetroParks is scheduled for Monday, December 9, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. in the Rossi Auditorium at Fellows Riverside Gardens, in Youngstown. The agenda will be available on the website after 2 p.m. on the day of the meeting. A meeting of the Public Records Commission will be held at 4:30 p.m. at the same location.

As a reminder, all weapons are prohibited inside Mill Creek MetroParks facilities. All members of the public attending the meetings will be required to pass through a metal detection device as part of MetroParks safety procedures.

Mill Creek MetroParks Winter Road Closures

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Effective Friday, December 6, 2024 the following roads in Mill Creek Park will be closed to vehicular traffic for the winter season:

  • High Drive, between Chestnut Hill Drive and West Cohasset Drive
  • Chestnut Hill Drive, between Canfield Road and High Drive
  • Calvary Run Drive, between Belle Vista Avenue and Milton Avenue

When closed to vehicular traffic, these roads are available for recreational use for hiking, cross country skiing and sledding. Aside from recreational opportunities, benefits of winter road closures include cost savings associated with snow/ice removal as well as a reduction of negative environmental impacts from deicing salt. All roads will reopen in the spring when the weather permits.

In the winter months, snow and ice can create slippery roadway conditions. Roads with limited shoulders, lack of guardrails and steep grades can become increasingly hazardous for motorists. Always use caution when driving on MetroParks roads.

Celebrating the Holiday Season in Mill Creek Park

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Beginning December 6, 2024 – December 31, 2024, the D.D. and Velma Davis Education & Visitor Center at Fellows Riverside Gardens will present Winter Celebration: Festival of Trees, a family-friendly, admission-free event. This year, 75 uniquely decorated trees by local nonprofits will bring magic to the Davis Center for all to enjoy. Visitors will also be able to view the beautiful seasonal flowers on display, find the perfect gift at the Shop in the Gardens, and savor refreshments available for purchase in Kravitz’s Garden Cafe. Experience Winter Celebration: Festival of Trees Tuesday – Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. through December 31, Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. through December 22, closed Christmas Eve, December 24 and Christmas Day, December 25, 2024.

On Saturday and Sunday evenings, December 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, and 22, from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Fellows Riverside Gardens will feature Winter Nights, a free admission outdoor light display highlighting the beauty of winter. Warm up inside the Davis Center and enjoy the Winter Celebration tree display and special character appearances from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Character visits include Bluey on Saturday, December 7, Elsa on Sunday, December 8, Santa on Saturday, December 14, The Grinch on Sunday, December 15, Buddy the Elf on Saturday December 21, and Santa on Sunday, December 22.

One weekend only, enjoy Holiday Nights at Lanterman’s Mill, an exclusive, night-time look inside the iconic structure, with its unique history and architecture, beautifully dressed in holiday style with garland, Christmas trees, holiday music, and a visit from Santa creating a magical, quiet evening. Holiday Nights will be held on Friday, December 13 and Saturday, December 14, 2024 from 5:00 -7:00 pm. The gift shop will be open for last-minute shopping along with hot chocolate and popcorn for purchase.

Festive Finds will take place inside the Davis Center at Fellows Riverside Gardens. Over 30 vendors will be on-site for purchasing those last-minute gifts and holiday treats. Festive Finds runs Saturday, December 14 and Sunday, December 15 from 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Notice of November Board Meeting

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The next Regular Meeting of the Board of Park Commissioners, of Mill Creek MetroParks is scheduled for Monday, November 25, 2024, at 5:00 p.m., in the Education Building – McMahon Hall, at the MetroParks Farm, on Rt. 46, in Canfield. The agenda will be available on the website after 2:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting.

As a reminder, all weapons are prohibited inside Mill Creek MetroParks facilities. All members of the public attending the meetings will be required to pass through a metal detection device as part of MetroParks safety procedures.

Celebrate the Holiday Weekend in Mill Creek MetroParks

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Kick off your holiday weekend with the Black Friday Sale at Mill Creek Golf Course Golf Shop on Friday, November 29, 2024. Stop in from 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. to purchase your favorite golfer something special for next season.

On Saturday, November 30 and Sunday, December 1, 2024 from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., visit Lanterman’s Mill for Christmas at the Mill. Visitors will experience Lanterman’s Mill dressed in its holiday finery for this traditional, family-friendly, free admission event. Taste chestnuts roasted on an open fire, purchase unique handcrafted gifts for the holidays, enjoy festive entertainment, indulge in concession stand treats, and more! Santa will visit both days from 12:00 Noon – 2:00 p.m. To share the holiday spirit with others, consider bringing a new hat, scarf, or pair of mittens to decorate the “Giving Tree.” Donated items will warm up children and adults in need this winter.

For more information about the holiday weekend events in the MetroParks, please visit millcreekmetroparks.org.

Notice of MetroParks Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting

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The Education Citizens Advisory Committee to the Board of Park Commissioners of Mill Creek MetroParks will meet on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, at 3:00 p.m., in the Education Building – Classroom A, at Ford Nature Center, 840 Old Furnace Road, in Youngstown.

10- A Retrospect to be on Display in Weller Gallery

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Mill Creek MetroParks presents 10- A Retrospect showcasing works from local artist Diane Beatty. This exhibit marks Beatty’s 10th anniversary of capturing photos which feature images of the Valley and familiar nearby places from each year of her career. ” I want my photography to tell a story. Even though I’ve traveled far, I will always consider the photographs that I have captured in this valley, my best work,” says Beatty.

This free exhibit will be on display October 27, 2024 through January 5, 2025, within the Weller Gallery inside the Davis Center at Fellows Riverside Gardens, during normal operating hours of Tuesdays – Sundays, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., closed Mondays.

A meet the artist event is scheduled for Sunday, October 27, 2024 from Noon to 2:00 p.m. in the Weller Gallery.

For more information on this exhibit please visit www.millcreekmetroparks.org or call Fellows Riverside Gardens at 330.740.7116.

$2 million home donated to Mill Creek MetroParks project

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A house on Route 46 in Canfield is up for sale for $2 million. That money is more than just the price of the home. It amounts to a major donation towards a Children’s Garden inside Mill Creek Park.

The garden is located at Fellows Riverside Garden. It was originally built in the 1980’s. Now, the Mill Creek Metroparks Foundation is working on redeveloping it.

The hope is to make the children’s garden a more interactive experience.

“The design encompasses several different garden areas. With a really heavy focus on vegetation, getting kids out there to use their senses to touch, smell, feel, learn about vegetation,” said Justin Rogers, Planning and Operations Director for Mill Creek Metroparks.

The children’s garden will be made up of 5 smaller gardens: a stream garden, a forest garden, a wonder rooms garden, a sensory garden and a harvest garden.

The Fox family donated the $2 million dollar home to the Mill Creek Park Foundation. Rogers said the donation is helping the park move forward with the project.

“The timeline would certainly be extended longer than it is now. So that’s $2 million. We’re up to about $2.5 million for this $3 million project. So it really gets the green light going,” said Rogers.

The Fox family donated the home in memory of a family member, AJ Fox, who died in 2016.

Because of the family’s donation, the Board of Mill Creek MetroParks Commissioners approved an agreement that allowed the garden to be renamed to Anthony J. Fox Family Foundation Children’s Garden.

The family shared the following statement:

“AJ Fox was a father, son, brother, and husband. To those of us who knew him, he was more than that. He was a giver and an optimist. It has been said that people die twice. Once when you take your last breath, and the second when someone says your name for the last time. In the spirit of who AJ was, we wish to make this donation to the Mill Creek MetroParks Children’s Garden. Our hope is that while its beauty spreads joy to the families of our community, they will forever think of AJ.”

“They wanted to have something that remembered AJ Fox, his family and his contributions to the community,” said Rogers.

Other donations were given towards the project, but the names of the donors have not been announced yet.

The redevelopment project has been in the works for years.

Construction for the children’s garden is already underway. It’s expected to be completed by the end of 2025.

You can donate here.

 

 

Read the original article at WFMJ.

Notice of October Board Meeting

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The next Regular Meeting of the Board of Park Commissioners, of Mill Creek MetroParks is scheduled for Monday, October 21, 2024, at 5:00 p.m., in the Education Building – McMahon Hall, at the MetroParks Farm, on Rt. 46, in Canfield. The agenda will be available on the website after 2:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting.

As a reminder, all weapons are prohibited inside Mill Creek MetroParks facilities. All members of the public attending the meetings will be required to pass through a metal detection device as part of MetroParks safety procedures.

Mill Creek MetroParks Presents Pumpkin Walk at Twilight

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Mill Creek MetroParks presents Pumpkin Walk at Twilight on Sunday, October 20, 2024 until 8:00 p.m. at Fellows Riverside Gardens (123 McKinley Avenue, Youngstown). This free event is open to the public. Beginning at 4:00 p.m., families can take part in the wonders of the fall season as they walk along the pumpkin-lined paths as the day turns to night. Be sure to visit Scarecrow Row located along the Gardens Trail Loop on the east side of the Kidston Pavilion. Scarecrow Row features various scarecrows dressed and decorated by local area organizations and will be on display from dawn to dusk now through October 31, 2024. During the evening, families can also enjoy live entertainment by The Shoe Shine Boys and children’s activities located in the Cushwa Outdoor Education Pavilion. Refreshments by Kravitz’s Garden Café and Mill Creek MetroParks branded merchandise will be available for purchase at the event.

Free parking will be available on-site and in nearby lots. Price Road will be closed to vehicular traffic and parking.

On Saturday, October 19, 2024 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., join us for a family-friendly, public pumpkin carving. The finished pumpkins will be displayed during Pumpkin Walk at Twilight. The outdoor carving area will be located under the large white tent in the back north end of the parking lot beside the Cushwa Outdoor Education Pavilion at Fellows Riverside Gardens. Pumpkins and carving tools will be supplied or feel free to bring your own carving tools. Carving will continue while pumpkin supplies last. Carved pumpkins cannot be taken with you before, during, or after the event – they are to be displayed at Pumpkin Walk at Twilight. Groups of 10 or more should call ahead. Pumpkin Carving is free and open to all ages.

For questions and more information, please call 330.740.7107 or visit www.millcreekmetroparks.org.