Mill Creek MetroParks presents annual Twice-Loved Book Sale

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Mill Creek MetroParks will hold its annual Twice Loved Book Sale on Saturday, February 15 through Sunday, February 23. Peruse the tables for much-loved books about gardening, cooking, and nature. Check out the selection of magazines about gardening, cooking, and other hobbies as well. The sale will be held at the D. D. and Velma Davis Education & Visitor Center at Fellows Riverside Gardens. Proceeds from this sale benefit the Maxcine Antonucci Horticulture Library.

While shopping the Twice Loved Book Sale, be sure to check out The Seed Library, new to the Maxcine Antonucci Horticulture Library this year. Through this program, aspiring gardeners can “check out” free donated seed for planting in their garden. In the fall after the harvest, gardeners can “return” newly collected seed to restock the Seed Library for next year.

Please call 330.740.7116 for more information. The D. D. and Velma Davis Education & Visitor Center at the Gardens is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.  Fellows Riverside Gardens is open daily dawn to dusk.

Mill Creek MetroParks seeks public comment for roadway resurfacing project

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Mill Creek MetroParks is soliciting public comment for an upcoming roadway resurfacing project. The area to be addressed by the project is West Golf Drive in Mill Creek Park, between the Mill Creek Golf Course and Shields Road. This portion of West Golf Drive will be closed to vehicular traffic during project construction, which is anticipated to commence in late summer or early fall 2014. The project is substantially funded by the Ohio Department of Transportation.

Public comment will be received by the MetroParks through 4:30 p.m. on Friday, March 7, 2014. Please submit comments to: Mill Creek MetroParks, RE: West Golf Drive, PO Box 596, Canfield, OH 44406. Call 330.702.3000 with questions.

Mill Creek MetroParks presents Jewels of Winter Orchid Exhibit

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Find the spirit of the tropics at Fellows Riverside Gardens with the Jewels of Winter Orchid exhibit, on display now through March 16 inside the D.D. and Velma Davis Education and Visitor Center. Visit the D. D. and Velma Davis Education and Visitor Center to view these exotic beauties on display. A series of programs beginning this month will provide further learning experiences about the orchid.

Beginner Orchids – Thursday, February 6 from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Becoming an orchid owner may seem daunting, but this class will ease your fears and help you get your orchid to its first birthday and beyond. Dave Miller and Jackie Land will share ways to keep your orchid growing beautifully in your home.

Fee: $12; FFRG member: $10

Orchid Walk-About – Saturday, February 8 and Tuesday, March 4 from 10 a.m. – Noon

Dave Miller from the Greater Akron Orchid Society will lead an orchid walk highlighting the main varieties of orchids displayed throughout the Davis Center. You may bring an actual orchid to the walk to be diagnosed.

Space is limited, please call to register for this free program.

Orchid Clinic – Wednesday, February 19 and Thursday, March 6 from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Dave Miller and Jackie Land will walk you through repotting your very own orchid. Bring any problem orchids you may have and they will help you get them back on track. Plus, receive an orchid to repot in class and take home.

Fee: $20; FFRG member: $15

Please call Fellows Riverside Gardens at 330.740.7116 for more information and to register for these orchid programs. The D. D. and Velma Davis Education and Visitor Center is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Mill Creek MetroParks to reopen Lily Pond for ice skating

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Pond will reopen Wednesday, February 5 at 3pm

The cold temperatures over the past few days have given Mill Creek MetroParks the opportunity to re-open the Lily Pond to ice skaters starting Wednesday, February 5 at 3 p.m. Pond skating will continue as long as conditions safely allow. Supervised ice skating at the Lily Pond will continue on Friday, February 7 from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. and will continue on Fridays from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m., and Saturdays & Sundays from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. through February 23, weather permitting. Benches and a fire pit will be provided for the convenience of those not hitting the ice or those who need to rest or warm up. Interested skaters are asked to please bring skates as no skate rental will be available.

For questions and more information about ice skating on the Lily Pond, call Mill Creek MetroParks at 330.702.3000 or visit our website at www.millcreekmetroparks.org.

Mill Creek MetroParks’ Lily Pond closed for skating until further notice

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Mother Nature provided a great opportunity for Mill Creek MetroParks to allow ice skating on the Lily Pond on Saturday. However, due to the warmer temperatures over the past 24 hours, MetroParks officials have decided to close the Lily Pond to skaters until further notice. The safety of our visitors is of the utmost importance, and we are hoping that below freezing temperatures over the next week will permit us to open the Lily Pond to skaters next weekend. Mill Creek MetroParks officials would also like to remind visitors that due to the fluctuating temperatures, trails throughout the MetroParks might be slippery. Visitors and hikers should use caution when on these trails.

Mill Creek MetroParks to hold Cabin Fever Fest

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Mill Creek MetroParks’ Police and Recreation Departments will hold Cabin Fever Fest at Wick Recreation Area on Saturday, February 1 at noon.

Outdoor winter games, activities and sledding on Sled Hill will take place throughout the event. Inside the Warming House, the Chili Cook-Off and children’s crafts will begin at noon. The public can taste the chili and vote for Spiciest, Most Colorful, and Overall Best Chili. A snow sculpting competition will take place outside from 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Judging for the Chili Cook-Off will take place at approximately 1:30 p.m. with snow sculpture judging shortly after.

Also starting at noon inside the Warming House, the MetroParks Police Department will offer a child identification program as a free community service. Children can receive their individual ChildPrint ID Kit® with fingerprinting and other safety features to take home.

Aspiring and amateur chefs can enter the Chili Cook-Off for $10, and can find details, rules, and contest registration at www.millcreekmetroparks.org or by calling Ford Nature Center at 330.740.7107.

Admission to Cabin Fever Fest is free. Please note that outdoor activities are all weather dependent. For more information, please contact the Ford Nature Center at 330.740.7107. The Wick Recreation Area is located at the corner of Bella Vista and McCollum Road – 1861 McCollum Road, Youngstown, Ohio 44509.

Mill Creek MetroParks to hold “Super” weekend of events

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While most may be anxiously looking forward to spring, Mother Nature’s recent unseasonably cold temperatures have given Mill Creek MetroParks a unique opportunity. For the first time since 1990, bodies of water in the MetroParks have frozen to the thickness safe enough to allow Mill Creek MetroParks to provide an outdoor skating experience to visitors.

Mill Creek MetroParks will host supervised ice skating at the Lily Pond beginning this Saturday, February 1. Hours for this weekend will be Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. If conditions allow, supervised skating will continue next weekend on Friday, February 7 from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. and will continue on Fridays from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m., and Saturdays & Sundays from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. through February 23. Benches and a fire pit will be provided for the convenience of those not hitting the ice or those who need to rest or warm up. Interested skaters are asked to please bringskates as no skate rental will be available.

Ice skating on the Lily Pond is only one of many “super” activities happening throughout Mill Creek MetroParks this Super Bowl weekend. On Saturday, February 1, start at Wick Recreation Area for Cabin Fever Fest, including the Chili Cook-Off, beginning at noon. Take a ride down Sled Hill and participate in fun winter games and competitions. Warm up inside the Warming House by sampling chili and vote for the Spiciest, Most Colorful, and Overall Best. Next, head to the Lily Pond and experience skating outdoors for the first time in almost 25 years. If outdoor activities aren’t your thing, experience the spirit of the tropics at Fellows Riverside Gardens for the Jewels of Winter: Orchid Show, opening February 1. Observe the exotic beauty of orchids on display throughout the D. D. and Velma Davis Education & Visitor Center. Or, head to the Ford Nature Center to hear Bill Whitehouse discuss photography slides from his career at Mill Creek MetroParks. On Sunday, attend the MetroMutts: Resource Guarding program at Fellows Riverside Gardens from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., then come out for our Super Sunday hike and enjoy a brisk walk around the Mill Creek Golf Course at 2 p.m. No matter your preference, there’s something for everyone this weekend and throughout the entire year at Mill Creek MetroParks.

For questions and more information about ice skating on the Lily Pond, call Mill Creek MetroParks at 330.702.3000. For more information about Cabin Fever Fest, the Jewels of Winter Orchid Show and other MetroParks activities, visit our website at www.millcreekmetroparks.org.

Nancy & Bruce Beeghly, D.D. & Velma Davis to be honored with Volney Rogers Legacy Award

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Mill Creek Park Foundation will recognize honorees at Award Celebration

The Mill Creek Park Foundation will honor Nancy & Bruce Beeghly and D.D. and Velma Davis/The Davis Foundation for their dedication to Mill Creek MetroParks at the Volney Rogers Legacy Award Celebration. Mr. & Mrs. Beeghly and Mr. & Mrs. Davis will be recognized during a dinner on Friday, January 31 at the D.D. and Velma Davis Education & Visitor Center at Fellows Riverside Gardens. Mrs. & Mrs. Beeghly will be present to accept the award. D.D. & Velma Davis will be honored posthumously.

Nancy & Bruce Beeghly have been longtime supporters of Mill Creek MetroParks. Bruce Beeghly holds honorary doctoral degrees from Youngstown State University and Westminster College. He has served on public education boards for the past 25 years including the Ohio Board of Regents. Currently, Mr. Beeghly serves on the board of the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley and is the Chair of the Community Leadership Council of Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley. Nancy Beeghly was an English teacher at Boardman High School and holds an honorary doctoral degree from Westminster College for community services. She later served on the College’s Board of Trustees. Mrs. Beeghly currently serves on the communications committee for the Beatitude House, and the boards of the Buechner House, YSU English Festival and Juvenile Justice Center. Nancy & Bruce have been married for 46 years and have three children.

The legacy of David Dale (D.D.) Davis and his wife Velma continues to support Fellows Riverside Gardens to this day. D.D. and Velma founded D. D. Davis Construction in 1946. One of the many projects that Davis Construction completed in the Mahoning Valley is the D. D. and Velma Davis Education & Visitor Center at Fellows Riverside Gardens. Not only did Mr. Davis oversee the construction but donated his time, talent, and financial resources to the project, which opened in 2000. D.D. served as Chair of the Board of the Rescue Mission and served on the boards of Band One of Youngstown and The Butler Institute of American Art. Both D.D. and Velma were active in the First Covenant Church of Boardman. Mr. Davis passed away in 2002, and Mrs. Davis in 2007. They had two daughters, one of whom is deceased, four grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Special recognition will also be given to the Juliana Kurinka Trust, Mary Alice Schaff, and Friends of Fellows Riverside Gardens. PNC, Agland Country Store, MAX-FREEZE, Fred Martin Ford Mercedes Ben and Jack Weller will also be recognized for their support.

Tickets for the Volney Rogers Legacy Award Celebration are $75, proceeds to benefit the Mill Creek Park Foundation. Cocktails will be at 6 p.m. and dinner will be served at 7 p.m. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling Mill Creek MetroParks at 330.702.3000.

 

About the Volney Rogers Legacy Award

Created in 2006, this award has only been given out twice in the history of the MetroParks. It is not an annual award, but is reserved for those whose support and dedication to the mission of Mill Creek MetroParks has been significant. These individuals provide advice, funding, and assistance that goes above and beyond.

Mill Creek MetroParks’ Sled Hill is Closed January 6 and January 7

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Due to the dangerously low temperatures and wind chill, Mill Creek MetroParks is officially closing Sled Hill and the Warming House at the Wick Recreation Area (on the corner of McCollum Road and Belle Vista). Sled Hill, along with the Warming House is closed Monday, January 6 and Tuesday, January 7.

The Weather Forecast Calls for Enjoying the Great Outdoors

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Winter weather conditions are perfect to take your family to Mill Creek MetroParks’ Wick Recreation Area (intersection of Belle Vista and McCollum Rd). Sled Hill is open daily, weather permitting, from 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. This popular sledding hill is lighted and features an outdoor fire pit next to the Thomas J. Bresko Pavilion. Younger sled riders can use the Hobbit Hill, reserved for children 48” and under.

If you get too cold or need a break from sledding, you can visit the Snack Bar inside the Warming House for a cup of coffee, hot chocolate, cold beverage or snack. There are restrooms inside the Warming House along with a gas fireplace. The Warming House is open Monday through Friday 3 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 9:30 p.m.

For the sledding schedule or more information, call Mill Creek MetroParks at 330.740.7114.

About Mill Creek MetroParks

Mill Creek Park was established in 1891 by Volney Rogers as the first park district in Ohio. In 1989, the diverse lands now known as Mill Creek MetroParks officially became a metropolitan park district, providing visitors of all ages the opportunity to relish “the gem” of Mahoning County. From the casual visitor to the local explorer, Mill Creek MetroParks offers a natural escape and recreational activities for the enjoyment of all ages.

The mission of Mill Creek MetroParks is to provide park, recreational, and open space facilities of regional significance. In fulfilling this mission our objectives are to be responsive to community needs; to be environmentally sound; to be adaptable; and to be economically feasible.

To explore, experience and enjoy the all-new Mill Creek MetroParks, please visit www.millcreekmetroparks.org or call 330.702.3000. Like us on Facebook at (Mill Creek MetroParks) and follow us on Twitter (@MillCreekMetro) and Instagram (millcreekmetroparks).