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Program News
Openings are still available in these upcoming programs. Register
online or
call 433-5155.
Spring program registration begins at 10:00 A.M. on
February 15, 2010 for residents and at 10:00 A.M. on
February 18, 2010 for nonresidents.
Bill Yeck Park Expands to Include Historic Smith Farm
When it comes to preserving parkland, vision, good planning and patience can result in rewards for the community. Earlier this fall, the Centerville-Washington Park District completed a land purchase that has been in the works for 17 years.
In 1992, Park Commissioners Bill Yeck, Harvey Smith and Bob Miller started working on a master plan for expanding Sugar Valley Park, now known as Bill Yeck Park. They discussed an idea with Victor and Mary Jane Smith, which would one day preserve their historic 1800s home and farm as an addition to Bill Yeck Park. After 17 years of negotiations, planning and setting aside money in a land acquisition fund, the Park District recently purchased the 37-acre farm located at 2230 E. Centerville-Station Road. This now makes Bill Yeck Park the district’s largest nature park at 194 acres.
“In the next several months, the district will revisit the master plan developed by the Park Commissioners in 1992 and begin to formulate a development plan to incorporate the new area into the existing park,” said Kim Birdseye, Park Board President. “The main focus for this new area is the same as the rest of Bill Yeck Park – nature, history,
and education.”
The overall goal of the master plan is to preserve a unique natural area, keep alive the history of early industry and of a major pioneer farm and to encourage and support historical, ecological and land-oriented citizen organizations while interpreting nature in creative and experimental ways not offered elsewhere. In their publication A Sense of Place, the Centerville-Washington Township Historical Society described the early history of the house as The William Reeder House, dating back to 1804.
“Although Bill Yeck, Victor Smith and Mary Jane Smith are no longer with us, their vision and determination has resulted in an important piece of property being preserved for residents to enjoy nature and history forever,” said Carol Kennard, Park District Director. “The Park District is working closely with the Smith and Yeck families to ensure the new park area preserves the ideas envisioned by them.”
The 37-acre parcel, identified as the Central Core in the master plan, is the keystone of the Bill Yeck Park complex. It is almost completely surrounded by parkland and lies in the center of the “big loop” formed by the Sugar Creek valley. It will provide the main public access to the most spectacular areas of Bill Yeck Park. Forest Field Park is just west of the Smith parcel.
Park District Awarded NatureWorks Grant
The Centerville-Washington Park District has been awarded a $27,975.00 NatureWorks grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). The funds will be used to install a playground at
Weatherstone Park, 10998 Pennfield Road. This project is one of 93 community-based projects that will be funded by ODNR throughout the State of Ohio.
The project is scheduled for completion in 2010. For more information,
please read the
press release or call the Park District at 433-5155.
Oak Creek South Park Renovations Underway
The Oak Creek South Park master plan was approved after public input
meetings in 2006 and 2007. The plan includes naturalizing the stream,
removing the pond, renovating two baseball diamonds, and adding a skate park,
group picnic shelter, playground, and tennis courts. The initial phase was
completed in 2008 with the restoration of the natural stream and the
construction of a wetland habitat in place of the pond. The baseball diamond
renovation was completed in the summer of 2009 and the construction of the group shelter and
skate park are underway now. The park
remains open during construction.
More Park District News
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