The Park District is seeking a part-time year-round Administration Coordinator to work 20 hours per week at park headquarters. Please visit the Employment Opportunities page for complete information.

The 0.9 mill renewal levy on the ballot May 6, 2014 will fund park operations for another 10 years with no increase in taxes. 24 full-time park professionals and up to 50 seasonal (primarily summer) staff provide the day-to day care and management of 49 parks that encompass close to 1,000 acres of open space in Centerville and Washington Township.

What the Levy Provides

• Operating funds totaling about $1.4 million per year
• Around 30% of day-to-day operational costs for 49 parks; remaining comes from 2.0 mill levy that expires in 2018, along with some program income, donations and grants
• Upkeep of athletic facilities, trails, shelters, playgrounds, skatepark, sprayground, dog park and support amenities

What New Park Improvements Would be Possible?

• Develop the Smith Farm master plan at Bill Yeck Park
• Complete final phase at Robert F Mays Park
• Replace portable toilets with permanent restrooms at Forest Field Park and Oak Grove Park
• Expand parking at the Grant Nature Nook
• Expand skatepark and shade structures at Oak Creek South Park
• Update neighborhood parks, 20 years after last improvements
• Acquire parks in new plat development or add acreage to existing parks
• Expand multi-use trail connections throughout the parks and community

Levy stories are for information and are not intended to support or promote the levy. For additional information about the levy, visit the levy committee website www.yesforparksCW.com

The Montgomery County Common Pleas Court is soliciting names of individuals to be considered for an appointment to the Board of Park Commissioners of the Centerville-Washington Park District. The term for this appointment is three years beginning May 12, 2014, and ending May 11, 2017. Any interested person must be a resident of Centerville or Washington Township.

If interested, please forward your name, address, and phone number, including reasons for your interest, no later than Wednesday, March 26, 2014, at 4:30 pm, to:

Montgomery County Common Pleas Court
ATTN: Nancy E. Brookshire
Human Resources Officer 41 North Perry Street, Room 103
Dayton, OH 45422

The Montgomery County Solid Waste Division has awarded the Centerville-Washington Park District a 2014 Buy Recycled Grant. The Park District received $32,904, which will be used to build a wetland boardwalk and observation deck at Oak Creek South Park, 790 W. Miamisburg-Centerville Road. Materials used to construct the boardwalk and deck will be made of recycled content. Construction will be completed by Park District staff and will take place in fall 2014.

The boardwalk will provide a stable surface for wheelchairs, walkers and strollers, allowing people to safely walk out over the wetland area to better view plants and wildlife. This project will also provide new opportunities for environmental education and nature programs at Oak Creek South Park.

The Park District is committed to environmental responsibility and recently received the Montgomery County Dayton Regional Green 3’s Green Business Certification, a voluntary program designed to help businesses take basic green measures to reduce their ecological footprint, reduce their energy and resource use and save money in the process.

The Park District is now accepting applications for part-time seasonal employment. Opportunities are available in the program and operations departments.

Summer program staff can work at Hidden Meadows Day Camp or at the Summer Recreation Program. All program staff must be enthusiastic about working with children, enjoy the outdoors, and be willing to make a nine-week commitment beginning the first week of June. Positions for applicants under age 18 are limited. Adult applicants must pass a background screening.

Seasonal operations staff assist with the day-to-day management of the Park District’s 49 parks. Work includes mowing, trimming, painting, athletic field preparation, nature trail improvement, park clean up, vehicle/equipment maintenance and administrative building maintenance. Hours may include some weekends and evenings. Second shift openings are also available. Operations staff must be 18 or older, insurable to drive Park District vehicles and pass a background screening.

>>Learn more and obtain an application.

We are proud to announce that we recently received two Awards of Excellence from the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association (OPRA)! The awards were presented at the OPRA annual banquet held February 4, 2014 in Sandusky, Ohio in conjunction with the 2014 OPRA Annual Conference and Trade Show.

The Oak Grove Park archery range was awarded first place in the sports programs category. In fall 2012, Park District staff built an archery range in a natural setting at Oak Grove Park. Funding for the construction cost was made possible through the Federal Wildlife Restoration Grant. WRF come from federal excise tax consumers pay when purchasing firearms, ammunition and archery equipment. Funds are administered on a state level by the Ohio Division of Wildlife.

The native seed nursery, located at Bill Yeck Park, was awarded third place in the natural resources and conservation category. The seed nursery was established in spring 2012 in order to have a steady supply of native seeds to utilize throughout the parks. The seeds are harvested by staff and volunteers. They are then planted in other locations, establishing prairie gardens with beautiful blooms. The seed nursery allows the Park District to reduce emissions through mowing, improve park aesthetics, reduce chemical applications and provide suitable wildlife habitats.

The OPRA Awards of Excellence are judged on: project purpose, goals and objectives, evaluation, community engagement and use of external resources, challenges and creative solutions, and the overall impact of the project. Leaders from park districts statewide judge the contest. Ohio park districts submit their best projects from the previous year for consideration.

The Centerville-Washington Park District has received the Montgomery County Dayton Regional Green 3’s Green Business Certification, a voluntary program designed to help businesses take basic green measures to reduce their ecological footprint, reduce their energy and resource use and save money in the process. In addition, the Park District showed exemplary water stewardship and qualified for the Water Stewardship Blue Certification.

A wide range of criteria was met to gain the certifications, including meeting standards in waste reduction, recycling, environmentally preferable purchasing, water and energy conservation, and pollution prevention.

“Being green is not just something we do at the Park District; it is something we teach others to do. We feel it is important to be role models in our community as we all work toward a sustainable future,” said Katy Malcolm,  Park District Naturalist and head of the Eco-Crew, the green initiatives group made up of Park District staff.

As often happens in park development projects, the planning and approvals for Robert F. Mays Park have taken longer than anticipated. The Park District had hoped to start construction at this new park in 2013, but it will now be sometime in early 2014. Since we are getting a later start, we will combine phases I & II for construction in 2014, which includes grading, drainage, seed the grasses and native plants, plant most trees, parking lot and lacrosse hitting wall. The Park District received a grant to construct the picnic shelter with restrooms, which will be planned in 2014 and constructed in 2015. The playground and walking trails will be constructed at a later date as funding becomes available.

Watch for future updates here!