Park District News
Operations Staff Changes
 The Board of Park Commissioners presented Brian Kunkel with a proclamation honoring him for his 13 years of service as operations manager of the Centerville-Washington Park District
at the February 8, 2010 Park Board meeting. Mr. Kunkel will be retiring later this month. He has watched the park district grow to nearly 1,000 acres and 48 parks. When asked what his favorite part of working at the park district has been, he stated, “The always supportive board, the very professional staff, and the wonderful volunteers.” Kunkel’s most noteworthy project was Schoolhouse Park.
After supervising fourteen full-time operations staff and numerous seasonal
staff over the summer months, as well as coordinating numerous improvement
and maintenance projects, Kunkel is looking forward to visiting the parks in
a different capacity and pursuing outside interests.
Chosen to
succeed Mr. Kunkel is Ken Carter. Mr. Carter has been employed with the Park
District since 1996 in various capacities. His educational background
includes an Associate Degree in Wildlife Management from Hocking College and
a Bachelor Degree from West Virginia University in Natural Resource
Management.
Carter is a member of the Ohio Sports Turf Managers Association and the
Ohio Parks and Recreation Association (OPRA). He has served as section chair
for the OPRA Grounds/Outdoor Facilities and Natural Resource Section and
co-chaired the education committee for the 2008 OPRA State Conference. Over
the years, Carter has been instrumental in developing new opportunities
throughout the Park District including earning instructor certification in
the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Passport to Fishing Program and
the National Archery in the Schools Program. He looks “forward to meeting
the needs of the residents by providing and maintaining excellent facilities
throughout the Park District.”
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.
Pathways: A Community Walking Tour
 The
Centerville-Washington Park District has been recognized by the National
Recreation and Park Association as a Step Up to
Health...It Starts in Parks agency. Quality fitness and wellness
programs in our community encourage healthy lifestyles. Walking is one of
the easiest ways to exercise.
Pathways: A Community Walking Tour offers
twenty-three different pathways throughout our community. Each pathway
begins, ends, or passes through one of the Centerville-Washington Park
District's forty-seven parks. Start walking, get healthier, and earn
incentives! Stop by Park District Headquarters for a brochure or download the
map,
route
descriptions, and
mileage log.
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.
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