Changes in the works for Oakwood Park

Change is in the air — and on the ground — at Lorain’s Oakwood Park.

On Sept. 9, the 68-acre green space of South Lorain will host a Community Day with a new September Classic softball tournament on two ball diamonds: Field 2 and the newly re-groomed Field 3.

“The purpose is just to let the public know the park is improving,” said committee Chairman Bob Renney. “The mayor and administration is behind this resurrection and Oakwood Park is

slowly but surely back in business.”

It’s the latest development as the city’s Oakwood Park Planning Committee crafts a plan for the future development and rejuvenation of the park.

“The transformation has begun,” Renney said.

In the spring, Mayor Chase Ritenauer appointed the committee in response to public interest sparked in fall 2016, when city crews began removing trees as part of a potential master plan for the park, 2047 E. 36th St..

That plan is on hold indefinitely and the city won’t take down trees unless they pose a danger to the public.

Committee members agreed Oakwood Park was in a state of “grave disrepair” that needed to be addressed so citizens can use it and have fun for recreation, said Councilmanat-Large Mitch Fallis, who is a committee member and chairman of Council’s Parks & Recreation Committee.

The projects have been small but noticeable as the city replaced wood planks for bleachers around the ball diamonds.

In recent weeks, Fallis’ wife, Vivian, rounded up volunteers to paint the structures as recently as Sept. 2 and more will be out to paint Sept. 9.

Fallis credited the efforts of volunteers from Sacred Heart Chapel, the youth PACE Group and others.

Field 3 has been the largest endeavor so far.

“It was overgrown with weeds,” Fallis said, but as of Sept. 9, the infield had red soil and a new pitcher’s mound and home plate.

In the near future, the committee wants to upgrade the roads in the park, install security cameras, improve the basketball courts and level out the low areas around the playground and picnic area.

Possible future amenities could include a splash pad, pickleball court, amphitheatre

and dog park.

The committee wants to examine if the former pool buildings can be used for another restroom.

That will necessitate running a waterline into the park, which right now has no active waterlines to tap, Fallis said.

The committee members know Oakwood Park will become a multi-year project needing volunteer help, city funding and support from the community.

“There’s a tremendous amount of work to be done over a two- or three-year period,” Fallis said. “But we will get there.”

Improvements largely will depend on funding available.

The committee wants to find grant money to help, Renney said.

Lorain has a parks budget of about $375,000, compared to $1.5 million for other cities the size of Lorain, Fallis said.

A city crew of four workers gets seasonal help maintaining the city parks.

“The lack of funding of the parks and recreation in Lorain is a serious concern,” Renney said. “Hopefully, Council can find a way to improve that in 2018 because what is expected of them is impossible to be delivered with the lack of manpower that they have.”

Unlike Lorain County Metro Parks facilities, Lorain parks do not have full time rangers who can shut gates to control the parks after dark, Renney said.

Once the improvements are in, community buy-in will become important to help maintain the park, he said.

It is important for the community to appreciate how Oakwood Park is a green oasis in the midst of South Lorain, the committee members said.

Fallis described how on Labor Day, the volunteers saw 20 men playing softball on one of the fields.

Away from the edges of the park, the sounds of cars fade and are replaced by the wind rustling the leaves of the trees, he said.

“You can hardly hear the cars on the street,” Fallis said. “It’s kind of quiet, enjoyable.”