The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Park system continues to attract many
Looking forward to 2019, adding amenities
In 2018 Lake Metroparks saw several recent additions pay off in increased numbers of visitors and compliments
One of those was the new Nature Play area, in its first full year, at Penitentiary Glen Reservation
in Kirtland. Exceeding expectations, the all-natural, child-friendly outdoor play area drew over 145,000 children and families. This year, a new flush restroom was opened adjacent to the area, which was well received by parents.
Also in its first full year, the 200-foot pier at Painesville Township Park attracted over 80,000 visitors.
And debuting this year was the park system’s new public archery range at Hidden Lake in Leroy Township which, in three months, has recorded over 2,200 visitors.
In addition, Executive Director Paul Palagyi said a new system to purchase Country Lights tickets was launched, which he said was also was highly complimented by guests. Country Lights, a holiday tradition featuring light displays, presentations, workshops and sleigh rides, perennially sells out within a matter of hours.
“Since 2012, we have seen an increase in visitation to the parks of over 30 percent,” Palagyi added. “Since last year, our shelter rentals have increased 21 percent and our campsite reservations have increased 12 percent.
“This year, we also had two retirements among our management team, Chief of Operations John Grantham and Chief Ranger Dan Llewellyn, both of whom provided outstanding service to the parks and our visitors,” he said. “They were replaced by two equally outstanding public servants in Guy Wagner and James Sivak, respectively.”
Palagyi noted this year was not without its challenges, the biggest being erosion along the shore of Lake Erie.
Personnel were forced to place sandbags along a sizeable portion of the beach in Fairport Harbor. As a result, the popular dog swim area was closed due to unsafe conditions.
“We will continue to do our best to maintain the beach in that area but there is only so much we can do when the lake is high and the wave action is eating away at the shoreline,” Palagyi said. “Down the coast to the east, we also had to move our popular campsites at Lake Erie Bluffs back away from the lakeshore.
“We designed the sites and the trails leading to the sites in expectation that we would need to move them back but we were surprised at the rate at which erosion ate away at the bluff this year,” he said. “But the campsites were maintained and were enjoyed all summer long.”
Looking towards 2019, Lake Metroparks projects include:
• Opening a new shelter and pond at a new park property — Blair Ridge Park in Leroy Township which overlooks the Grand River and Blair Landing. The property will include restrooms, a reservable campsite and a fishing pond on a well-stocked pond.
• A new flush restroom to Festival Field at Farmpark. A new shelter and public space is also being designed at the top of the property’s hill.
• The installation of a new shade structure at Fairport Harbor Beach, replacing the shelter on the west end of the beach.
“We’re also going to continue to examine ways to create a trail connection between Painesville Township Park and Fairport Harbor Beach along our greatest natural resource, Lake Erie,” Palagyi said.