The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
City parks offer a variety of opportunities
Improvements on tap at ALPS; safety fair back on in Avon
Residents in Avon Lake can look forward to getting a new children’s playground at its most popular park in the near future.
Bleser Park, located at 32800 Electric Blvd. next to
City Hall, is one of the most popular parks in Avon Lake.
The park includes more than 20 acres filled with a variety of recreational opportunities for people of all ages.
One of the main focal points of Bleser Park is its expansive playground that will be replaced soon, according to Avon Lake Recreation Director Tim Pinchek.
The playground, called the Avon Lake Play Space, or ALPS, currently spans 12,000 square feet and was constructed 25 to 30 years ago, Pinchek said.
The Recreation Department
is in the beginning stages of planning to replace the playset which is expected to cost $750,000, he said.
Funding will be provided by grants, sponsorships and donations, Pinchek said.
As far as a completion schedule, the first stage of building the younger children’s section is tentatively scheduled to open Memorial Day 2022, and the second phase for the older children is tentatively slated for completion Memorial Day 2023, he said.
“We’re pretty excited about that...That’s really going to be popular,” Pinchek said.
Additionally, Bleser Park includes picnic pavilions, baseball diamonds, basketball, tennis and volleyball courts, and the Ellen Trivanovich Aquatic Center and concession stand, among
other amenities.
Avon Lake also is home to Miller Road Park, located on the west end of Avon Lake at 33760 Lake Road.
Miller Road Park has about 15 acres and includes a popular fishing pier.
Up until May 2018, residents enjoyed spending time on the beaches of Lake Erie at the park while in Avon Lake, but due to rising water levels, the beaches have since “vanished,” Pinchek said.
“We just have to let nature take its course and see what happens,” Pinchek said.
“Some of the factors affecting Great Lake levels are precipitation, evaporation, wind, crustal rebound, dredging, diversions, flood control, and power generation,” according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources website.
“About 5,000 years ago, the lake stood about 46 feet lower, which would have put the Ohio shoreline two to three miles farther out than it is today,” the website stated.
Regardless, the park has a lot more to offer such as biking and walking trails, picnic tables and grills “making the destination a popular spot for family gatherings,” the city’s website stated.
“A long fishing pier is open year-round and is a popular place for fishing, walking and watching boaters,” according to the city’s website. “Miller Road Park is heavily utilized by Lake Erie boaters.
“A well-maintained boat launch is in use spring, summer and fall. There is ample parking for visitors and designated parking spaces for vehicles and trailers.”
Avon
In neighboring Avon, the recreational opportunities also are abundant, according to Clare Harasimchuk,
recreation coordinator.
In addition to its numerous parks, Avon hosts a number of events throughout the summer and holiday seasons for residents.
Currently, the recreation department is gearing up again for its city of Avon Health and Safety Fair on Sept. 25, Harasimchuk said.
The event will take place at 36265 Detroit Road near Every Child’s Playground, just east of the aquatic center, she said.
Due to the novel coronavirus pandemic last year, the city wasn’t able to hold the event, Harasimchuk said.
The fair will showcase its local safety forces as well as health and wellness exhibits and vendors.
The Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals will be on hand in conjunction with the event, Harasimchuk said.
Families will be able to come out and meet the city’s safety service personnel as well as enjoy various activities and vendors, she said.
Avon also is home to the Avon Isle, the “historic building constructed between 1925 and 1926 by F.J. Roth and was initially called the Dance Pavilion and provided a home for many community activities,” according to the city’s website.
In 1997, the city purchased the Avon Isle along with four acres of surrounding land.
After the building was placed on the National Register for Historic Places in July 2010, the restoration of the old dance hall began, the website stated.
“Today, the Avon Isle has become a popular spot for weddings, receptions, graduation parties, showers, etc.,” according to the website.