The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
STEADY NUMBERS
Despite weather issues, shelters and amenities once again popular
While temperatures were low last winter, the Lake Metroparks had a relatively small amount of snow, which kept cross-country skiing and snowshoeing to a minimum.
Moving into 2019, weather issues continued, with “a very wet spring” putting a damper on a lot of outdoor pursuits.
After the slow start, however, the park system, ended up with approximately the same level ofvisitation as the previous year, hosting over 3.4 million visitors, according to Executive Director Paul Palagyi.
“High Lake Erie water levels (also) impacted several parks, but we adapted and continued to host over 378,000 visitors to our five
lakefront parks,” he said. This includes over 300,000 visitors at Fairport Harbor Beach, Palagyi said.
“Work is currently underway to make improvements to the parks before next spring and summer seasons,” he said
In fact, the old shelter at Fairport Harbor Lakefront Park Beach is being replaced with a new one and additional picnic spaces.
The finishing touches on a new flush restroom facility in Festival Field at the Farmpark in Kirtland are being completed, as well as a new shelter and courtyard
space on the top of the hill, Palagyi confirmed.
In 2020, additional improvements will be made to various properties, primarily the Environmental Learning Center in Concord Township.
“We will be opening a new Adventure Play Area with climbing structures and obstacles set among the woods, along with a new section of trail that will let visitors explore new areas of the Environmental Learning Center, which we are going to rename Jordan Creek Park,” Palagyi said.
“We will also be constructing a new section of trail at Hidden Lake in Leroy Township that will let visitors begin to explore portions of a large wetlands that has previously been inaccessible.”
Planning is underway to create new trails at Lake Erie Bluffs, which will link up to the end of Bacon Road in Perry Township.
Shelter rentals also continued to hit peak numbers, with reservations up throughout the system, most notably at Lake Erie Bluffs.
Currently, “Candy Land gone to the Birds!,” a free traditional winter exhibit at Penitentiary Glen Reservation in Kirtland, continues to attract steady visitors.
With interactive programming and hands-on education offered all year long, Board President/Commissioner John C. Redmond believes Lake Metroparks to be the best-run public entity within the county.
“That is the direct result of time, effort and energy our staff expends along with our volunteers,” he said. “The only reason we enjoy the parks is because of their collective efforts. It’s not because of what we do, it’s because of what they do.”