Appointing authority forMedina County Park DistrictBoard of Commissioners

The Hon. Kevin W. Dunn Probate Judge

Medina County Common Pleas Court

2017

Annual Report

Park District Board ofCommissioners

Kathleen E. DavisAndrew J. de LunaDennis B. Neate

DirectorThomas K. James

Welcome toMedina County Park District

From the largest natural inland lake in Ohio to miles of biking and hiking trails; to scenic forests,meadows, and river corridors; Medina County Park District offers something for everyone.

Since 1965, MCPD has devoted itself to its mission of Enhancing the Quality of All Life . . . Naturally. Thepark district manages more than 6,500 acres -- preserving air and water quality, protecting plants andwildlife, and providing a variety of recreational opportunities for thousands of visitors each year.

Park users enjoy sledding, cross-country skiing, fishing, boating, horseback riding, playgrounds,picnicking, and more in MCPD’s 18 parks, trails, and preserves. An expansive dog park is immenselypopular with our four-legged friends and their owners. A public launch ramp provides easy access to350-acre Chippewa Lake for fishing, water skiing, and pleasure boating. A selection of amenity-filledopen and enclosed shelters offer reservable spaces for events large and small.

Interpretive services staff at Wolf Creek Environmental Center provides educational opportunities forthousands of school children annually. Year-round park district programming for kids and adultsincludes free concerts, workshops, naturalist-led hikes, make-and-takes, and more. Pioneers in the Park,a free two-day festival featuring a primitive encampment of artisans and re-enactors, draws upward of8,000 visitors to Buckeye Woods Park each October.

By promoting health and wellness, preserving wildlife habitat and green

space, as well as providing educational and recreational opportunities for all

ages and abilities, MCPD enhances the high quality of life Medina County

residents enjoy.

From the Director . . .Many studies demonstrate the benefits of spending time innature. Lower blood pressure, increased attention span, anda general feeling of well-being have been documented instudies of people who have hiked through a naturalenvironment. In Medina County, the number of peoplewalking in the parks and participating in hiking programs hascontinued to grow.

During 2017, the park district added a new, accessible trail inMontville Township and a nature trail in Harrisville Township.Volunteers assisted with the creation of the nature trail aswell as a wildlife viewing blind located along the trailoverlooking a high-quality wetland. The park districtcontinues to work on additional improvements that willprovide our residents with opportunities to enjoy nature.

Funding for the park district was ensured in November of 2015 with the passage of a 10-year, 0.75-millrenewal and 0.25-mill additional levy. The first year of collection of the levy was 2017. The charts belowshow the funding received and the expenditures made during the past year.

The revenue includes a cash carryover from 2016. The carryover represents funds budgeted forexpenditure that were not used. Carryover funds are used to operate the park district at the beginningof the year before the first tax collection is received.

The expenditures show that almost half of all income was dedicated to capital improvements. Theseexpenditures include construction of new parks and facilities as well as land acquisition. In 2017, thepark district received more than $2.2 million in grant funding for land acquisition. Local funds were usedto match the grants received.

The Board of Commissioners and the entire staff are grateful to the residents of Medina County for theircontinued support of the park district. We hope you will take advantage of the many opportunitiesMedina County Park District offers to discover new things and experience nature in the parks andpreserves that are available for all to enjoy, thanks to you.

Thomas K. JamesDirector

Director Tom James

2017 TimelineJanuaryPlanning Department continues work on masterplan for Lake Medina

FebruaryLibrary and staff workroom remodeled at WolfCreek Environmental Center

MarchDocking permit system put into effect atChippewa Lake

AprilMore than 1,800 visitorsattend the 21�� AnnualMedina County EarthDay Festival at BuffaloCreek Retreat.

MayEco Arts Chalk Fest takes place at Susan HambleyNature Center

High school students from 13 Ohio countiesattend the Envirothon at Buffalo Creek Retreatco-hosted by Medina County Soil and WaterConservation District and Medina County ParkDistrict.

Park district is awarded $1.2 million in Clean OhioGrant funding for the purchase of 160 acres inMedina Township for a future park near theintersection of Interstate 71 and State Route 3

JuneFriends of the Parks hosts its annual meeting atLetha House Park with a program by theCuyahoga Astronomical Association

Volunteer recognition treeestablished at Wolf CreekEnvironmental Center tohonor park district volunteersfor their service

JulyMore than 1,700 visitors attend the inauguralUncorked Medina Wine Festival at Buffalo CreekRetreat to benefit Friends of Medina County Parks.

August1,002 visitors gather for a program at Wolf CreekEnvironmental Center to witness a rare partialeclipse of the sun

SeptemberThe Save the Lake Coalition, a citizens groupcomprised of Chippewa Lake residents, forms to helpaddress ongoing problems with toxic algal blooms inthe lake.

Director Tom James and Interpretive ServicesManager Shelley Tender lead a members-onlyFriends of the Parks bus tour of several MCPD parksand future park sites.

Construction begins on anatural resource building atthe park districtheadquarters campus.

Former park commissionerand long-time volunteer KenStrauss is honored with thepark district’s 2017Stewardship Award.

OctoberThe 33rd-Annual Pioneers in the Park Festival, part ofthe Medina County Fall Foliage Tour, draws 7,100visitors to Buckeye Woods Park.

The annual Halloween-themedminiature railroad rides hostedby Northeastern Ohio LiveSteamers at Lester Rail Trailattract 2,892 visitors.

Improvements are made to the popular dog park atCarolyn Ludwig Mugrage Park, including installationof new landscaping features and a water supply forthe dog pond.Volunteer recognition tree

Earth Day Festival

Ken Strauss (right) receives2017 Stewardship Award.

Halloween All Aboard

NovemberThe 2017 Nature Art Fest brings 540 visitors to WolfCreek Environmental Center.

Montville Trail opens -- a new multipurpose connectortrail that helps link Medina’s southern neighborhoodsand provides improved access to the Chippewa Rail Trail

Volunteer Recognition Nightheld at Buffalo Creek Retreatcelebrating 6,170 hours ofvolunteer service to the parkdistrict in 2017

Community volunteers helpconstruct a new wildlifeobservation blind in one of thewetland areas of Killbuck Lakes.

DecemberPark district launches a redesigned website fundedby Friends of Medina County Parks

Landscape ArchitectRichard Heaton retiresafter 17 years ofservice to the parkdistrict.

New walkwaycompleted on thehillside at BuffaloCreek Retreatimproving theconnection betweenthe building and thelower grounds

Popular prehistoric-themed mini-golf course Putt-ingThrough the Ages returns to Buffalo Creek Retreat

Rich Heaton retired in December.

Volunteer recognition night

Volunteers

Volunteers are an integral part of Medina County Park District. Theycontribute time, energy, knowledge, and skills to habitat restoration andcitizen science projects and help keep the parks clean and safe for visitors.

In 2017, a total of 152 volunteers donated a 6,170 hours of service helpingnaturalists with programs and wildlife surveys, providing office assistance,baking cookies for events, trail monitoring, and more. In addition, groupsfrom numerous businesses and organizations gave their time to plant trees,help with construction projects, and manage invasive species.

Lucy Neubauer and Vivian Gordon were honored as 2017 Volunteers of theYear. Lucy began volunteering in 2011, and Vivian started in 2012. We aregrateful to Lucy and Vivian for each giving more than 1,000 hours of serviceto the park district.

Donations

Every year, the park district receives generous donations in the form ofmemorial benches and funds for tree planting as well as gifts of programsupplies and display items. To all of its donors, the park district offers asincere thank you for supporting its mission in such personal and tangibleways.

In 2017, the value of these gifts totaled $48,240 and included:

-- 24 Tree of Life donations-- 15 Memorial Bench donations-- 27 In-kind donations

Interpretive Services Department

The park district’s naturalist staff, based at Wolf Creek EnvironmentalCenter, leads both indoor and outdoor programs throughout the yearoffering children and adults opportunities to learn about and experiencenature -- from crafts and hikes, to lectures, concerts, and festivals.

In 2017, 3,590 students from area schools took part in 181 programs offeredby interpretive services staff. In activities open to the general public, 27,617visitors participated in 406 program opportunities to learn, create, exercise,and enjoy nature.

Putt-ing Through the Ages Pioneers in the Park

Volunteers of the Year are Lucy Neubauerand Vivian Gordon.

Fishing programs

Gifts to the park district include trees,benches, and in-kind donations totaling$48,240.

3,590 students attended181 programs

Bill Stitt is one of 152 volunteers.

Natural Resource Department

The Natural Resource Department is responsible for the healthy management ofthe land, water, plants, and animal habitats in Medina County parks and preserves.Its scope of work in 2017 included:

-- Seeding 33.5 acres to native grasses and wildflowers at three park sites

-- Planting thousands of trees and shrubs in spring and fall including:

-- 4,000 bare-root trees (15 different hardwood species) on about ten acresat a future park site in the Rocky River Corridor

-- 2,770 bare-root trees and shrubs (16 different species) on the west sideof Letha House Park

-- 160 trees and shrubs of various species planted at Killbuck Lakes

-- 150 trees planted with the help of volunteers near Chippewa Lake

-- 135 trees planted with the help of volunteers at Letha House Park

-- 200 additional trees planted at various parks

Stocking selected ponds and lakes throughout the park district with gamefishincluding:

-- 2,100 pounds of rainbow trout-- 1,100 pounds of channel catfish-- 600 pounds of walleye-- 300 largemouth bass

Natural resource staff conducted prescribed burns of warm-season grasses andprairies on 14 acres in two park district sites in 2017. Prescribed burns help controlinvasive plants and reinvigorate native grass species adapted to periodic burning.

A new nature trail was established at Killbuck Lakes Park where natural resourcestaff also assisted in the construction of a wildlife viewing blind at the edge of awetlands.

Additional work included:

-- Trail maintenance-- Mowing-- Hazardous tree removal-- Weekly water sampling of Chippewa Lake-- Addressing nuisance animal concerns-- Managing controlled hunts-- Wildlife surveys-- Annual nest box maintenance-- Invasive plant control

Wildlife blind at Killbuck Lakes

Nest boxes are monitored each year.

Approximately 6,000 acorns planted

Species identification

Chippewa Lake

Operations Department

Medina County Park District takes immense pride in its clean, well-maintained parks and facilities -- to the credit of the OperationsDepartment, which cares for buildings, cuts grass, plows snow, removestrash, and much more. The staff maintains:

28 restrooms19 vehicles10 mowers9 open-air shelters8 playgrounds6 enclosed shelters4 utility vehiclesPlus tractors, trailers, and equipment

In 2017, the operations department devoted more than 3,200 hours tojust mowing grass at 21 park sites. Staff also cleaned before and after960 shelter rentals that brought 53,510 visitors to Medina County ParkDistrict facilities.

Planning Department

The Planning Department designs master plans for new parks, overseesconstruction projects, and manages improvements to existing parks.Major projects in 2017 included completion of the new Montville Trail,building a new hillside walkway at Buffalo Creek Retreat, andrenovations to the dog park area at Carolyn Ludwig Mugrage Park.

In addition, the Planning Department oversaw the planting of 43 treesat various park district locations and worked with Boy Scouts tocomplete five Eagle Scout projects.

Public Information Department

For visitors to enjoy Medina County parks and activities, they have toknow about Medina County parks and activities. The public informationdepartment works to communicate news and program opportunitiesthrough a variety of ways -- including print and electronic newsletters,the park district website, news media, social media, brochures, displays,presentations, program guides, and more. The park district’s websitewas redesigned in an effort to be more mobile-friendly.

In 2017, the park district made 2,076 media contacts (sharing newsreleases, program guides, etc.) and issued 3,878 mailings (such ase-mail and print newsletters). In addition, park district staff engaged thecommunity through 11 speaking opportunities and 14 displays atpublic and corporate events.

Medina County Fair booth

Montville Trail

New walkway at Buffalo Creek Retreat

3,200 hours spent mowing grass

960 shelter rentals

Playground at C.L. Mugrage Park

Ranger Department

Park rangers are fully trained law officers who help keep Medina Countyparks safe, but in their highly visible roles, they also serve as publicambassadors -- offering information and helping visitors enjoy the parks.Rangers made 984 assists in 2017.

Rangers maintained a watchful presence in Medina County parks over thecourse of the year logging 57,658 vehicle patrol miles, 1,215 miles on footpatrol, and 1,057 miles on bicycle.

Administrative Staff

The administrative team is the glue that connects each department andholds the day-to-day operation of the park district together. If you call witha question about the parks, need to reserve a shelter for a family reunion,request a dock permit for Chippewa Lake, or apply for a job with the parkdistrict, chances are a member of the administrative staff will be the onewho’s there to help you.

Duties include:Assisting the publicAnswering phone calls, email and correspondenceFacility reservationsProgram registrationFinancial managementMaintaining property recordsHuman resourcesManaging inventoryAnd more . . .

Friends of Medina County Parks

A non-profit 501(c)3 organization, Friends ofMedina County Parks supports the parkdistrict in a multitude of ways from providingvolunteers, to sponsoring programs, tofunding special projects. In 2017, Friendshosted the inaugural Uncorked Medina WineFestival at Buffalo Creek Retreat and provided financial support to redesignthe park district’s website.

Membership in Friends of Medina County Parks is tax deductible. Benefitsinclude the Friends newsletter, discounts on park facility rentals, andaccess to members-only events such as preview tours of park sites not yetopen to the public. Visit www.MedinaCountyParks.com or call parkheadquarters at 844-722-9364 to learn more about becoming a Friendsmember.

Ranger Bob Weidig

Friends of the Parks bake sale

Uncorked Wine Festival

Park District Headquarters

Rangers patrol Chippewa Lake