History of the Parks

When Five Rivers MetroParks took over the maintenance and operations of the Wegerzyn Horticultural Center in 1995, they also inherited a thriving farmers market held weekly in the park, as well as several satellite locations such as Courthouse Square and the Dayton Mall. The farmers market had been established as a fundraiser for the Wegerzyn Foundation.

In 1998, Marvin Olinsky, the district’s director, envisioned expanding this market and moving it to downtown Dayton to Van Cleve Park (what is now RiverScape MetroPark) which was also newly administered by the agency as part of a bold new riverfront development plan. However, Olinksy also wanted to see that the market could be held year-round, which would require a covered structure. Building a market structure at Van Cleve turned out to be unfeasible at the time, so the district began to explore other locations downtown for the expanded year-round market.

Along came three developers working on a housing project in the Webster Station district of downtown called the Cannery. The Webster Station Development Group had a 45,000 sq ft warehouse garage as part of their complex that they were willing to utilize as a temporary home while their apartments were under construction. The Winter Market debuted in November 1998 and featured 18 vendors from Wegerzyn’s Farmer’s Market with foods like baked goods, organic vegetables and chicken & ostrich meat, kitchen and cooking-related items, soaps sold by the slice and gladioli, a favorite among the regular Wegerzyn crowd.

Developers saw the Winter Market as an opportunity to jump-start the effort of bringing a permanent downtown public market and draw attention to their housing project. The Winter Market proved to be so successful that the summer portion of the Wegerzyn Market was moved to the Cannery in May 1999 and dubbed it the Wegerzyn River Market. Freed of the space constraints of the Siebenthaler Avenue Wegerzyn Center, there was more vendors, 45, compared with as few as 15 who usually were on hand for the spring openings in the past. A new full-time market manager was hired by MetroParks to run this new venture. By June of that year, restaurants started to make an appearance at the market.

By 2000, the Cannery Lofts were getting close to completion and the project was in need of their garage space. A new home for the River and Winter Markets was needed. The Webster Station folks, the City of Dayton, MetroParks and the Downtown Dayton Partnership collaborated to find a permanent location, many advocating for it to be part of the new RiverScape project happening at Van Cleve Park. However, there was neither space nor funding for a market structure as part of the riverfront development.

In 2001, a location was found. Five Rivers MetroParks purchased and remodeled a 500-foot-long, 20-foot-wide 1911 B&O outbound building, which had multiple bays that once served freight trains. The new structure, near the existing River Market and just east of Fifth Third Field, offered more electric outlets, restrooms, running water, and it will be heated with forced air, and plenty of space for the 40-plus vendors now coming to the market weekly.

The year-round National City Second Street Public Market was opened in November 2001 as a 3-day market. The roster of market vendors continued to grow: On summer Saturdays, up to 50 farmers, bakers and artisans filled the building and outdoor space around it. The market attendance also continued to grow.

In 2007, the pavilion of the east end of the Market was added as a flexible place for seating and additional vendor space.

Today, the year-round Market continues to offer shoppers a wide selection of locally grown produce, sustainable goods and fresh ready-to-eat fare. It has become a community gathering place. It also serves as business incubator, spinning off vendors who have outgrown the market’s vendor stalls and moved on to larger, independent operations.

In 1977, Marie Aull conveyed her cottage home, a 30-acre garden, and a maintenance endowment to Five Rivers MetroParks, with the provision that she be able to reside on the property as long as she lived, while keeping her garden open to the public. Marie continued to direct the work of the gardeners after the donation of Aullwood Garden to MetroParks. Despite the help of gardeners, Marie could not resist working in the garden herself, even at age 90. Mrs. Aull was a familiar figure to those who visited her gardens.

She broke her hip in famous fashion in 1986, at the age of 90, after losing her footing while crossing a creek. Her accident happened about 3 p.m. on a Sunday, and she was discovered by a gardner at 7:30 a.m. the next day. Asked by a friend how she spent the night, `she said she enjoyed the stars and the moon,’ according to Marvin Olinsky, former chief executive of the park district. She lived in the cottage until her death in 2002, at the age of 105. Robert Siebenthaler, a longtime friend of Mrs. Aull’s, commented on learning of her death from pneumonia: `If she’d had her wishes, she would have been weeding the garden and just fallen asleep.’

Aullwood Garden MetroPark continues to offer visitors a celebration of life today. At Aullwood, land, water, light and air collide with literally thousands of plants and animals to form one magnificent environment – especially in spring. Here, one can stop, if even for a moment, and recharge the inner human spirit. The staff carefully maintain the garden under the explicit plans set forth by Marie, the godmother of the environmental movement in southwestern Ohio. Her gardens are on the preservation list of The Garden Conservancy, a national nonprofit organization, dedicated to preserving some of the country’s finest old gardens.

“Dreams have always been part of Aullwood,” said Mrs. Aull, whose ashes were scattered near the 500-year-old sycamore tree in her beloved garden next to her husband’s . “I hope we will always instill in children knowledge and love of nature, so that their sense of wonder will never cease. … We all need to find something to wonder about in nature.” Her dedication to the cause of nature made Mrs. Aull a leader in national conservation efforts.

Carriage Hill MetroPark was the first park established by the new park district back in April 1965, when the district bought 224 acres with donated funds, mainly from Eugene Kettering. The land was targeted for its proximity to Huber Heights, the most rapidly growing section of the metropolitan area – and the most in need of open space preservation.

The park was originally named Drylick Run, derived from the small stream running through the property. The rolling terrain, of which was 70 acres of mature forest and meadows, was well suited to nature trails, hiking, camping, picnics, horseback riding and related activities. At the time of purchase, there was also consideration of adding a golf course and swimming facilities. However, the main focus was preserving trees, flowers, birds and animals on the land – and offering local schools a place to study nature.

In 1968, the adjacent 97 acre property including an historic farm was purchased and turned into an outdoor education center intended to educate the public on our region’s agricultural heritage. Richard Lawwill decided the farm needed a name. One day while driving down the road, he saw a small sign with the words Carriage Hill on it. Lawwill liked how that sounded and took the name for the historic farm. Dane Mutter began the popular Springtime and Autumn on the Farm programs in 1970, partnering with the Montgomery County Historical Society to showcase life on the farm in the 1880′s. The Friends of Carriage Hill was founded in 1974 to provide financial assistance for the farm and its programming.

In 1976, the park district developed a new master plan for Drylick Run including the farm, and applied for the National Register of Historic Places – which it later received. During this process, the name of the park itself was changed to Carriage Hill Reserve.

Since 1976, the park has expanded to over 1,000 acres of land rich in cultural and natural history. In 1995, an adjacent horse farm was also added to the park, enabling the district to offer a riding center to the public in 1996.

Carriage Hill continues to offer a glimpse of living farm history, as well as opportunities for environmental education and recreation on its stream-threaded nature trails, woodlands, croplands and meadows.

In the early 1970s, Cox Arboretum Foundation members Harry Price and Horace Huffman began to consider ways to assure the long term survival and continuing growth of the James M. Cox, Jr. Arboretum. The presence of Dick Lawwill (Park District Director) and Harry Price (Park District Commissioner) on the Cox Arboretum Foundation Board led to discussions concerning the Arboretum-Park District relationship.

In 1972, the James M. Cox, Jr. Arboretum Foundation gifted the Arboretum to Five Rivers MetroParks and began a unique and successful public (MetroParks) / private partnership. Fundraising by the Foundation supported the needs for full-time staffing and the construction of educational and maintenance facilities, while MetroParks managed the operation.

Fundraising continued through 1970s, leading to the construction of a visitors center in 1979. A new master plan was developed in 1981 including a new water garden and deck next to the center, as well as new gardens for wildflowers, hostas and ferns, a crabapple allee, the Monet Bridge, and the edible landscape garden. The park blossomed into nearly 200 acres of beautiful gardens, woodlands, prairies and natural areas. The addition of a new park director, Marvin Olinsky, brought the Arb their first year-long calendar of events. The Arb’s collections and plantings were also expanded, including thousands of bulbs that were funded by a large gift from Frank and Nancy Zorniger.

By 1989, the increasing education programs at the Arb were out-growing their existing visitor center. A committee was formed to identify needs – by April, 1990 the Executive Committee concluded that the Arboretum needed a new Master Plan. The following years brought staged improvements to the park based on the plan, including land stewardship practices for each habitat of the park. The plan also envisioned a new visitor center complex as “a series of low connected buildings, or a single building with a courtyard, to accommodate the needs of administration, orientation, classrooms, library, restaurant, board room, utilities, etc.”

After years of fundraising and planning, the Arboretum unveiled the Zorniger Education Campus in 2004, including a new education center, outdoor classrooms, a learning lab, library and volunteer center, grow house and maintenance building. This set the stage for expanded classes, camps, exhibitions, festivals and special events. But work was not done. In 2006, the Master Plan returned to the forefront of Arboretum attention, this time on the landscape design far into the future. World renowned landscape architect François Goffinet was hired to create this plan.

The Butterfly House opened to the public in the summer of 1998. At that time, it was one of only four such facilities in the United States. Now there are many butterfly houses and exhibits throughout the U.S. and the world, but Cox Arboretum MetroPark’s Butterfly House remained one of the few that exhibits all native butterflies.

An Iris Garden was dedicated in 2009, and an observation Tree Tower opened in 2012.

Today, as the arboretum celebrates its 50th anniversary, it remains a special place for visitors to escape among trees, shrubs, specialty gardens, mature forests, and prairies. The arboretum hosts year-round educational programs that teach children and adults about sustainable horticulture, plant science, and conservation. It has been developed to a degree so elevated from its origins as to leave in delighted disbelief those who had known the place, an almost barren one-time farm with badly depleted soil and a scattering of weed trees stretched out on the hills above the Miami River valley.

With community support and the additional funding provided by the 1994 levy, on January 1, 1995, through agreements with the City of Dayton and Miami Conservancy District, the Park District (MetroParks) added Deeds Point along with several other parks to its facilities to provide daily management, programming and security.

After taking on Deeds Point, MetroParks added some amenities as part of the RiverScape project in 2001, and then added additional enhancements in 2003 in conjunction with the Inventing Flight celebration, a 17-day community event celebrating the 100 anniversary of flight. The hub of the celebration was held at Deeds Point and the adjacent 12 acre park. A new pedestrian bridge was added across the Mad River connecting to RiverScape, as well as landscaping, lighting, and interpretive displays honoring our local aviation history. The Friendship Force of Dayton also installed a permanent Peace Pole at the park in time for the event.

Today, Deeds Point provides great views of Downtown Dayton and the adjacent rivers. An aviation timeline exhibit serves as an ongoing reminder of the importance of the Wright Brothers and Dayton to aviation history.

In 1990 Five Rivers MetroParks entered into a lease agreement with the City of Dayton to allow MetroParks to manage the Eastwood Park. This action was part of a district-wide effort by then director Marvin Olinsky to offer an opportunity to serve more inner-city residents, as well as its more traditional suburban clientele the existing parks were serving at the time. Olinksy envisioned a revitalized park with areas families could reserve for picnics and other outings; walking and hiking trails; day camps for youngsters; ice skating; more use of the bikeway; quiet areas for contemplation; community-type activities such as parades, hayrides and seasonal events; and expanded boating opportunities. “I see fishing derbies for the kids in the lagoon, canoeing and paddle-boating, ice skating in the winter, quiet areas for walking, more use for bicycling and jogging, day camps and picnicking,” Olinsky said. “It will be a park second to none, and open year-round.” Presence of the district’s law enforcement rangers and maintenance personnel cut down the amount of criminal activity and crowds started coming back.

1992 the lease extended to include Eastwood Lake, formerly called the Dayton Hydrobowl. Now the Mad River’s woodsy banks on both sides were part of the new nature reserve. Again, Olinsky had a dream. “I’d like to see clusters of trees growing here along the bank, chairs and tables with umbrellas, bright-colored banners, and the concession stand open daily for light breakfasts, lunches and dinners. People who don’t want to boat could sit and look out over the water, or read a newspaper,” Olinsky said. Work began almost immediately on making the lake a better place for outdoor recreation, including improvements to boat ramps and regulating powerboat speeds for safety. The district improved the roads through the park, planted trees, enhanced signage and generally cleaned up the area. “We removed about six tons of trash – a little over 12,000 pounds, of bottles, cans, old tires, 55-gallon drums and about anything you could imagine being dumped. It was just everywhere,” said then assistant director Tim Klagge.

Since then, the park district continues to make improvements to the park to improve both the recreational aspects and the habitats for native wildlife. Access to the Mad River for kayakers was added along with a changing station, and plans are underway for a whitewater structure in the river. A Creekside Bikeway extension is set to open in the park in May that will connect Wright Patterson Air Force base to the existing bikeway that connects the park to downtown Dayton. The park also has become the home of the annual Midwest Outdoor Experience, a celebration of active outdoors lifestyles in the Miami Valley.

The district’s conservation plan for the park is also paying off. Bald Eagles have been nesting nearby in the Mad River well field since 2009 and many other species have been making reappearance in the river and woodlands, such as beaver, otter, herons, osprey, shorebirds, and gulls.

Englewood Reserve was opened to the public on April 1, 1967. The land, part of the Stillwater River flood control system created in 1922 by the Miami Conservancy District, was leased in 1966 by Paul Lacouture, who was on the park district’s task force for buying land. He negotiated a lease contract with MCD to lease not only the Englewood land, but also the reserves surrounding the dams at Germantown, Taylorsville and Huffman for nature reserves that would be open to the public year round. MCD had been working with the park district since it was formed to plan recreational use of their lands, once needed for the dam construction process. In a 1964 study, it was suggested that Englewood would be an ideal location for an 18-hole golf course, an Old National Road historical attraction, fishing, boating and picnicking facilities and more while maintaining flood control.

The land included a stream valley, mid slopes and upland plain; 150 acres of water in two borrow pits (from which material was borrowed to construct the earthen dam) and partial cover of natural woodland and red and Scotch pine plantings providing an excellent habitat for many birds and other wildlife. It was bisected by the Stillwater River and adjacent to the Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm.

The park district began making improvements to the land including hiking and horseback riding trails, picnic areas, camping areas, as well as areas for small boats and fishing on the lakes. In winter there was ice skating and sledding. In 1968 they opened a riding center for horse enthusiasts and a canoe rental concession for those interested in getting on the water. They also offered camps for children each summer, including the long-lasting camp Thunderbird, the district’s first overnight camping experience led by Art Van Atta.

Since that time MetroParks have made several purchases of adjacent land protecting over 1900 acres from development, including woodlands, meadows, wetlands and three waterfalls. The park became so popular in the 1970s and 80s that it had to be closed at times for congestion. Other amenities continued to be added, including a sled hill, an 18-hole disc golf course, and a nature play area for children. In 2010, a low dam on the Stillwater river was removed to improve the habitat for fish populations. At one point, low dams — Englewood’s low dam was built in 1935 — were built nationwide with the thought they would create recreational space for waders and boaters. Instead, not only did the low dams present safety hazards with turbulent swift currents, they destroyed some of the ecological culture as well, lining the river bottoms to mushy silt and inhibiting fish. Along with removing the low dam, the river was lowered eight feet, which meant river access into and out of the lake also had to be adjusted. Prior to the inlet and outlet streams, Englewood Lake had no way to get fresh water.

Englewood MetroPark continues to be one of the most visited parks in the district today. The natural areas of the park contain floodplain forests, large areas of former farmland in natural succession, second growth upland hardwood forest, significant remnants of mature and old growth forest, a large shallow lake/wetland, several managed grasslands, and the scenic Stillwater River. The park also contains series of rehabilitated gravel quarry along Old Springfield Rd (North Park). Hiking and bridle trails lead visitors to some of its most spectacular features. The main road through the park is marked with a bike lane and offers scenic cycling and a connection to the regional Stillwater Bikeway.

Germantown Reserve was opened to the public on April 1, 1967. The land, part of the Twin Creek flood control system created in 1922 by the Miami Conservancy District, was leased in 1966 by Paul Lacouture, who was on the park district’s task force for buying land. He negotiated a lease contract with MCD to lease not only the Germantown land, but also the reserves surrounding the dams at Englewood, Taylorsville and Huffman for nature reserves that would be open to the public year round. MCD had been working with the park district since it was formed to plan recreational use of their lands, once needed for the dam construction process. In a 1964 study, it was suggested that Germantown would be an ideal location for nature exploration and recreation while maintaining flood control.

The rugged Twin Valley included uplands forested with virgin timber including Tulip, Oak, Hickory and Ash as well as midslopes and ravines featuring Butternut, Beech, Elm, Dogwood, Sugar Maple and Black Walnut. The flood prone bottomlands were home to Silver Maple, Sycamore, Box Elder and Cottonwood. It also included a beautiful stand of eastern red cedars, some especially large. This variety of habitats made the region an excellent home for a variety of native plant materials and wildlife.

The park district began making improvements to the land including hiking trails, picnic areas, fishing and camping areas.

The underground nature center was built in 1980. Designed to help visitors better understand the park’s outstanding natural features, the Nature Center is also as an environmentally friendly structure. The building is mostly underground and heated and cooled primarily by a heat pump system.

Efforts began on restoring hillside prairie habitats in 1982, after a small prairie remnant was discovered in the park. A prairie seed nursery was established on site in 1992 through a partnership with the Ohio Department of Transportation to grow native plants to decorate the state’s highways. A program that continues today, and that spurred wildflower `farming’ and restoration across all the MetroParks that originally had native prairies.

In 2009, the district opened their first backpacking trail stretching from Germantown to Twin Creek MetroPark. The Twin Valley Backpacking Trail combines the existing network of trails in Germantown and Twin Creek MetroParks with a connection to create a longer, more integrated trail system totaling over 43 miles throughout 2600 acres and secluded backcountry camping that allows everyone to experience the wilds of the Twin Valley.

Today, Germantown MetroPark is the most diverse and significant natural area managed by MetroParks. The size, quality, and age of the woodlands are exceptional. Steep topography and varied moisture gradients make for a variety of forest types and microhabitats. Many species of plants and animals here are found nowhere else in Montgomery County. The park also contains large open grasslands, cedar glades, dry hillside prairies, and all stages of natural succession, several ponds, and an exceptionally high quality stream, Twin Creek. The park also benefits from the fact that it still is surrounded largely by agricultural land and the wooded Twin Creek corridor.

Hills & Dales became a MetroPark in 1999. As part of their 2000 levy commitment, the district promised the community that they would take on and restore the neglected but historic park back to its former glory.

After years of construction and master planning, $4 million in improvements were unveiled to park goers in 2009, including new shelters in the Adirondack style of the original park, new restrooms, a restored Patterson monument, boardwalk, restored pond, extensive honeysuckle removal, playgrounds and increased monitoring and law enforcement. The park now feels like a ramble through a thickly wooded upstate New York forest, a visit to a bygone era when Adirondack architecture was all the rage, a place and mind-set where visitors became part of the landscape and weren’t there as intruders. It’s ideally suited for casual strolls and photography. The reservable shelters are among the most popular in the district.

Huffman Reserve was opened to the public on April 1, 1967. The land, part of the Mad River flood control system created in 1922 by the Miami Conservancy District, was leased in 1966 by Paul Lacouture, who was on the park district’s task force for buying land. He negotiated a lease contract with MCD to lease not only the Huffman land, but also the reserves surrounding the dams at Englewood, Taylorsville and Germantown for nature reserves that would be open to the public year round. MCD had been working with the park district since it was formed to plan recreational use of their lands, once needed for the dam construction process. In a 1964 study, it was suggested that Huffman would be an ideal location for picnicking, hiking and nature study while maintaining flood control. The 30 acre lake (which was created by removing earth for the construction of the dam) offered opportunities for fishing, small boats and ice skating in winter.

The Huffman land was almost surrounded by the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, meaning that enlarging it over time would be unlikely. The park district maximized the land they had, adding picnic areas, fishing and a boat launch on the eastern portion of the land in the Mad River flood plain. The flat land was mixed cover of woody vegetation and mowed grass areas perfect for Frisbee or volleyball at picnics.

Bisected by a busy Route 4, the western portion of the site consisted of relatively steep and swampy topography. This portion had been set aside for the motorcycling community by MCD in 1966. When the district took over the lands, this use was in direct conflict with the natural habitat preservation philosophy. A park district ranger counted over 800 motorcycles in the Huffman reservoir area in a single day in that first year. These motorcycles left mud holes, deep ruts and damaged vegetation, along with creating noise and air pollution. Because of the elevation, this portion of the park offered some of the most spectacular views – something the district wanted to share and protect, along with a fine stand of oak, maple and hickory trees. In 1969, the park board approved to reduce the area available to cyclists and separate it from the adjacent hillside and wooded valley with barriers in order to preserve the natural habitats for day camping, nature walks and interpretation. Cyclists, dirt bike users and other off-road vehicles continued to use their portion of this land until 1987 when a new master plan for the park was developed and adopted, barring such use due to the soil erosion, siltation of Huffman Lake and encroachment on adjacent private property that the activity was causing. This land then rested until 2007 when it was re-opened as the MetroParks Mountain Biking Area (MoMBA). The Mountain Biking Area was build with the help of more than 60 volunteers who put in close to 3,000 hours working in the woods building over 8 miles of sustainable trails for the kinder and gentler people-powered bikes, not motor-powered bikes of yester year.

Today Huffman MetroPark is managed for natural diversity, from the wooded meadows to the river bottom lands to some old growth forest located in the MoMBA section of the park. The habitats draw many migrating birds including many species of ducks, gulls, herons, song birds, woodpeckers, and birds of prey. Visitors to the park enjoy some of the best fishing in the region, as well as places to hike, picnic and mountain bike. Later this year, the Mad River Bikeway extension will connect the park to Eastwood and the 300+ mile regional bikeway network.

With community support and the additional funding provided by the 1994 levy, on January 1, 1995, through agreements with the City of Dayton and Miami Conservancy District, the Park District (MetroParks) added Island Park, along with Van Cleve Park, Deeds Point, Wesleyan Nature Center, Sunrise Park, Wegerzyn Horticultural Center and the river corridor areas to its facilities to provide daily management, programming and security. MetroParks started the rehabilitation of the park to protect the character set forth by Patterson & the Olmsted’s.

When the district took over maintenance, Island Park began its restoration, including new shelters, new restrooms, playgrounds and increased monitoring and law enforcement. They removed the decaying rows of benches that for more than 50 years gave listeners a place to sit for performances at the band shell. They protected the outstanding specimen trees of floodplain forests such as sycamore, cottonwood, burr, oak, American elm and their surroundings as a habitat for the many migratory birds and animals such as Beavers and soft-shell turtles.

The park now offers amenities needed for today’s active and healthy lifestyles as well. A partnership with the Greater Dayton Rowing Association offers rowing opportunism in the southern portion of the park, carrying on a 100 year old tradition of regattas on the river. The Great Miami River Bikeway runs through the park, connecting to a network of more than 300 miles of paved bike trails in the region. A portion of the National North Country Trail and Statewide Buckeye Trail, also traverse the park, offering thru hiker an urban oasis. People from all over the area gather for community events, picnics and family fun in the water play area. Nature lovers seek the beauty and peace of this oasis in the city.

Possum Creek is one of Five Rivers MetroParks’ earliest parks. Its scenic land was outlined in the Montgomery-Greene County Open Space Study Report of 1959 as a stream-side park that would serve Dayton’s southwestern metropolitan area. In early 1967, a master plan was finalized for a 550 acre tract of land in the area calling for a manmade lake, fishing ponds, nature trails a children’s farm, nature center, picnicking and day camping facilities on this rich bottom land traversed by the Possum Creek. At the time, the site already included about 6 miles of bridle and hiking trails as well as three fishing ponds and the remnants of an old amusement park called Argonne Forest Park. It also included rolling meadows, ponds and woodland. A nightclub, formerly known as the Chi Chi, also sat on the property. It was converted into Sycamore Lodge, to be used for social and educational functions, holding up to 300 people.

The lands acquired in the original purchase included a 150-year-old farm. District staff saw this farm as an opportunity to educate the public on the agricultural heritage of our region and began to make improvements the grounds to turn it into a rural life center, depicting an authentic and working farm of the 1880s. The buildings were stabilized, farm pond and orchards were added, and new roads were paved. In 1968, an open house was held on the farm. In the years that followed, Summertime and Wintertime on the Farm programs were added, as well as demonstrations of barn building and grain threshing. Schools began to send their students out for tours and demonstrations in the early 70s, and a partnership with 4H grew strong. The farm increased in popularity as a great place for children. Gardening programs were also offered, including community garden plots for those that did not have space of their own to garden and specialty programs for seniors.

The campsites in the park became very popular with scouts and local churches. The fishing lakes, however, were the most significant draw in the park – bringing in nearly 45,000 people in the first 5 years. In 1974, a community advisory committee was formed to help the district in planning and development in order to make the park more meaningful to the community. Sycamore Lodge was used regularly by groups like the 4H, local schools, even Miami University.

In 1977, an update was made to the original 1967 master plan. It called for further renovation of the farm, including the construction of picnic shelter, a bird blind, and to finally construct the man-made lake called for in the original plan. Other ideas included playgrounds, a man-made ice skating rink and a motorized minibike trail.

A new 15-acre lake, named Argonne Lake after the historic Argonne Park on the land, was dug in the late 1970s to meet the growing demand for recreational activities. It was intended to provide additional opportunities for fishing, as well as non-motorized boating, ice skating, picnicking or simply a place to relax. The new lake opened, along with a new shelter and restrooms in 1984.

In the 1990s, new innovative programming was added to the park’s offerings. Polly Possum’s Math Farm featured 15 stations, each offering information about one aspect of farm life. Stations included farm-related math problems with varying levels of difficulty. The math farm provided a hands-on learning environment for young people from kindergarten through high school. The staff also partnered with a local homeless shelter to offer camps for the children they served.

Possum Creek MetroPark’s significant natural features today include bottomland hardwood forests along Possum Creek, two mature beech woodlots, and numerous created ponds and wetlands. Over 100 acres of degraded farmland and dumps have been cleared and planted into native Ohio prairie. The prairie took years to establish, but now thrives on the poor ground. It is currently one of the largest and most diverse planted prairies in Ohio. The farm operations continue, although less emphasis is placed on historic farming and more on sustainable techniques in food production. It remains a popular place for fishing, camping and picnics.

Although the land that is now Possum Creek MetroPark has been dramatically changed by past land use, it stands today as a splendid example of what can be achieved with proper stewardship and restoration, and is a delightful place for the naturalist, hiker, or family.

With community support and the additional funding provided by the 1994 levy, on January 1, 1995, through agreements with the City of Dayton and Miami Conservancy District, the Park District (MetroParks) added Van Cleve Park, along with Deeds Point, Island Park, Wesleyan Nature Center, Sunrise Park, Wegerzyn Horticultural Center and river corridor areas to its facilities to provide daily management, programming and security.

The idea of RiverScape grew out of a strong yearning to reunite downtown Dayton and the Great Miami River. Since the levees were built through downtown to corral the river after the horrific flood of 1913, Dayton has struggled with its relationship to the Great Miami River. This beautiful waterway, flourishing with wildflowers and birds in the shelter of the levee, wound through downtown Dayton while most of us barely noticed it was there. The river corridor bikeway was begun in 1976 and eventually linked to cities throughout the region, yet there was still no solid link between the river and downtown. By the 1990s, people were clamoring to get down to the river.

Reclaiming the River
Downtown Dayton needed not only to reclaim the Great Miami River, but also to reclaim downtown. Suburban sprawl had left empty storefronts and abandoned warehouses throughout downtown. The newly formed Downtown Dayton Partnership (DDP) was charged with taking on that task. At the same time, Five Rivers MetroParks had taken over Van Cleve Park from the City of Dayton and was exploring what potential lay there at the top of the levee. Through surveys and meetings, the DDP quickly learned that the public thought the best way to bring people downtown was to enhance the river’s edge. MetroParks, which had hired Belgian landscape designer Francois Goffinet, learned that Van Cleve Park had the potential to provide a beautiful and exciting downtown park. With these two goals in mind, MetroParks and the DDP partnered with The Miami Conservancy District in 1997 to develop a master plan to reconnect downtown to the river and begin downtown revitalization.

RiverScape Partnership

These three organizations were soon joined by Montgomery County, the City of Dayton and the Miami Valley Regional Transit Authority (RTA) to establish the RiverScape partnership. Over $30 million was raised to fund the construction —over a third from private individuals and companies in a campaign led by David Holmes of Reynolds & Reynolds. Over the next four years, ten consultants and well over a dozen contractors worked to turn the vision into bricks and mortar, flowers and fountains. On May 19, 2001, the park opened to a crowd of 50,000, the largest crowd ever to gather in downtown Dayton. Crowds continued to grow at special events throughout the summer, but even on a Tuesday afternoon or a Sunday evening, the park bustled with hundreds of people from throughout the Miami Valley. Dayton had returned to the river.

Phased improvements
Over the next few years, RiverScape demonstrated its value as a stable urban space in Dayton where all segments of our community come together to celebrate our local pride and socialize in a unique and beautiful setting. It became known for breathtaking landscapes, interactive fountains and free entertainment along the banks of the Great Miami River, RiverScape MetroPark has become a favorite outdoor gathering place in downtown Dayton. To support the growing public interest, a master plan was created for the paved lot where the former Sears garage stood was. In 2009, ground was broken on a performance pavilion with a stage and covered seating for festivals, community events, free entertainment or just a relaxing lunch with friends. In the winter, the pavilion would house the ice rink, allowing for expanded hours. The project also included a new bike hub with secure bike storage, showers and lockers will provide a central location for downtown commuters going to work or play. The facility opened in June 2010.

Opened in 2017, the RiverScape River Run brings people closer to the river.  By removing a dangerous low dam, the River Run project has improved water safety, and provided a unique urban recreation opportunity by making it easier to access the river for a variety of activities. The RiverRun project completes a seven-mile stretch of paddling opportunities from Eastwood MetroPark to Carillon Park.

The completion of this phase, along with the previous three phases, will realize several of the significant features of the community’s grand river corridor plans going back to the 1970s, and strengthen Dayton’s bond with the rivers that made her.

As the park district was formed in 1963, they desired to find land to serve the fast-growing suburbs south of Dayton, but by the mid 1960’s, land prices in Centerville and Washington Township had already escalated beyond the reach of the young Park District’s budget. Sugarcreek MetroPark, in Greene County, was acquired in October 1966 to meet those needs.

The majority of Sugarcreek is made up of two major land purchases, made in December of 1966. Much of the park was once farmland. However, it also included a stream valley and flood plain, mid-slopes and upland plain on both sides of the Sugarcreek. Parts of land had interesting forest cover and abundant wildlife.

The district began making improvements to the land including hiking and horseback riding trails, picnic areas, shelter houses, and camping areas. In July 1968, the hiking and equestrian trails were opened to the public. By 1969, the Sugarcreek Riding Academy was opened to support the growing interest in horses. In 1980′s, an archery range was added in conjunction with a group of non-profit volunteers called the Sugarcreek Archers Inc., who maintained the facility and hosted special events.

Although the archery and riding centers are no more, the park’s now 618 acres of scenic natural beauty continue to offer visitors miles of year-round trails for hiking or trail running as well as bridle trails for the equestrians. Its trio of 500-year old white oaks, fossils, varied topography, tall grass prairie, meadows, and scenic Sugar Creek offer a respite from daily life from its thousands of annual visitors.

With community support and the additional funding provided by the 1994 levy, on January 1, 1995, through agreements with the City of Dayton and Miami Conservancy District, the Park District (MetroParks) added Sunrise Park, as well as Island Park, Van Cleve Park, Deeds Point, Wesleyan Nature Center, Wegerzyn Horticultural Center and river corridor areas to its facilities to provide daily management, programming and security.

After taking on the park, MetroParks staff went to work stabilizing the park, located where Wolf Creek meets the Great Miami River between Third and First streets. They landscaped with native plants like little bluestem, purple cornflower and oxeye sunflower to attract the birds, butterflies and other urban wildlife.

In 2003, the Wolf Creek bike trail was added through the park. This one-mile stretch links the recreation trail along the Great Miami River to the bikeway that runs along James H. McGee Boulevard. The same year, MetroParks also partnered with a Sinclair Foundation to create a small wildlife observation area in the park, adding Interpretive signs to aid visitors in viewing urban plant and animal life.

The aging Veteran’s Memorial Bridge over the Wolf Creek was replaced in 2010 as part of the city of Dayton’s citywide bridge replacement project. The span, designed by RW Armstrong and built by the Eagle Bridge Co., features an ornamental, neoclassic cable-stayed design with a V-shaped central tower and cables illuminated by LED technology. The new bridge replaces the classic concrete that was demolished in 2008 after 82 years of use. Architectural and historical elements of the old bridge have been saved and moved to the city of Dayton’s Friendship Park, which is adjacent to the south approach of the new bridge.

Today, Sunrise MetroPark is an excellent place to watch a surprising parade of wildlife including waterfowl, night herons, gulls, and sometimes bald eagles and ospreys, as well as watch the sunrise over downtown Dayton.

Taylorsville Reserve was opened to the public on April 1, 1967. The land, part of the Great Miami River flood control system created in 1922 by the Miami Conservancy District, was leased in 1966 by Paul Lacouture, who was on the park district’s task force for buying land. He negotiated a lease contract with MCD to lease not only the Taylorsville land, but also the reserves surrounding the dams at Germantown, Taylorsville and Huffman for nature reserves that would be open to the public year round. MCD had been working with the park district since it was formed to plan recreational use of their lands, once needed for the dam construction process. In a 1964 study, it was suggested that Taylorsville would be an ideal location for picnics, primitive camping, and hiking while maintaining flood control.

The upper Great Miami River valley at Taylorsville included a diverse area of floodplain and upland forest. It’s rugged eastern portion included an exposed limestone escarpment caused by an ever-flowing spring, and scenic wooded ravines sloping down to the river. The park district began making improvements to the land including additional hiking trails, picnic areas, fishing and camping areas as well as a higher level of maintenance, better surveillance and access to drinking water.

The district worked with the Ohio Buckeye Trail Association to establish a local segment of the Buckeye Trail in 1970′s through the western portion of the park. The rolling to rugged terrain of the park posed some erosion problems for the trails in the sloping east park. In 1979, the staff at Taylorsville developed a “Trail Saver” trough to carry excess water away after heavy rains. This system was used throughout the district for 30 years.

In the late 1980′s, a local chapter of the Civil Conservation Corps Alumni volunteered to repair and renovate the stone shelter in the eastern portion of the park. These volunteers contributed approximately 550 hours to the project and saved the park district thousands of dollars.

The enormous limestone outcrop in east park broke off in a rockslide in March 1984. 375 tons of 425 million-year-old limestone filled in a ravine and engulfed a 30 foot bridge. The slow, methodical combination of erosive powers (water, root penetration, freezing and thawing, and road vibrations) with a top heavy overhang caused this catastrophic rockslide of a seemingly stable valley wall. Remnants of the event can still be seen on the hiking trails.

The Great Miami bikeway construction began in a series of acquisitions and phases after the 1994 levy passage. The district planned to connect Taylorsville to Island MetroPark to the south where it connected with long-existing Horace M. Huffman Jr. River Corridor Bikeway. They also wanted to connect Taylorsville to the north to the county line, linking Tipp City, Troy and Piqua, all along the Great Miami River. In 2011, that finally became a reality when a new 2.5-mile section of the bikeway opened connecting Montgomery and Miami County. Two additional short links of the bikeway in Miami County will make it possible to go from Tipp City to Piqua by the end of 2013.

In 2010, “Trail Saver” troughs became a thing of the past when MetroParks embarked on a sustainable trail initiative that addressed the issues of trails suffering from erosion. The hiking trails in the east park of Taylorsville were the first to be completed in the district. The new and improved trails decreased erosion and harmful rainwater runoff that can compromise the quality of our waterways and by redesign how the trails go through the park, and created larger blocks of undisturbed habitat for wildlife.

Today the scenic forests of Taylorsville provide an interesting experience for both the hiker and bicyclist.

The land now known as Twin Creek MetroPark has been preserved through a series of acquisitions along the Twin Creek Corridor since 1977. The corridor is characterized by steep ravines that Twin Creek and Little Twin Creek have cut into a deep overburden of glacial sand left behind by the Ice Age. The rugged topography prevents farming and inhibits cattle grazing and lumbering. Left alone, old woods thrive, creek waters stay fresh and wildlife abounds.

In 1977 Dane Mutter, Assistant Director of the Park District at the time, learned that a 44-acre piece of land that contained part of the earthworks was for sale – this was separate from a 175 acre tract including some of the earthworks already owned by the Miami Conservancy District since 1973. Dane was a great naturalist and historian and wanted to protect the site. He arranged for the purchase of the site to protect the earthworks.

In 1986 the Park District started leasing the MCD tract. It needed some cleanup. A tenant in the small house on the property had a passion to collect old semi-trucks and some thirty or so of them were in various stages of rust decomposition at the base of the ravines. For the next several years the land was sort of a beautiful secret with no formal public access. Dave Nolin, who led MetroParks land stewardship, spent quite a bit of time exploring the “Fort Carlisle” area and came to realize that much of this beautiful area was not protected, and the site had great potential for a new park. Several additional parcels were acquired over the next few years, but to really do the job right he knew the park district needed a bolder vision.

The Park Board at the time was not very enthusiastic about taking on such a large new park, but the main problem was that they had never seen it. Director Marvin Olinsky and Deputy Director Charlie Shoemaker arranged for the Board to visit the site for their annual Board tour of the parks. Because the site was so remote and inaccessible, this was a challenge. Charlie made arrangements to rent a large helicopter and take the Board to the heart of the area where a broad meadow overlooked the winding Twin Creek. Commissioners Woodhull, Siebenthaler, and Leland stepped out into this beautiful spot and were convinced right away.

After that a plan had to be put together showing the land ownership of the area and a list of desired properties. After this it came down to contacting the individual landowners to see if they were interested in selling. Each owner had a completely different story and most of them are best described as colorful. While wandering around the area, Nolin came upon an impressive hilltop overlook. It was in corn at the time, but it seemed to him that this would be a great addition to the new park if it could acquired. After some negotiation it was purchased with the help of the Miami Conservancy District from the Weidle Corporation for a fair price in the spring of 1994. This location is now known as High View.

In 1996 the Boy Scouts decided to sell their large 267 acre Camp Hook on the south edge of MetroParks holdings. The camp had a long tradition of providing formative experiences for young people, but the facilities were becoming obsolete. MetroParks purchased the camp from the Scouts in 1997. Some components of the old camp have been retained and fixed up, but most of the obsolete infrastructure has been removed. The site is open for camping and hiking, and scouts still use and enjoy their old camp. With this addition, Twin Creek MetroPark grew to 972 acres.

This big beautiful natural area was very hard to access and no one really knew about it or had yet to appreciate it. Nolan received a call from a MetroParks volunteer named Bob Johnson, who was interested in doing some trail work. Nolan threw out the idea of designing and installing a trail system for Twin Creek. Bob had already designed the color-coded trail marking system in place at Germantown MetroPark and was anxious to try this at Twin Creek. As at Germantown, Bob laid out a series of colored loops of various lengths. With the help of staff, (particularly Assistant Park Manager Bob Slusser), and volunteers the new trail system was completed in 1998.

After the installation of two small parking lots everything was ready to go, and in 1998 the new Twin Creek MetroPark was opened to the public.

In 2009, the district opened their first backpacking trail stretching from Twin Creek to Germantown MetroPark. The Twin Valley Backpacking Trail combines the existing network of trails in Germantown and Twin Creek MetroParks with a connection to create a longer, more integrated trail system totaling over 43 miles throughout 2600 acres and secluded backcountry camping that allows everyone to experience the wilds of the Twin Valley.

Twin Creek MetroPark is now an outstanding natural area containing steep, wooded ravines containing mature forest with a diverse understory plant life, extensive areas of second growth forest, floodplain forest, several large managed grasslands, a large scenic pond, and the beautiful Twin Creek. It offers visitors panoramic views and miles of hiking and equestrian trails, as well as some of the best back country experiences in the region.

With community support and the additional funding provided by the 1994 levy, on January 1, 1995, through agreements with the City of Dayton and Miami Conservancy District, the Park District (MetroParks) added Wegerzyn Horticultural Center along with Island Park, Van Cleve Park, Deeds Point, Wesleyan Nature Center, Sunrise Park, and river corridor areas to its facilities to provide daily management, programming and security.

MetroParks soon assessed the entire Wegerzyn facility and the needs for additional staffing. Under the Park District, Wegerzyn Garden Center was transformed into Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark, with a professional staff of educators, horticulturalist, horticultural/park technicians, and administrative staff, all MetroParks employees. MetroParks also assumed the responsibility of maintenance and utilities, from the City, for the Wegerzyn “portion” of the building, and put in an elevator to meet ADA requirements among other building renovations. In 1997 Mr. Wegerzyn passed away and again he gave a sizable donation to support the park.

The Foundation had been working on the design of a children’s garden and conceptual drawings were approved by the Board of Park Commissioners in 2000. The following year, after a feasibility study, the Foundation began another capital campaign to build the children’s garden. Six months into the campaign 9-11 happened and funding was a struggle during the following years. Despite this set back, the garden became a reality and opened in 2006.

In addition to the beautiful formal gardens and the interactive Children’s Discovery Garden, today’s Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark contains an outstanding example of a swamp forest, mature woodlands along the Stillwater River, the rich aquatic life of the Stillwater River, a meadow, and two planted prairies. The Marie Aull Nature Trail is adorned by a stunning variety of trees and wildflowers, and provides many opportunities for spotting native birds and wildlife. The Wegerzyn Center remains dedicated to providing the people of the Miami Valley with learning experiences in gardening, horticulture, the environment, and urban land stewardship of the River Corridor.

With community support and the additional funding provided by the 1994 levy, on January 1, 1995, through agreements with the City of Dayton and Miami Conservancy District, the Park District (MetroParks) added Wesleyan Nature Center along with Island Park, Van Cleve Park, Deeds Point, Wegerzyn Horticultural Center, Sunrise Park, and river corridor areas to its facilities to provide daily management, programming and security.

The district saw the Wesleyan park, on the banks of the Wolf Creek, as a place to make wildlife much more accessible to residents in the western portion of the county and the parks surrounding urban neighborhoods – some of the region’s poorest. They envisioned building a bikeway along the creek linking Sycamore State Park, west of Trotwood, to the Great Miami River. Spin-off bikeways would connect the Wright Brothers Cycle Shop, the Paul Laurence Dunbar House and other parts of the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park. They also wanted to expand and refurbish the existing nature center, with its impressive views over the urban creek abounding with wildlife.

The first thing then Park Manager Jerry Jackson did was go up and down the streets, knocking on doors and introducing himself. Residents told him they’d been trying to get the city to tear down the basketball courts that were drawing rowdy teenagers from other neighborhoods. The courts were removed.

Through the PARKS 2000 initiative, the district installed playground equipment, better lighting, a picnic area and new restrooms, and performed significant cleaning, grading and seeding the grounds. In addition, overgrown vegetation was removed to open up the landscape for safety. Staff worked with local youth groups to make improvements and get them to appreciate the park. Children from the neighborhood cleaned up the grounds at Wesleyan every morning in the summer those first few years. It wasn’t all work. They also used the playground, walked the Wolf Creek nature trail and studied the wildlife and fossils in the Junior Naturalists Club. The district made a commitment to making the place a clean, safe park.

The district began to offer a regular lineup of activities and programs to the nature center to bring people back to the now clean and safe park. But Park district director Marvin Olinsky thought bigger – bigger scope, bigger community impact.

Olinksy had an idea to bring the 4H experiences that he had as a kid growing up in an urban neighborhood to the children of Wesleyan neighborhood near the park. He shared his idea with his wife, Chris, who’s an OSU Extension agent. He talked to OSU leaders such as Bob Moser, agricultural dean and vice president. He and others began building alliances with city and county officials, school administrators and neighborhood associations. There were 20 acres of woodland and green space to use for environmental education at Wesleyan easily accessible by car, bus, bike and foot – a perfect location for a new “nature center” utilizing these community partnerships. Adventure Central was born out of these partnerships, principally between Five Rivers MetroParks and Ohio State University’s 4-H Club program. But it also relied upon a network of friends and neighbors and help from organizations such as AmeriCorps.

MetroParks staff and 4-H leaders wanted to build a facility to meet the community’s needs, so they designed it by talking to kids and to neighbors. The result, opened in 2000, has an inviting interior, which is open, light and safe. It includes plenty of spaces for one-on-one homework help and group gatherings. There’s a kitchen, lockers for the kids, a place for a store to sell things kids make and more. Adventure Central began to offer a safe and stimulating environment for urban schoolchildren on a year-round basis.

Today, Adventure Central at Wesleyan MetroPark is an education center for youth ages 5-18. Adventure Central serves youth in West Dayton as a hub for out-of-school time programming to include after school programs, activity nights, day and overnight camps, as well as parent and family programs. Through this innovative partnership with Five Rivers MetroParks, Ohio State University Extension, and 4-H, participants spend time connecting with nature in a positive youth development context for the intended outcome of creating caring, capable, and contributing citizens of tomorrow.

The Wolf Creek Bikeway connection to the park was finalized in 2004 when the bridge over the creek was constructed, finally connecting both sides of the park. The bridge did not only benefit those on bike, but it provided access to the main part of the park for Adventure Central children. About the same time, MetroParks added about seven acres and two new woodland trails to the park. The Wolf Creek Bikeway continues to be pieced together, realizing the original vision to link Sycamore State Park, west of Trotwood, to the Great Miami River. Although the bikeway remains unconnected west of Little Richmond Rd, a western segment now extends well beyond Sycamore State Park to the border of Preble County. The eastern segment connects from the Great Miami through Wesleyan to Little Richmond.

Wesleyan MetroPark remains a popular place for picnics and strolls through the winding trails overlooking the Wolf Creek. It’s hard to believe this scenic, natural area is located within Dayton city limits. Beautiful woodlands, the river and wildlife bring urban residents close to nature. Plans are underway for significant enhancements to the playground in the summer of 2013.