Ashland County Park District offers affordable summer opportunities
Summer has arrived. Children are out of school and soon telling you they are bored. Gas prices have skyrocketed giving you second thoughts on that long dreamed of vacation. What to do now? Consider a “parkation”!
The Ashland County Park District is made up of 18 unique parks. Each park has its own “personality” with amazing natural features. Some include an old-growth forest, native grasslands, wetlands, spring-fed ponds, miles of walking trails, fishing ponds, bird-observation decks, river access for canoeing and most have playgrounds and pavilions.
Dogs are allowed at all parks with the exception of Crall Woods. We do ask you have them under control or on a leash and remove any “gifts” they may leave. All parks are within reasonable driving distance of Ashland and are open dawn to dusk with free access.
Our most recently acquired park, Hrouda Woods, is an 18-acre park with wooded ravines. This land was acquired through the Clean Ohio application. The Hrouda family wanted this area to be preserved and protected. This park is not open at this time until trails can be developed. Visit our website at www.ashlandcountyparks.com for information about each of our parks, their locations, and specific amenities.
What’s happening this summer? I’m glad you asked!
There is still time to participate in our Spring Fishing Challenge, “Get Hooked”.
This event began April 1 and runs through June 30. You are invited to fish the ponds listed on the application that you can download from our website. The application lists the parks and number of ponds at each location All ponds are catch and release. Licenses are not required for the pond fishing, but a license is required for the river access fishing at River Walk Natural Area. What a great way to spend time with the family as you explore the seven parks on the fishing challenge list. Pack a picnic lunch and make a day of it!
Monthly Photography Contest
Bring your camera along! Submit your photos of the parks each month for a chance to win a prize! You must be 10 years or older to enter and photos must be taken in the Ashland County Park District. Deadlines to receive photos each month is the 15. This contest runs through December 15. Find full details on our website.
Monthly Bird Walks
Bring the family and join us each month at Byers Woods for an informative and fun couple of hours on a bird walk. Such a great way to get closer to our feathered friends. Mark June 25 on your calendar for sure! Between 11:30-12:30 p.m. enjoy a bird and butterfly walk at Byers Woods.
Additional park walks with volunteer Denis Brown are listed on the calendar of events. These take place on the first Saturday of the month. July 2 join Denise at Sprinkle Serenity (336 Township Rd. 581 Sullivan). The walk begins at 10 a.m. The length of each walk is determined by the trails available.
Night Hike on July 15, 8 p.m.-9 p.m. at Byers Woods: Bring a flashlight as you search for spiders, frogs, owls, and more! Each participant will be entered in a raffle to win a black light flashlight to continue their nighttime exploration.
Sauers Farm Park
June 24 beginning at 6 p.m. and June 25 beginning at 3 p.m., enjoy a gospel singing event sponsored by Independence Celebration. This event is held each year in the century barn. Free admission. Food is available by donation. I have been told there are groups coming from as far away as Alabama and Tennessee.
ACPD Booths
Find our booth at summer events such as BalloonFest, June 23 through 25 at Freer Field. Lots of information to be had. Find us again at the Ashland County Fair in September.
Project Everybody Rides
This program provides adaptive bikes for people with special needs or disabilities. Check the website for more details.
Volunteer
Volunteers play a critical role in the daily operation of our parks. They contribute time, energy and knowledge to help conduct programs and events. It’s a great way to give back to your community. For more information, please check out the “Become a Volunteer” section of our website. Make it a family event. Teach your children by example.
For more information, please visit our website www.ashlandcountyparks.com or call the office at 419-289-3524. The office manager is generally there from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. You can leave a message if necessary and someone will return your call at the next available business hour.
We look forward to seeing you at one of our parks over the summer! Let us know how we are doing! Have a great summer, be safe, have loads of fun!
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Spend your summer at the Ashland County Park District parks
