Geauga Parks Recaps 2024 Projects, Looks to 2025

January 16, 2025 by Allison Wilson

Geauga Park District experienced a lot of progress and growth in 2024, Executive Director John Oros said in his State of the Parks address at the Geauga Township Association meeting Jan. 8.

“In terms of heightened responsibility to our residents, one of the things that we’ve really concentrated on, particularly in our capital improvements and getting these parklands open to you, is creating a sense of place in our parks and in our parks’ infrastructure,” he said.

There should be a different feeling at a lodge or on a trail at Swine Creek Reservation in Middlefield than at Veterans Legacy Woods in Newbury Township or Burton Wetlands or Claridon Woodlands, he said.

While Oros took a moment to highlight the new lodge at Veterans Legacy Woods, buildings were not his sole focus.

“I wanna site a couple projects, one we hope, in a lot of areas, will put us on the map in terms of a big restoration stream project we just did at Claridon Woodlands,” he said.

The project created 1,700 feet of cold water stream, enhanced three wetlands and 1,450 feet of warm water stream was restored, he said.

“Our goal here is to have one of the first introduction sites for the Native American brook trout,” Oros said. “Here in Geauga County, we have cold water habitat, cold water streams and so, we are hopeful that that will be some habitat and an ecosystem for native brook trout.”

Geauga is one of a few counties to have the Native American brook trout, he said — there is a small population in Cuyahoga County.

The park district also recently completed the Tulip Trail at The West Woods in Russell Township, Oros continued.

“It’s 1.2 miles, it’s at The West Woods on the Music Street side of The West Woods park. You will pass the second largest tulip tree in the state of Ohio,” he said, encouraging people to go out and look for it.

Some smaller projects completed in the last year include renovations to the plaza outside Claridon Woodlands, dam improvements on the pond and lakes at Claridon Woodlands, a revamp of the trail system at Veterans Legacy Woods and the installation of a rainbow bridge for deceased pets at Veterans Legacy Woods.

Asphalt paths at the Rookery and Orchard Hills in Chester Township have also been resurfaced and 119 acres have been donated to Observatory Park in Montville Township.

Statistically, in 2024, there were 754 public programs and events, which translated to park naturalists doing more than two programs a day, Oros said, adding these did not include 491 programs for groups such as Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and church youth groups.

Oros said 53,406 individuals attended naturalist programs, while 111,900 came through lodges and shelters for private events such as graduation parties or weddings.

Frohring Meadows in Bainbridge Township came in first place in terms of car traffic, at 50,000 cars through the park, with The West Woods taking second at 32,315 and Big Creek in Chardon coming in third at 31,635 cars, Oros said.

Looking to future projects, state capital funding has been secured for Beartown Lakes Reservation in Auburn Township and will go toward a new restroom, playground and amenities, he said.

“A play area will be for ages 2-5 and 5-12, new overlook, new (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessibility, upgrading the shelter, brand new restrooms, some patio space, some seating areas,” Oros recapped.

The project is overdue, he said.

“I was a brand new employee in 1994 and that’s when that project was built out,” he said.

Beartown Lakes will not be the only older park seeing some TLC, as projects are also planned for Big Creek, a new treehouse and improvements to the camping lean-tos and a picnic shelter among them.

Reforestation efforts also continue at Veterans Legacy Woods, where 25,000 trees will be planted, Oros said.