Parks and Recreation

September 24, 2015 by Staff Report

GEAUGA PARK DISTRICT

For more information on these programs, contact the park district at 440-286-9516 or visit them online at www.geaugaparkdistrict.org.

Get the Scoop on Spiders

Sept. 27

Nature Knowledge: Spiders is from 2-2:45 p.m., followed by Spider Search from 3-4 p.m. at The West Woods, 9465 Kinsman Road in Russell Township.

Increase one’s understanding of spiders with education, pictures and anecdotes from naturalist Nora Sindelar. Then, the group will grab some nets and head outside to search and scoop for spiders.

Registration is not required for either program.

Total Lunar Eclipse

Sept. 27, 8 p.m. to 12 a.m.

Don’t miss the chance to witness a total lunar eclipse at Observatory Park, 10610 Clay St. in Montville Township.

The show should start around 8:40 p.m. when the edge of Earth’s shadow, or penumbra, begins to brush the moon. Park telescopes will be available for up-close viewing of the full moon and any other visible targets in the night sky. Then, watch when the moon vanishes under shadow between 10 and 11:30 p.m.

Visitors will also have the chance to participate in a citizen science project by recording the times when various lunar craters are enveloped in shadow.

Park Closures

Geauga Park District’s Observatory Park will be closed to the public for certain days in November, December and January, and Big Creek Park will be closed two days in December, for the purpose of the park district’s controlled hunting program.

To ensure safety while the parks are closed, rangers will block public entrance to Observatory Park on Nov. 21 and 22 for youth gun season and Nov. 30 through Dec. 6 for shotgun season; to Big Creek Park on Dec. 28 and 29 for shotgun season; and to Observatory Park again Jan. 9-12 for muzzleloader season.

Controlled hunting has been used since the 2007-08 season to maintain healthy, balanced populations of plants and animals on park district properties. Time has proven it a viable management tool and a proactive approach to the park district’s mission. Learn more about the program at http://bit.ly/gpdhunting.

All Geauga Park District buildings will also be closed Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day; unscheduled closures are always posted on WKYC and WEWS in Cleveland.