Season Brings Flurry of Development in Thompson

April 14, 2021 by Kathy McClure

Just like spring flowers pop up after a long dreary winter, patience and perseverance is giving way to new growth in Thompson Township.

Three major projects that have been in the works for some time are finally coming to fruition. Lily of the Valley Campgrounds was recently sold, the former Ledgemont High School building has been sold for a second time and Thompson Ledges Township Park is getting new walking trails. 

Camp Gets New Life

For some time, Thompson residents have expressed a desire to see improvements to the campground at the foot of Ledge Hill on Thompson Road.

The former Richards Camp was purchased in 2001 and became an eyesore as a collection of used vehicles and trailers were deposited there.

“The sore spot with me is that it should not have been possible to have permanent residents at a campground,” said Thompson Township Trustee Frank Sirna. “It was never intended for that purpose.”

Year-round living came with its own set of problems — ones that could not be solved through township ordinances. Zoning regulations were the sole tools left to the trustees and those only went so far, Sirna said.

Don and Cheryl Arnold, then owners of the Grand River Valley Campground on Ledge Road, expressed an interest in purchasing the 46-acre campground in 2017. Their dream became a reality April 12, said Cheryl.

The Arnolds have been heralded far and wide for their management and improvement of the Grand River Valley Campground, winning The Kampgrounds of America Rising Star Award in 2019 and the KOA Presidents Award and Founders Award in 2021.

This spring, KOA made them a deal they could not refuse and purchased the GRV campground from them in March.

Now free to focus on their campground property in Huntsburg Township on state Route 322 called Highland Acres RV Resort, the Arnolds could pour themselves into this new Thompson venture.

The park will be seasonal and appeal to campers to park their RV for the season and visit from May to October, Cheryl said, adding they will not foster the short-term travel stays that KOA is designed to handle.

She said the cleanup of the property will take time.

“We are open to community involvement in this restoration and want to make this as inviting and exciting to the township as possible,” she said.

Sirna added, “I’m extremely pleased (about the purchase). I see a very complimentary relationship between the new campground and the Ledge Park across the street. The township will help in any way we can.”

While long-range plans for the camp are still in the works, the Arnolds said they want to present a successful business that has all the hallmarks of beauty and pride they have put into their other properties.

Statista reported in 2019, 47 million people participated in tent camping, recreational vehicle camping or backyard camping and over $3 million is spent each year for equipment and supplies.

Even as camping trips were postponed during COVID-19, nearly half of campers say they will rebook their trip as soon as restrictions are lifted, according to KOA.

In the Arnolds’ case, their business actually went up in 2020.

“People preferred their self-contained lifestyle that camps provide,” Cheryl said. “Our start was late due to the governor’s restrictions, but overall, business boomed.”

Hemly Tool Buys Former School

Chris Hyatt, owner of Hemly Tool Supply in Thompson, is a visionary entrepreneur, having purchased the former Crandall Ford dealership building in 2019 and renovating it to house his carbide industrial products and precision cutting tool business. He also built a 24,000-square-foot retail operation.

The full-service hardware and agricultural supply center has been “phenomenally successful,” he said.

“The streamlined operation with the businesses next door to each other has been great. Employees are happy, morale is high and we are happy,” Hyatt said.

His success caught the eye of Jean Makesh, CEO of The Lantern Assisted Living facilities who also owned the former Ledgemont High School building. Hyatt said Makesh was so impressed by the Hemly renovations, it sparked conversation that ultimately lead Hyatt, a former Ledgemont High school graduate, to buy the school building for future use.

He officially purchased the school — which was heading toward serious decay and disarray — on March 31.

“I can see past (the decay),” Hyatt said. “I never thought I would buy my own high school. We will spend the summer cleaning up the outside and making necessary improvements like roof leaks, but I am confident we will not be tearing it down. I love projects like this and I am eager to brainstorm its use. Once we get past dealing with COVID fallout and interrupted supply chains, we will focus on this. It will take a year or so before residents will see a lot of action, but it’s coming.”

Plan For Walking Trails Set in Motion

Thompson is home to one of the most unique and beautiful park sites in Geauga County.

The sandstone shale formations of Ledges Park on Thompson Road were formed hundreds of millions of years ago and are known as the Sharon Conglomerate, according to the park’s history.

These formations drop from near the center of town down through a shaded woodland area and park that has two levels, which has been used for hiking, picnicking and town gatherings.

Thompson Township Park Board — an independent entity that receives tax dollars, as well as donations, such as for the building and library known as the Frances Spatz Leighton Nature and Learning Center — manages Ledges Park.

Within the last year, the board designed and built an observation tower and deck that overlooks the park and its shale formations, as well as offers a view to the eastern horizon. With help from the Geauga Park District and Lake Metroparks, the park board was able to design and install several boardwalks to improve maneuverability.

Board member Mike Kuehn spearheaded a map project (see map) to define and build trails for improved navigation.

These dirt and gravel trails are currently 50% complete and work is underway to continue to build and mark them. Future plans may be to add historic facts along the way, Kuehn said.

A great deal of Ledges Park — some 60 acres — exists on the north side of Thompson Road and the park board is exploring different ways to possibly expand on that land, as well, he said, adding a highlight of that parcel is a waterfall and one idea being floated is to build a bridge to connect the two sections with a walking bridge over Thompson Road.

The Geauga County Engineer’s Office has designs in the works should funding materialize and this could connect the park to the new Geauga County Library branch in Thompson Township, Kuehn said.

He is proud to report recent improvements to the park have included 15 recycled picnic tables that can be fully disinfected for safe use.

The Geauga Soil and Water Conservation District is working on a state grant for operational funding, as well, he said.