During their Monday, July 24, meeting, Beavercreek City Council passed Resolution 23-41 to place a park levy on the Nov. 7, 2023 ballot. Funds generated from the continuous 1.93 mills levy will be utilized for the development of Spring House Park, the city's newest and largest park, as well as maintain the city’s existing 23 parks.
Spring House Park’s master plan, adopted by city council in May 2023, was developed collaboratively with the help of Brandstetter Carroll, Inc., parks staff, and community input. The estimated cost for a complete build out of the park’s master plan is $36 million. City council considered three levy options that would fund part or all of the amenities included in the master plan. The 1.93 mills park levy will fund a significant portion of the development costs, amounting to approximately $29 million. This includes $17 million for infrastructure projects, such as land preparation, water and electric system establishment, road and parking area construction, and other necessary utilities. The city will apply for grant funding to cover the remaining costs.
Based on current cost estimates, the funds will be utilized to build and maintain natural areas, hiking trails (both unpaved and paved), three playgrounds, eight shelters, a splash pad, dog park, disc golf course, twelve pickleball courts, multipurpose fields, basketball courts, outdoor fitness area, event space, great lawn, fishing dock, archery range, four restrooms, and seven parking lots.
The park’s master plan was created based on residents’ input. Through two open houses and an online survey, more than 150 participants and over 2,100 respondents shared their preferences for the park. The desired features, such as natural areas, hiking trails, an all-access playground, picnic shelters, a splash pad, paved trails, a dog park, disc golf, an outdoor stage, and sports fields, were all incorporated into the park’s master plan.
The creation of Spring House Park stems from a community-wide survey conducted in 2019, which revealed that 60% of respondents expressed a desire for larger community parks. Additionally, a significant number of residents advocated for more trail systems and open spaces in Beavercreek.
The city acquired the property for Spring House Park after receiving a $738,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, facilitated by the United States National Park Service's Land and Water Conservation Fund. The city utilized park fees collected from developments within Beavercreek, which are exclusively dedicated to acquiring parkland to match the grant.
In addition to the development of Spring House Park, the proposed park levy would support Beavercreek's existing parks. The city will utilize funds from the levy to hire 10 additional full-time employees, including five maintenance workers and two recreation programmers, as well as a building attendant, mechanic, and Beavercreek Senior Center coordinator.
If approved, the levy would raise property taxes beginning in 2024 by $68 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s appraised value. The city would then begin the bidding process and start construction by late 2024. For more information about the project and updates, visit beavercreekohio.gov/springhousepark.
