The City of Beavercreek has been awarded with a half million-dollar federal grant, which the city will use to secure land to develop the city’s largest park.
Through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), the United States National Park Service’s Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) awarded the City of Beavercreek $503,000.
The city plans to use this money to purchase 100-acres of land from Miami Valley Research Park Foundation, located along Grange Hall Road, between Patterson and Shakertown Roads.
In total, the city plans to acquire 148 acres of land for the new park, making it more than two times larger than the city’s current largest park, Rotary Park. This plan will consist of two phases. City leaders will request an additional $235,000 in grants from the same fund in November 2021 to secure the remaining 48 acres. The city will be notified whether or not it received the second grant in mid-year 2022.
In 2019, the city conducted a community survey and asked residents about the city’s Parks, Recreation & Culture Division. Sixty percent of households reported a need for "large community parks.” A high percentage of residents also indicated they wanted to see more trail systems and open spaces in Beavercreek. This federal grant will allow the city to fulfill those requests.
“Resident feedback is critical in moving the City of Beavercreek in the right direction,” said City Manager, Pete Landrum. “The purchase of this land allows the city to protect Beavercreek’s natural resources, prevents commercial and residential development, and preserves green space for future generations to enjoy.”
The city will match the LWCF grant dollar-for-dollar. The city will use funding from park fees, money the city has collected from developers in Beavercreek.
“Park fees can only be used to purchase land for parks,” said Landrum. “Not a single taxpayer or levy dollar will be used for the city’s local match to purchase this land.”
Once all funding is received and the purchase of land is finalized, the city will create a master plan for the use of park space.