YOUNGSTOWN — State Rep. Lauren McNally, D-Youngstown, has offered to mediate a resolution to the dispute over the condition of the former pond in the William Holmes McGuffey Wildlife Preserve in Coitsville.

McNally wrote a letter to Mill Creek MetroParks on Sept. 29 offering to work with the MetroParks and the William Holmes McGuffey Historical Society to return the pond and dock to the condition it was years ago.

McNally’s letter quotes the historical society in stating that the MetroParks, which owns the property, “allowed the McGuffey Family Pond to turn into a wetland and removed the dock in 2022, due to lack of routine maintenance.”

The historical society turned over the preserve to the MetroParks decades ago.

“I am asking you to reconsider your decision to allow the McGuffey Family Pond and Dock to fall into disrepair and ‘return to nature,'”McNally’s letter states.

“This decision has robbed neighbors and community organizations from the ability to experience and interact with this rare asset. Mill Creek Park was created for the people. From the outreach I’ve received, it seems like the people were not taken into consideration when your decision was made.

“We need to find a pathway forward that is acceptable for everyone this is affecting. I’d be happy to help facilitate a public forum to discuss the issue from all angles.”

Aaron Young, MetroParks executive director, replied to a request for comment by acknowledging that the MetroParks received McNally’s letter but said, “The position of the Board of Park Commissioners on this matter remains unchanged. The McGuffey Wildlife Preserve is open and available to all who choose to visit.”

McNally’s letter states that the preserve is a “National Historic Landmark, which is a very rare designation, granted by the U.S. Department of Interior National Park Service. The facility includes seventy-three acres and is the former homestead of nationally known author and educator, William Holmes McGuffey. The McGuffey Eclectic Readers, published in 1836 and still in print, taught generations of Americans how to read.”

The letter adds that the “park district claims that it has no obligation to restore, maintain and preserve the McGuffey Family Pond and Dock. Many stakeholders disagree. Advocates for the facility’s complete restoration include the Mahoning County commissioners, state Sen. Mike Rulli, superintendents of Campbell and Lowellville, the Boys and Girls Club of Youngstown and Isle / Purple Cat.” The letter also pointed out that U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Marietta, recently issued a statement citing the importance of the McGuffey National Historic Landmark.

McNally’s letter ends by stating that the “Ohio Department of Natural Resources has offered to assume ownership or co-manage the preserve with the park district as a state nature preserve. The park district has declined this proposal.”

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