YOUNGSTOWN — Justin Rogers, Mill Creek MetroParks planning and operations director, gave a review of 2024 capital improvements at the MetroParks meeting earlier this week at the Davis Center at Fellows Riverside Gardens.

“It was another banner year on top of the one last year. So we are excited,” Rogers told the park commissioners at the end of his presentation. He said the projects followed the MetroParks Master Plan, which extends out four to six years.

Among the bigger projects were road improvements, which had a budget of $350,000 for the year. Of the total, $107,367 came from Ohio Department of Transportation and Ohio Parks & Recreation Association funds.

He said three roads were resurfaced — Valley Drive from the Suspension Bridge to High Drive, all of Cohasset Drive and all of Lily Pond Drive.

Another $350,000 was budgeted for annual parking lot improvements, which were focused on the Mill Creek South Golf Course, including stormwater improvements, resurfacing and curbing. Some planting will be addressed later, Rogers said.

Improvements also were made to the asphalt at the MetroParks Farm, including seal coating, crack filling and pavement markings.

Annual trail improvements were budgeted for $250,000 this year and included the West Newport area of Mill Creek Park, about a quarter of a mile of improvements to equestrian trails at the Vickers Nature Preserve and a continuation of resurfacing of the MetroParks Bikeway (Kirk Road up to New Road), Rogers said.

There was $100,000 budgeted for annual pavilion/structure improvements, and they included upgrades to the stables, office and pavilion at Vickers Nature Preserve. Other projects under that category were replacement of the roof at the Par 3 golf course building at the Wick Recreation Area and the roof at the batting cages. Also last year were roof repairs or replacements at Lanterman’s Mill, the Morley Pavilion and golf course fieldhouse, Slippery Rock Pavilion and the park district administration office.

On $11,000 of endowment funds were used for new native plantings at the Mill Creek Golf Course near parking areas, as well as improvements to landscape areas.

At Lanterman’s Mill, using $11,000 of mill endowment funds, landscape improvements were made, and there will be repairs to sections of the mill’s roof, Rogers said.

Recently awarded was a contract to carry out $625,000 worth of improvements to Vickers Nature Preserve, including construction of a new indoor/outdoor four-season pavilion, trail improvements and native plantings.

“It will have open space for tables and chairs, rentals and programs there, kitchen, restroom,” Rogers said of the pavilion.

Mill Creek Wildlife Sanctuary Expansion Improvements are part of a $200,000 project to expand the sanctuary. Seventy five percent of the funding came through a Clean Ohio Conservation Fund grant, he said.

The project will result in improvements to the entry-drive parking area, trail improvements and habitat improvements. They include ecological restoration in the form of a prairie, planting native species,” Rogers said. The design is being completed for a 30-acre wetland restoration project, he added.

Under a budget of $20,000 are improvements to Collier Preserve, including habitat and site improvements, vegetative and invasive species control and accessibility improvements.

At Fellows Riverside Gardens, a $316,000 budget was set for improvements the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, upgrades and other work the Davis Education & Visitor’s Center, replacement roses throughout the rose garden; replacement of plantings at the labyrinth garden, resetting the bluestone trails, new vegetation, resetting pavers and steps throughout different areas, resetting the patio plaza around the gazebo and new planter boxes and painting, he said.

Some of that work continues into 2025, and $116,000 of the funding was from endowment funds. All of the parking-lot islands were planted this year, he said. The existing restroom in the parking lot was improved to make it a four-season restroom, and it will help with the Children’s Garden to be constructed in 2025.

The Wick Recreation Recreation Center opened this year and was “well received with a lot of rentals and concessions, ” he said. “Our recreation staff has been working out of (the center) team shop to facilitate a lot of our sports programs at the Wick Recreation Area,” Rogers said.

The cross country course at the MetroParks Farm opened in September, and it hosted two YSU meets right away that brought in college and high school athletes, he said. The 2027 Horizon League championship meet will be held there.

There were three new restroom projects completed this year, one at the golf course, one at the Newport Wetlands and one at East Golf Drive near Shields Road. Hawkins Marsh got trail improvements and invasive-plant treatment. The Children’s Garden design plans are nearly complete for Fellows Riverside Gardens, and bidding is expected in January, he said.

The park district’s Healthy Streams initiative that began in 2005 has continued to clear blockages in waterways “to allow it to function naturally and access the flood plain,” he said. The fish-stocking program continued in five places. And treatment of Hemlock Wolly Adelgid, Beech Leaf Disease and treatment of Lake Newport algae continued this year.

New sand was brought in for the sand volleyball courts along the Lily Pond, and new kayak racks were installed at the Newport Boat House. Pickleball courts were created at Volney and Yellow Creek Park, he said.

Rogers’ presentation is available at www.millcreekmetroparks.org/informative-presentations