Group looks to taxpayers for cash to help parks

Sept. 30--By DAVE DELUCA

Staff Writer

[email protected]

AUSTINBURG -- Ashtabula County Metroparks is hoping a levy on the November ballot will keep the park district afloat.

The proposed 1/2-mill, five-year, operating and improvement levy will help support its operating budget. This is the first year People for Parks Ashtabula County has asked taxpayers for funding.

Levy money will be used to pursue grants and matching funds which were previously not attainable; maintain and improve the parks; improve and open about 600 acres to the public, and provide programs for recreation and nature education.

Larrie Puraty, spokesman for People for Parks, said the district's lands are maintained solely by volunteers.

"In its 1,000 acres of holdings, the land is maintained by a volunteer group calling themselves the Over the Hill Gang," Puraty said. "They range in age from 60 to 92. We appreciate their sacrifice, but they donate their time, tools, gas and other things. "

Puraty said a 92-year-old volunteer even donated land to the Graham Road Covered Bridge holdings.

"It's difficult to operate a district this large with so few resources," Puraty said. "The way things are, it may be difficult to pay insurance next year for the volunteers. With a levy, we can do more and go for grant funding."

People for Parks wants to pursue grants for Metroparks land development. Clean Ohio grants require a 20 percent match of local funds to qualify for the other 80 percent. A $640,000 investment could bring $2.56 million in funding to the district.

"Because of the county's economic demographics, we qualify for grants if we were to reach the minimum threshold," he said. "When we do not fund our Metroparks, those millions of dollars go to other parks in the state.

"This levy would generate millions more than the money it could raise directly."

Recreational tourism is big in Ohio, with some $17.4 billion spent per year. Of that, increasing amounts are spent in Ashtabula County. The levy money will help improve 600 more acres of developed park land.

"A group at the Harpersfield Covered Bridge would like better parking facilities, hiking and plant identification trails, security upgrades and playground equipment," Puraty said. "We believe seed money from the levy will make it possible to get grants and help these groups improve their communities' parks."

Levy supporters hope to bring Ashtabula County fully into the state tourism industry to promote local communities, businesses and nature activities.

The proposed levy would cost the owner of a $100,000 home around $15 per year, or $1.28 per month.

"Throughout the county there's value in passing this levy," he said. "We could develop formerly undeveloped lands with it."

Ashtabula County Metroparks hopes to develop eight areas. The North Shore Trail would connect Lake Erie</location> with the Western Reserve Greenway Trail in Ashtabula. Blakesly Road, near Conneaut Creek, has 115 acres of fishing, hiking and scenic views that could be developed.

"Blakesly Road has over 4,000 feet of Conneaut Creek frontage but there is no access," he said. "It needs a parking lot, dedicated trails, signage and restroom facilities."

Hatches Corners in Conneaut has 205 acres of undeveloped hunting, hiking and scenic lands. Battles Road in Plymouth Township has five acres of undeveloped land with a pond. Lampson Reservoir in Jefferson Township has 10 acres of hiking, fishing and hunting land that could be developed.

"Lampson Reservoir and Eyring Wetlands are in a similar situation," he said. "Most counties would love to have assets like these. The problem is we don't have the funds to develop them."

The Eyring Wetlands off of Austinburg-Mechanicsville Road has 28 acres of undeveloped lands featuring wildlife viewing and photography opportunities. In Dorset, the Grand Lakes features 60 acres of undeveloped land with two ponds. In Dorset Township, the Pymatuning Valley Greenway hopes to link Dorset with the Pennsylvania line.

"The People for Parks Ashtabula feels if the levy passes, we will develop a larger volunteer base and help communities have a say in what development projects move forward," he said. "The money generated will pursue grants and matching funds, depending on the project."

Puraty said he has been to Ashtabula and Geneva City Council meetings and both communities passed resolutions in favor of the levy.

"I've gone door to door and talked to literally 1,000 people," he said. "When they hear what this levy could do for our green spaces and what it could mean to the county, they all support it."

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