CENTERVILLE — The Centerville-Washington Park District has acquired 32 acres of natural habitat.
The parcel of land is located at the end of Zengel Drive — adjacent to Pleasant Hill Park, another property managed by the Park District — and was once proposed as a 98-home housing development by Ryan Homes.
The project was rejected by the city after fierce opposition from residents.
The acquisition of park land was made possible by the Clean Ohio FundGreen Space Conservation Program, according to a release. The Park District received an $803,250 grant to cover 75 percent of the acquisition price and initial land conservation efforts.
“Our mission is to preserve quality tracts of land for our community to enjoy now and well into the future,” Dan Monahan, President of the Board of Commissioners, said in a release. “This piece of land fits in well with our strategic focus and allows us to respond to the community’s desire to preserve open space in Centerville and Washington Township.”
The new park land will remain largely undeveloped. The Park District envisions the addition of pathways and trails with environmental interpretive signage.
Thanks to the Clean Ohio Fund grant funding, the Park District will be able to begin aggressively removing non-native invasive plant species, such as honeysuckle, and fell dead or dying trees that could be a safety concern.
The Centerville-Washington Park District operates eight community parks, nine nature parks, and 33 neighborhood parks encompassing more than 1,000 acres in Centerville and Washington Twp.
