More than a century ago when these lands were set aside, this area was not heavily populated. However, community members knew that these special locations needed to be safe guarded and protected from development.
This region of Ohio would be very different today if some of our unique areas had not been preserved.
What if a water bottling company had set up a factory over the yellow spring? What if the cliffs in Veterans Park, the waterfall in Fern Cliff or the climbing cliffs at Mad River Gorge had become limestone quarries instead of becoming parks? Or if subdivisions had been constructed in George Rogers Clark Park and the old growth trees were gone? What if houses had been built along the banks of the creek through Snyder Park?
Our communities would be so different now if these places had not been saved.
Oh there were lots of things they didn’t save that should have been. The Enon Adena Mound wasn’t the only mound in Clark County 200 years ago.
If you look at the first surveys of this county you can find scores of Adena and Hopewell mounds that were leveled for construction, roadways or the gravel within them. Only a few remain.
Yet we should be still thankful for the good decisions that were made by our ancestors. And wise planning has continued.
When the fairgrounds were moved, instead of filling those 49 acres with more houses, Davy Moore Park was created. Thousands of kids have benefited from playing softball, baseball, basketball, football, and enjoying the playground and picnic shelters there over the years.
The efforts expended to build the bikeways from railways has created multiuse trails that connect our parks and provided a place to ride bicycles, rollerblade and run distances away from busy traffic.
Smith Park in New Carlisle and Settlers Park in Enon both have such nice benefits and uses.
Last week when the Enon Village Council and the Mad River Township Trustees announced that they had jointly purchased 60 acres that would eventually become a sports park, my heart was happy.
It’ll be even bigger than Davy Moore Park or the recreational area of Snyder Park and it will be within walking distance of many of us. I hope the sports fields lost when the schools were built can be relocated there.
These sports parks are marvelous investments in a community. They give our young folks a place where they can play on organized teams or just ramble free. Kids of all ages enjoy the playgrounds and seniors will have a safe place to stretch their legs. And they bring in out-of-town customers for our businesses.
Yes, there will be development, maintenance, and patrolling costs but township and village will share those burdens. I have a feeling that corporate and private donations and sponsorship will make this a true community endeavor.
Locating the park near the well field is a good move in my opinion. It will protect it from heavy development and I’m sure there will be more trees than there were when these acres were fields. I’m a tree hugger at heart.
I’ve been reading comments on Facebook, and listening to folks in the Enon area. I’m sure that the village and township officials will be receptive to community input as the project develops.
Since the land has just recently been purchased and the basic plan has just been revealed, I hope community members will be patient. Project planning for such an ambitious venture will take time. Mull this over and discuss. What would you love to see there?
Someday in the future I feel that western Clark County families will thank these officials for having the foresight to set this large piece of land aside for sports and recreation. Our kids will be better for it.
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