“This park is a place where families can play, learn and explore together,” said Leann Castillo, director of the recently merged Clark County Park District and National Trail Parks and Recreation District.
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
She also touted Riley RiverPlay’s “future observation deck overlooking the Mad (River), parking for our visitors and a launch area for canoes and kayaks.”
The reserve is named after and pays tribute to the family of Jennifer Riley Duncan. She spent her youth on the property and talked about how special the land was to her and her family.
“This was essentially a place where my family gathered, whether that was weddings or family events, there were good memories here” Duncan said.
The addition of the reserve, the 14th in Clark County, brings the park district’s total acreage to more than 2,000 within 31 parks and facilities, Castillo said.
Riley RiverPlay includes a quarter-mile stretch of protected riverfront.
The summer home that was first purchased when Duncan was only 9 years old has been removed.
“When I had the choice between the house and the park, I chose the park because I felt like the community needed this,” Duncan said.
She remembered how much fun the land was for her and her family, detailing times like playing on the river and annual canoe trips.
Duncan, who now resides in Oregon, felt happy to share this space with her former community.
“Living in Oregon and seeing their big appreciation for nature, with public access to all nature parks and reserves, I wanted to Springfield to have this, too,” she said.
The River Road property was acquired by the Clark County Park District in the summer of 2022 through a $323,000 Clean Ohio grant in the Greenspace Conservation Program. The fund helps to restore, protect and connect Ohio’s natural and urban areas by preserving green space and farmland, improving outdoor recreation and revitalizing communities. The grant funded the land purchase and will help pay for the boat launch and parking lot work.
The park district’s local match includes contributing its services by clearing the land of the invasive species.
At the dedication event, Castillo celebrated getting to this point but looked ahead to the future of the reserve, too.
“The Riley RiverPlay Reserve is a very exciting project that will continue to develop over this year,” she said.
Castillo thanked park staff who “cut trails, removed the invasive honeysuckle and tree of heaven, planted a prairie, created a nature playground, designed and constructed the park entrance sign and maintained the property. Because of these staff members, this addition to the park district is now available for all of our community members to enjoy.”
According to the Clark County Park District website, the park eventually will offer:
— 2 miles of hiking trails that wind through lush woodlands, meadows and prairies;
— a boat launch and observation deck to be built for water enthusiasts and bird watchers; and
— a nature playground tucked away in a grove of spruce trees that promises to be “an adventure haven for the little ones.”
Castillo said the reserve will be good for launching canoes and kayaks as well as being a spot for fishing.
Both Duncan and Castillo are excited for the community to enjoy what the reserve has to offer.
“We have a new gathering place for families to explore and enjoy, I know Jennifer wanted people to be able to foster the same fun memories that she did growing up” Castillo said.
The reserve is the biggest project so far following the May merger of the parks systems. Castillo talked positively about the transition.
“Everything has become smooth with the utilization of more resources and opportunities since the merger,” she said.
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