Kayak launch, shelter houses, disc golf planned

CELINA - Kayak launch pads, a bevy of shelter houses, a disc golf area and even more playground equipment are in store in the very near future for Celina parks should the city receive a $500,0000 grant.

City council members this week acted on a resolution authorizing mayor Jeff Hazel to apply to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Land and Water Conservation Fund grant program for outdoor recreation projects at the Bryson Park District and Eastview and Westview parks.

If the city receives the grant, it must pony up a $500,000 match, providing a total of $1 million for park improvement projects. The grant is highly competitive, but just last year city officials successfully captured a similar $500,000 ODNR grant.

Grand Lake Rotarian and grant writer Jim Mustard will once again play a key role in completing the application.

"The projects that are in this application are the result of city officials, representatives of organized and informal groups and simply one-on-one conversations," Mustard told the newspaper. "Further I have spent several years just watching and listening to people react to the park sites as well as just listening to conversations at the next table in a restaurant or other location."

At the Bryson Park District along Lake Shore Drive, plans call for building multiple shelter houses, one of which would honor Celina's sister city by containing clay tiles brought over by dignitaries of Minamiawaji, Japan, Hazel said. Existing shelter houses would be reroofed.

The most exciting proposed feature, though, is creation of kayak and canoe launch pads at the hot water hole and Pullman Bay Park within the Bryson Park District.

"They're both ideal for kayak launches, and we know ODNR really likes those," Hazel noted.

Westview Park would be enhanced through the addition of more playground equipment, shelter houses and an overhaul of the skateboard park spearheaded by local skateboarders nearly a decade ago. They raised about $35,000 while the city contributed $11,000 from a natural gas aggregation program and secured a $10,000 Tony Hawk Foundation grant. The city also chipped in with in-kind labor equaling close to $15,000 in wages and benefits.

Council president Jason King at a recent meeting read aloud a letter from a local skateboarder who noted the presence of several cracks in the skating features, making it difficult to attempt tricks and requested the city add a new half-pipe and ramps.

For Eastview Park, officials have proposed installing more playground equipment.  

"And we're going to move as much (existing) equipment out of the middle of the park up closer to the challenge course area to make that more of an (area) for kids," he said.

Officials also would add a restroom to make the area more accommodating for families.

"Young children, if they're potty training, they're going to have to go to the restroom quicker, and they shouldn't have to walk to the other side of the park," Hazel said. "It's kind of more conducive to having young families to go out with young kids."

Other proposed amenities are fully lit pickle ball courts and basketball half courts. Some park space would be converted into a disc golf area.

"Those are some really cool elements to go out there," Hazel said.

While coming up for potential park projects, Mustard said he has been guided by a set of principles.

"Is it safe for all, will it last generations with minor maintenance, does it fulfill a positive activity for a reasonable share of the public and in the case of the Bryson Park District does it continue to shape the area into a destination park supporting not only the greater community but give support to our travel and tourism industry?" Mustard asked.

Officials should learn the fate of their application in February, Hazel said.