Park/Pond

Rec Board at a Nov meeting voted on naming the new park Northwood Veterans Memorial Park. The mayor had the minutes from this meeting but did not share them with council. Council then voted on the mayor's suggestion to have this contest.
Here is an interesting article from the Metro Press:


Northwood to have contest to name new park
By Kelly J. Kaczala
Press News Editor
kkaczala@presspublications.com

Northwood plans to regularly stock fish in a pond at a new park at I-280 and Curtice Road each year.

But first, the city will have to name the park.

Mayor Mark Stoner said the city will apply for a grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to stock the pond with bluegill, trout, bass and perch. The park, though, must have a name, according to the grant’s requirements.

“We have to enter into a contract. And part of the stipulation is that we have to have a name for the park,” said Stoner.

Stoner wants the ODNR to stock the pond every year. Council would have to approve any agreement with ODNR.

Donations have paid for park benches, picnic tables, and trees planted at the site.

Stoner plans to name the park with the help of elementary school students in a “Name that Park” contest.

Those who have donated to the park will judge the entries.

“I would like to have the contest for grades 1 through 4 to name the park, and see who wins,” said Stoner.

The winning entry will receive a prize on the park’s opening day, he said.

“I’m not sure how we will do it, but the top finisher could get a fishing rod and reel, followed by a tackle box for second place, and another prize for third place,” said Stoner.

The park is expected to open once the parking lot is paved this spring, when the weather turns warmer.

A new Menards home improvement store, adjacent to the site, built a driveway at the southeast end of the pond off Curtice Road.

“There’s an area staked off between Menards’ driveway and the gate to the pond, which will be our parking lot,” said Stoner.

The pond late last year was stocked with 400 bluegill, bass, and perch purchased from the Amish in an effort to make the site into a popular fishing hole.

Trout “fingerlings” will be introduced this year. Trout not harvested during the fall and early winter may not survive to spring due to frequent “winterkill,” when fish die in the winter due to a lack of oxygen.

City council last July agreed to develop the city-owned property into a park at the request of Stoner. A pond already on the property was created by contractors moving soil for construction of the Curtice Road overpass about 10 years ago. It has been enclosed by a fence and inaccessible to the public.

Council considered filling the pond, then later selling the property for future commercial development, but cost estimates were deemed too high. Stoner instead pushed for developing the site into a park. Petitions with over 40 signatures from nearby residences backed Stoner’s proposal.

The city has already added a stone path around the 55-foot deep pond, and eight life preservers are posted nearby.