Spring House Park: A Bright New Chapter in Beavercreek's Story of Recreation and Community!

Hold onto your hats, my fellow Beavercreekers! We've got some thrilling news that’s going to put a spring in your step and a whole lot of joy in your hearts. Our city council has given the green light for our biggest and brightest park yet, the Spring House Park! A whopping 148-acre gem, snuggled right into the heart of our town between Patterson and Shakertown Roads along Grange Hall Road. It's happening folks, and I can't wait to soak in every bit of it with you all.

Brandstetter Carroll, Inc. teamed up with our dedicated parks staff and our community members to whip up a master plan that's chock full of fun, frolic, and lots of nature! If you missed the presentation at the council meeting on May 22, 2023, you can check it out here, it's quite the show!

Shaping Our Future: The Master Plan for Beavercreek's Spring House Park

We’re beyond excited, and we know our Parks, Recreation & Culture team, led by the indomitable Kim Farrell, is chomping at the bit to bring us recreational experiences that will put Beavercreek, Ohio on the map as the happiest, healthiest community in the country.

Embracing Nature and Fun: The Vision for Beavercreek's Largest Park

The park's offerings sound like something straight out of a fairy tale: hiking trails of both the paved and unpaved variety, outdoor fitness spaces, playgrounds, picnic spots, a dog park, pickleball courts, multi-sport fields, basketball courts, disc golf, an archery area, and a splash pad for those hot summer days. There will even be a shelter overlooking a fire pit for some cozy gatherings and an event space for us to host our awesome Beavercreek celebrations.

And get this – a majority of the park will stay as natural as can be. The city plans to put the bad plant guys (you know, the invasive species) on a one-way trip out of our park and replace them with good, native Ohio plants. And hey, you can get in on the action too - the community is invited to roll up their sleeves and help out with the transformation!

From Dream to Reality: The Community-Driven Design of Spring House Park

Kim Farrell assured us, this park is a labor of love for us, the Beavercreek community. Each amenity, each little detail was carefully chosen based on our feedback. Over 2,100 of us chimed in online and more than 150 joined the open houses to voice our dreams for our park. This park is a reflection of us, and boy, did we dream big!

Our city manager, Pete Landrum, echoed the sentiment, sharing that this park is a testament to our shared vision, a space to cultivate a sense of belonging. Mayor Bob Stone was over the moon sharing the master plan with us, a tribute to our vibrant and welcoming spirit, made possible by every one of us who contributed to shaping this plan.

Here's the cherry on top - our city was awarded a grant of $738,000 from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources through the United States National Park Service’s Land and Water Conservation Fund. The city matched this dollar-for-dollar using park fees, ensuring that every penny is invested in creating a glorious green space for us all.

The estimated cost for bringing our vision of Spring House Park to life is around $35 million, with about half going towards infrastructure. But with our current parks levy not covering this new addition, the city needs more resources to make this dream a reality. For updates on how we can help and the progress of our new pride and joy, be sure to check out beavercreekohio.gov/springhousepark.