Mill Creek MetroParks celebrates 125th anniversary
A resolution hike around Lake Newport kicks off the New Year.
A resolution hike around Lake Newport kicks off the New Year.
It's a year of celebration for the Mill Creek MetroParks as 2016 marks the 125th anniversary of when Youngstown attorney Volney Rogers founded the park.
"I love the park. I love every season as it changes. It's always different," said park volunteer Duane Metz of Mineral Ridge.
Thousands of people share that same love for the park. Honoring all it has become over the last 125 years, Mill Creek MetroParks will host a series of public events throughout 2016. Programming kicked off Sunday with a Hunt and Hike at the Ford Nature Center. Each month, guests are invited to participate in themed scavenger hunts at the center. In addition to the scavenger hunts, the park will mark its milestone with walks around the Mill Creek Gorge.
"Volney Rogers was inspired to start this park by walking Mill Creek Gorge. So, once a month, every month, we're walking the gorge," said Ray Novotny with Mill Creek MetroParks.
While the park has grown quite a bit since 1891, now encompassing approximately 4,400 acres, Novotny says it's hard to compare Mill Creek Park to anything else.
"We have something really special here and that we've been here for so long, I think is something truly worthy of celebration," said Novotny.