Metroparks Toledo, officially the Metropolitan Park District of the Toledo Area, is a public park district consisting of

parks A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are urban green space, green spaces set aside for recreation inside t ...

, nature preserves, a botanical garden, trail network and historic battlefield in Lucas County, Ohio. Founded during the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

and initially built using labor from federal

New Deal The New Deal was a series of programs, public work projects, financial reforms, and regulations enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the United States between 1933 and 1939. Major federal programs agencies included the Civilian Cons ...

programs, the present park district includes across 19 metroparks and nearly of trails throughout the Toledo area. The largest park, Oak Openings Preserve Metropark, is a centerpiece of the

Oak Openings Region The Oak Openings Region is a globally rare ecosystem composed of over of Michigan and Ohio. The land consists largely of oak savanna and grassland prairie. It is considered by The Nature Conservancy as having a similar ecological importance as the ...

and features ecologically significant oak savanna landscapes and globally rare plant communities.

Pearson Metropark Pearson Metropark is a regional park in Oregon, Ohio, owned and managed by Metroparks Toledo. It is one of the few remnants left of the Great Black Swamp. The park contains old-growth forest and wetlands. The park contains a pond with paddle boat ...

contains one of the last remaining stands of the Great Black Swamp. The district includes historically and culturally significant sites, including the

Fallen Timbers Battlefield The Fallen Timbers Battlefield was the site of the Battle of Fallen Timbers on 20 August 1794. The battle, a decisive American victory over Native American and British opponents, effectively ended the Northwest Indian War, securing the Old Northwe ...

, surviving

Miami and Erie Canal The Miami and Erie Canal was a canal that ran from Cincinnati to Toledo, Ohio, creating a water route between the Ohio River and Lake Erie. Construction on the canal began in 1825 and was completed in 1845 at a cost to the state government of $ ...

infrastructure at Side Cut and Providence Metroparks, and a variety of shelters and buildings built by the federal Works Progress Administration and Civilian Conservation Corps. Wildwood Preserve Metropark features one of the last remaining public, free-admission gardens designed by Ellen Biddle Shipman at the former manor house estate of Champion spark plug magnate Robert Stranahan.

Governance

Metroparks Toledo is governed by a five-member volunteer board of commissioners appointed by the Lucas County probate court judge. The park district administrative offices are located at Wildwood Preserve Metropark. The system is funded by three tax levies, the state local government fund, grants and donations. In 2022, the district employed 164 full-time and part-time employees.

Metroparks

The district comprises 19 metroparks. Two additional properties, Fort Miamis in Maumee and the Brookwood Area in

Toledo Toledo most commonly refers to: * Toledo, Spain, a city in Spain * Province of Toledo, Spain * Toledo, Ohio, a city in the United States Toledo may also refer to: Places Belize * Toledo District * Toledo Settlement Bolivia * Toledo, Orur ...

, are part of the district, but are not defined as metroparks.

Land holdings

Metroparks Toledo owns of farmland in Toledo near

Inverness Club Inverness Club is a private golf club in Toledo, Ohio. Opened in 1903, the club has hosted four U.S. Opens, two PGA Championships, two NCAA Men's Championships, and the Solheim Cup. Inverness is the only club to have hosted the U.S. Open, U.S. ...

for future development as a metropark. Metroparks officials said the future park will be the "typical Metroparks experience" with meadows and a sledding hill. The district additionally owns approximately , called the Oak Openings Corridor, in western Lucas County and Swan Creek Township, Fulton County. Four

Maumee River The Maumee River (pronounced ) ( sjw, Hotaawathiipi; mia, Taawaawa siipiiwi) is a river running in the United States Midwest from northeastern Indiana into northwestern Ohio and Lake Erie. It is formed at the confluence of the St. Joseph and ...

islands (Marengo, Audubon, Blue Grass and Granger) totaling are owned by Metroparks Toledo. Granger Island features a private cabin available for rent.

Regional trails

Metroparks Toledo manages all or portions of several paved, regional rail trails.

References

External links

Metroparks Toledo
{{coord missing, Ohio Protected areas of Lucas County, Ohio Park districts in Ohio Parks in Toledo, Ohio Metroparks Toledo New Deal in Ohio Works Progress Administration in Toledo, Ohio