Morgan Park 40-Acre Addition and Improvement
Morgan Park Addition - Last month the Portage Park District completed the acquisition of a 40-acre addition to Morgan Park (now 544 acres) in Shalersville, made possible with assistance from a Clean Ohio Greenspace Conservation Fund grant. The addition is located on the corner of SR 44 and Nicodemus Road bordered by Morgan Park on the north, south and east. The property includes two streams, a pond and former agricultural buildings that will provide much-needed facilities for the Park District’s equipment storage and maintenance, workshop and field offices, as well as space for hosting education programs.
“We’re excited about the opportunities that this addition brings to Morgan Park and the Park District-it really sets the stage for our future”, said Christine Craycroft, executive director. The District will be working on plans for the site next year and will provide opportunities for public input then. Meanwhile development of Phase II of the foot trail system through the park north of Babcock Road continues.
Tree Planting in Morgan Park
In October, volunteers and natural areas staff planted over 30 native flowering shrubs across from the recently planted pollinator garden at Morgan Park. A group of Serviceberry shrubs are now in place to provide spring blooms near the parking lot. Additional native tree species, including oaks, sassafras and tulip-poplar were planted in select areas of the field to provide cover and shade. Open areas created during the process of creating our new ADA trail have been seeded with native wildflowers and grasses to further improve pollinator habitat at the park.
