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Wherever you are in Lake County,
you’re never more than 10 minutes from
exploring and enjoying Lake Metroparks.
LAKEMETRoPARkS.COM
Veterans Park
J.DELL PHOTOGRAPHY

using funds wisely
Managing financial resources
“Taxpayers expect accurate
financial records from their local
governments. Lake Metroparks’
dedication to accountability is
evident, and I am proud to present
the Auditor of State Award with
Distinction to the park district.”
—Ohio Auditor Dave Yost,
February 2O12
Lake Metroparks takes public accountability seriously
and understands the need to remain sensitive to the
ever-changing economic conditions and demands
we all face. Even though a zero-growth operating
budget was maintained for the past four years,
Lake Metroparks tightened its belt even further by
reducing operating expenses by 5 percent in 2012.
Energy savings and several other cost containment
measures are constantly evaluated and implemented
to reduce expenditures. The park system is currently
operating with 28 fewer full-time employees than
it had in 1994 while protecting 2,785 more acres
of unique natural resources than it did at the time.
As staff throughout the park system retire or move
on to positions outside the agency, each vacancy
is evaluated and not filled whenever possible;
responsibilities are reassigned to remaining staff in
order to reduce costs.
The park system will never take the support of
the people it serves for granted. The agency has
a remarkable track record of augmenting local
tax monies with outside sources, including private
contributions, sponsorships and more than $15
million in grants since 1990. Lake Metroparks has
been recognized on the local, state and national
levels for its fiscal responsibility. The taxpayers of
Lake County rightfully insist on the wise and practical
administration of their investment in the park
district that they own. Clean audits and awards are
expected—and that is exactly what Lake Metroparks
consistently delivers.
Now and for future generations

Scenic Vistas
Lake Metroparks preserves and provides access to incredible views
Lake County is a beautiful place to live and work. Some of the
unique natural features and landscapes include Lake Erie, the
Grand River and Chagrin River valleys, Little Mountain, Mentor
Marsh and the vineyards of southern Madison.
Lake Metroparks’ skilled craftsmen have constructed several
observation decks and overlook areas that offer snapshots of some
of Lake County’s most impressive features. These stops along park
trails allow visitors to take a moment—or longer—to reflect on the
county’s best scenic views preserved for all to enjoy.
SEVEN SCENIC SPOTS TO VISIT
1. Falls at Paine Falls Park: The deck at the bottom of the
stairs off the Paine Road parking lot offers a great view of Paine
Falls.
2. Chair Factory Falls: A great waterfall view at the end of this
trail is accessible from Lake Metroparks’ Greenway Corridor just
south of I-90.
3. Big Creek Valley at Girdled Road Reservation: Located
a short walk from the park’s Girdled Road parking lot, the overlook
offers a panoramic view of the Big Creek Valley that is great at any
time of the year, but especially breathtaking in the fall.
4. Skok Meadow: A deck offers a wide-lens view of this restored
meadow featuring an abundance of wildflowers throughout
summer.
5. Lake Erie at Lake Erie Bluffs: An overlook sits on the
towering bluff above Lake Erie and its wild, sandy shore at Lake
Metroparks’ newest park.
6. Downtown Cleveland from Chapin Forest Reservation:
On a clear day, across a blanket of tree tops, downtown Cleveland
is viewed all the way from Kirtland from an overlook at Chapin
Forest.
7. Grand River at Indian Point Park: A great view of the
state-designated “Wild” Grand River makes it easy to see the area’s
strategic advantage to past inhabitants.
view from Chapin Forest Reservation overlook
J.DELL PHOTOGRAPHY

Enjoy Green Space
New access to land along lake and stream corridors
Since 1959, when Lake Metroparks acquired its first piece
of land, the park district has focused its conservation
efforts on the county’s stream corridors and the Lake Erie
shore. Purchases were joined over the years to form parks
capable of supporting a range of outdoor education and
recreation activities. It took years to develop these areas,
but the goal was always the same—to protect them so that
future generations could enjoy them.
Over the past several years, Lake Metroparks has seen
this hard work come to fruition and the park district has
made a concerted effort to expand public access across
Lake County. This effort has taken many forms including
opening new parks, constructing new trails, providing
parking areas and trail heads, installing scenic overlooks
and decks highlighting the park district’s best views and
providing access to streams and ponds for fishing.
Since 2010, the park district has opened Gully Brook Park
on the Willoughby/Willoughby Hills border and Lake Erie
Bluffs on the Lake Erie shore in Perry Township. Over the
same time span, Lake Metroparks has also added nearly
four miles of new trail and 85 parking spaces, constructed
four new observation decks/viewing areas, expanded
fishing opportunities on nine acres of lake, 11,500 feet of
stream and 1,300 feet of Lake Erie shoreline, and opened
nearly 500 acres to controlled archery deer hunting.
Pete’s Pond Preserve
Pleasant Valley Park
Pete’s Pond Preserve
Now and for future generations

Abbey Road Property
Lake Erie Bluffs
This year, there are several access improvement projects
underway including:
• The opening of Pete’s Pond Preserve in conjunction
with the Wickliffe Board of Education. This park is located
on land owned by the school district behind Wickliffe High
School. The new park will feature 6,000 feet of trail and
ten designated parking spaces at the northeast corner of
the school’s parking lot. Future phases of development
will focus on scenic overlooks and outdoor teaching areas.
• The addition of 4,000 feet of mowed trail at Pleasant
Valley Park. This park is open for fishing access to the
Chagrin River. Recently, nearly a mile of mowed trail has
been opened to the public north of State Route 6 with
parking available in the lot south of Pleasant Valley Road.
• The opening of the Abbey Road Property in Leroy
Township on the Grand River. Construction on this park
is likely to begin this fall and will include a small parking
area accessible from Baker Road, 3,500 feet of trail and
2,400 feet of Grand River frontage. The park will also
be accessible to Grand River canoeists and kayakers
featuring a picnic area for those wishing to stop on their
float down the river.
Lake Erie Bluffs

Making Memories
Lake Metroparks traditions celebrate seasons
Each northeast Ohio season has distinct characteristics and
people enjoy participating in annual activities unique to each
season. Lake Metroparks celebrates seasonal changes in
nature and offers experiences that have become annual
traditions for many Lake County residents. These programs
provide opportunities for generations to gather and celebrate
family along with the changes in the seasons.
Maple sugaring and a colorful quilt show are signs of spring
along with budding trees and the bright songs of birds. Some
of the ways we enjoy summer include swimming, boating,
picnicking, playing in the parks and watching the sun set on
Lake Erie. Fall brings the start of school and Bug Day!, where
children become masters of “bugology.” The harvest season is
celebrated in many ways, concluding with the annual Halloween
Hayrides—a family-friendly evening wagon ride through fields
and woods.
When the snow flies, Lake Metroparks’ winter events have
become traditions for many in Lake County. Colorful, sparkling
displays inside Penitentiary Glen Nature Center share the
beauty and wonder of nature in winter and, at Farmpark’s
Country Lights event, Santa’s Workshop and wagon rides
through thousands of lights generate fond memories for years
to come.
Whether you seek to reconnect or disconnect, perhaps the best
way to enjoy nature’s beauty is by exploring the well-maintained
trails throughout the park system year-round to discover and
celebrate changes in all seasons.
“One of the best Halloween
outings for young children
and families.”
—Magical Whooloween
participant
J.DELL PHOTOGRAPHY
Now and for future generations

Prudent Preservation
Managing resources in times of resource scarcity
Lake Metroparks continually strives to find new ideas for
improving quality and productivity and fulfill the agency’s
mission in the most economically-efficient manner
possible. In today’s lean economy, stewards of our natural
resources have fewer resources and greater demands
on their time, staff and equipment. Lake Metroparks
has been busy adjusting concepts and responsibilities
associated with resource management to promote efficient
stewardship.
Stocking ponds and stretches of streams with fish,
maintaining multi-use trails, protecting fragile habitats,
maintaining places for public recreation and providing
high-quality outdoor programming will always be priorities.
These practices help connect the public with the resources
protected by Lake Metroparks. Staff members continue
to look for ways to manage as efficiently as possible while
operating within budget.
Invasive, exotic plant and pest infestations continue to
present ecological threats that are managed as they
arise. People are in more frequent direct contact with
some incredibly adaptable wildlife species like coyotes
and white-tailed deer. These issues may present some
new challenges for park resource management. Lake
Metroparks is committed to protecting and conserving
Lake County’s resources for future generations. Promoting
the wise use of recreational resources ensures that the
public is served while being the most effective and prudent
resource managers possible.
Parks and protected park lands are proven to improve water quality,
protect groundwater, prevent flooding, improve the quality of the
air we breathe, provide vegetative buffers to development, produce
habitat for wildlife and provide a place for children and families to
connect with nature and recreate outdoors together.
moe whitehouse

Parks are essential.
Lake Metroparks protects unique natural resources
and provides recreational and educational services
that are vitally important to the economic and
environmental well-being of Lake County and
Northeastern Ohio. Parks improve the quality of life
and make Lake County livable and desirable for
businesses and homeowners.
J.DELL PHOTOGRAPHY
Now and for future generations