Summit Metro Parks

Summit Metro Parks is a Metroparks system serving the citizens of Summit County, Ohio by managing 14,100 acres (5,700 ha) in 16 developed parks, six conservation areas and more than 125 miles (201 km) of trails, with 22.4 miles (36.0 km) of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail.

The park district is fully supported by a levy, which voters are periodically asked to approve. Rangers are commissioned peace officers who provide safety and security by enforcing the park district’s rules, regulations, state, and local laws.

History

In times of war, people often look for ways to escape the news and demands of the era. During World War I, Americans increasingly looked to parks and natural areas for temporary diversions. Congress responded by creating the National Park Service in 1916, and the Ohio General Assembly made possible the formation of metropolitan park districts the following year.

In July 1917, Cleveland Metroparks became the first metropolitan park district in the State of Ohio. On December 31, 1921, Metro Parks (then called the Akron Metropolitan Park District) became the second park system established under Chapter 1545 of the Ohio Revised Code.

Summit County

Summit County is the name of three counties in the United States:

Summit County, Ohio

Summit County is an urban county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 541,781 making it the fourth-most populous county in Ohio. Its county seat is Akron. The county was formed on March 3, 1840, from portions of Medina, Portage and Stark Counties. It was named "Summit County" because the highest elevation on the Ohio and Erie Canal is located in the county.

Summit County is part of the Akron, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH Combined Statistical Area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 419.38 square miles (1,086 km²), of which 412.08 square miles (1,067 km²) is land and 7.3 square miles (19 km²) (1.7%) is water. The largest portion of Cuyahoga Valley National Park is located in the northern part of the county. The southern border of the former Connecticut Western Reserve passes through the southern part of the county, leading to jogs in the east and west borders of the county.

Regional park

A regional park is an area of land preserved on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, recreational use or other reason, and under the administration of a form of local government.

Definition

A regional park can be a special park district covering a region crossing several jurisdiction boundaries, or a park system of a single jurisdiction, such as a province, county, or city.

By country

Canada

Saskatchewan

There are 101 regional parks in Saskatchewan. All parks are operated by volunteer boards.

Italy

Regional parks in Italy are administered by each region in Italy, a government unit like a U.S. state.

New Zealand

In New Zealand, regional parks are administered by regional councils rather than the Department of Conservation or territorial authorities.

United States

Definitions

In the United States, a regional park is sometimes referred to as a 'Metropolitan Park (Metropark)' or as an open space reserve. The terms region and metropolitan can have different meanings in U.S. local government agencies. Regional parks can be administered by a regional park board, a state, county or other units of local government. A special authority can be set up, under the joint jurisdiction of two or more government bodies or as an independent park district to administer parks. Individual parks may or may not cross governmental boundaries. The park district holds the authority, similar to fire protection districts, to manage and raise taxes to cover park acquisition and management costs.

Metro Parks (Columbus, Ohio)

The Metro Parks are a group of 16 metropolitan parks in and around Columbus, Ohio. They are officially organized as the "Columbus and Franklin County Metropolitan Park District". The Metro Parks system was organized in 1945 under Ohio Revised Code Section 1545 as a separate political division of the state of Ohio. The Metro Parks are overseen by a Board of Park Commissioners consisting of three citizens appointed to three-year terms without compensation by the Judge of the Probate Court of Franklin County, Ohio. The Board in turn appoints an Executive Director responsible for operations and management of the parks.

The Metro Parks system protects over 24,500 acres of land and water and extends over seven counties in Central Ohio and the Hocking Hills area. Facilities and programs include trails, shelters, lodges, nature centers, educational facilities and programs, natural resources management, stormwater management, picnicking, boating, and other recreational activities.