Walnut Grove Playground to Open with $750K Gift

CANFIELD, Ohio – The Walnut Grove, an all-inclusive playground, is holding a ribbon cutting celebration on Friday to open the park for recreational use.

Prior to the grand opening, the Hine Memorial Fund will present the organization with $750,000 and a sign will be unveiled naming the park after the fund.

The Walnut Grove is accessible to all individuals, especially those with special needs. The park sits on 20-acres of land on Columbiana-Canfield Road in Canfield and features natural wetlands, a natural pond, accessible hiking and biking trails, a 1-acre inclusive and accessible playground, and a bridge to connect to the Mill Creek MetroPark Bike Path.

More than $1 million of improvements have been made to the land over the past year including construction and the purchase of the equipment. The phases completed are only a small portion of the entire project plan.

Pictured: A rendering of the project that is expected to be complete over the next few years.

The opening celebration will start at 1 p.m. at 8800 Columbiana-Canfield Road, for special donors, project funders, board members, city officials, and media. A welcome will be given by board President Shellie Duchek and remarks will be made by Amanda Watanakunakorn, board vice president;  Marie Cartwright, Canfield Township trustee; Andrea Smesko, special needs parent advocate; and Crissi Jenkins from the Hine Memorial Fund and the Youngstown Foundation.

Before the ribbon cutting, a playground dedication and check presentation will take place.

At 2 p.m. it will open to the general public with a ribbon cutting for children in attendance.

Coffee and tea will be available by Branch Street Coffee and The Waffle Wagon will be on site for guests to purchase food during the event.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.