Voters approved a tax levy for Preservation Parks of Delaware County to acquire additional land for future parks in Tuesday’s election.
The 0.4-mill, 10-year additional levy was passed with 28,120 votes for to 18,891 votes against, or by a 59.82% to 40.18% margin.
“Thank you Delaware County voters!” the Parks said on its Facebook page Wednesday.
According to information provided by Preservation Parks, the organization has an opportunity to acquire 800 acres of land and accelerate the purchase of another 400 acres with the levy’s passage.
“With our county’s population increasing dramatically and land being developed, the time to grow our parks is right now,” said Tom Curtin, executive director of Preservation Parks, in a news release.
The properties include land south of Delaware along the Olentangy River at the Melvin and Havener family properties which may have some Johnny Appleseed trees. Combined, they would add 111 acres to the park district.
In Trenton Township north of Sunbury, the district is purchasing 478 acres in six phases from the Sandel family. It would become the largest of the Preservation Parks. This property would include Perfect Creek and the former one-room Perfect School, named after Trenton settlers the Perfect family.
“The preservation of Ohio’s history and its beautiful natural landscape has been a lifelong passion of my husband Walt and I,” said Kathy Sandel. “I am so pleased and proud to have found a partner in Preservation Parks of Delaware County that shares our vision for preservation of this property and historical items for generations to come.”
The Sandel family has a portion of the Ohio to Erie Trail (OTET) named after them in Sunbury. When completed, the Trenton Township property would include wetlands, woodlands and access to OTET.
For more information, visit https://preservationparks.com/.
