Sustainability – Parks and Natural Areas

The city maintains Smith Gardens as one of the finest public gardens in Ohio.  The city maintains and renews public natural areas using saplings, native plants and eco-smart hardwood mulch.  In 2017, the city accepted a 0.6-acre parcel of greenspace from the Oakwood Investment Group at the northwest corner of West Schantz Avenue and Far Hills Avenue.  As a condition of the donation, this property shall remain a public greenspace in perpetuity.  In 2007, the city purchased 3.1 acres of land adjacent to Houk Stream.  This land had been established as a buildable lot in 1995 when an 11.4 acres estate property was subdivided.  The purchase was made to significantly enhance the public natural area around Houk Stream.