The Ross County Commissioners are planning to hand the ownership...and the enhancing...of two parks over to the Ross County Park District soon.
Park District Director Joe Letsche gave an update to the commissioners in their Monday meeting. The District has already been maintaining the "Ross County Baseball Park" on Egypt Pike, and "Camp Sherman Memorial Park" on State Route 104, for the county. But, owning them outright will simplify matters.
Letsche says last year the Park District spent about $45,000 on improvements on the Ross County Baseball Park, and plan to spend another $10,000 this year.
Letsche says he also hopes to add a frisbee golf course, walking trail, and pollinator garden at Egypt Pike. He says he hopes planting the wildflowers can be used as an example on how to do that elsewhere - and the Ross County Airport and Fairgrounds are two places where he would like that.
For the Camp Sherman Memorial Park, he says they have a $50,000 Capital Improvement Grant from the state that will probably be used for asphalt, equipment, and landscaping. (He wants some of that to be landscaping to screen off the neighborhood on Pleasant Valley Road.)
Since the land of both parks used to be part of Camp Sherman, the federal government must approve the transfer. The Ross County Baseball Park (formerly just "Ross County Park") was used to train soldiers to dig trenches. Camp Sherman Memorial Park was part of the "camp proper" just north of town.
Letsche says he will consult with historians and archaeologists before having any major work done. He notes the land was given to the county in 1978.