10/16/2026
🌳 29 Years of the Muskingum Valley Park District!
29 years of preserving green space, creating memories, improving our parks, and finding new ways to get our community outdoors!
There's a lot to be proud of when we look back at how far the Muskingum Valley Park District has come. Today, we care for more than 800 acres of parkland and nearly 10 miles of paved trails. We've grown our gardens, improved our parks, hosted community events, provided outdoor education, and worked hard to preserve the natural spaces that make Muskingum County special.
A few things we're proud of:
• Preserving hundreds of acres of natural space.
• Maintaining trails for walking, running, and biking.
• Caring for Mission Oaks Gardens and our other unique park properties.
• Bringing people together through Riverfest, Trail of Treats, and other community events.
• Creating opportunities for people of all ages to enjoy and learn about the outdoors.
But we're not done yet!
There's plenty to look forward to, and two projects we're especially excited about are Straker Landing and Kearns Conservation Area.
Straker Landing: We're working toward transforming the former Kirkbride Marine property along the Muskingum River into a public recreation destination. Plans include improved boat access, parking, paved trails, picnic areas, and covered pavilions. There's also a longer-term vision of a pedestrian and bicycle bridge connecting Straker Landing to Riverside Park.
Kearns Conservation Area: Thanks to the generous donation of 8.6 acres from Kearns Development Company, we're helping preserve an important piece of nature in an area experiencing significant residential growth. The property includes prairie, meadow and wetland habitats that support native plants, pollinators, and wildlife.
We're looking forward to enhancing these natural areas and creating opportunities for visitors to explore and learn.
As our community grows, it's more important than ever to protect the natural spaces that make them special.
To everyone who has visited our parks, volunteered, attended special events, supported a project, or helped us along the way, THANK YOU! Your support helps make all of this possible.
We're proud of what 29 years have brought, and we're excited about what's still to come!
Here's to 29 years of making our community a better place to live, explore, and enjoy the outdoors!
