Darke County Parks levy to support its parks, programs
By Bob Robinson 

GREENVILLE – Darke County Park District uses 300 volunteers to help provide events, cleaning and maintenance for 12 areas under its jurisdiction, according to parks director, Roger Van Frank. 

“The Nature Center alone serves over 50,000 visitors annually,” he added in a presentation to Kiwanis of Greenville recently. The district welcomes over 100,000 visitors a year. 

Probably the most recognized part of the Park District is Shawnee Prairie, which includes a Nature Education Center, Pioneer Log House, a Shelter House and the Sugar Shack 

“We are also currently working on a Blacksmith setting,” Van Frank said. District parks are located in or near Greenville, Gettysburg, Union City (Ohio), Ansonia and Beamsville. 

In addition to maintaining the parks, the District offers events throughout the year, such as Prairie Days and Maple Sugarin’ on the Prairie, hosts about 7,500 students in field trips each year and provides grant funding to various communities to maintain, build or improve their parks areas. 

“Over the past 18 years we’ve given more than $650,000 in grants to Darke County communities,” Van Frank said. 

Van Frank noted that the District will have a .5 mil replacement levy on the ballot in November. 

“The original levy passed in 2003 was for .5 mils,” he said. “Since then the funding has been reduced to .31. We want to bring it back to .5.” 

The levy provides about 62 percent of the park’s operating costs. The cost to a family with a $100,000 home is approximately $17.60.

Greenville Kiwanis meets Wednesdays at noon in the Chestnut Village Center at Brethren Retirement Community.