Armco park has long since been the private recreation area for the workers and employees of AK Steel. The park has been closed to public use since its conception but all that is changing now. Come this Saturday, March 28, 2009, Armco Park will officially be opened as a public park. This is made so by the fact that Armco park is now under the management of the Warren County Park District.This re-opening is planned to have a few changes from the previously private park. Warren County Park District Spokesman Dave Woehr said, "In a lot of ways, this is going to be like a brand new park. It's a very impressive piece of land." The county has undertaken many renovations for the park which includes fixing run-down picnic shelters and other facilities.
The park itself is quite impressive. Located on Ohio 741, just north of Ohio 63, lies the 310-acre park. There are many different things in the park for people to enjoy. Armco Park has a lake for fishing, several picnic shelters, numerous softball fields, boat rentals and even a nine-hole golf course. General admission into the park will be free, however, certain activities, like boat rentals and the golf course, will require you to pay.
In September of last year, AK Steel sold Armco Park to Warren County for a price of $4.4 million. Of this sum, the county contributed $1.4 million. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Turtlecreek Township, and Otterbein Retirement Communities each contributed a generous $1 million to the park.
Now just because the park is under new management, does not mean that everything that activity that went on there in the past is out the door. The Warren County Park Board will try to keep many of the past traditions laid forth by Armco alive. For example, the annual Easter Egg Hunt, which used to draw in upwards of 2,000 children(myself included when I was of age) to the park, will take place Saturday, April 11, at 1 p.m. for any children ages 12 and under. An incredible 6,000 colorful plastic eggs will be hidden throughout the park, each filled with candy, for the children to find. A gala Grand-Opening event is being planned at the park for July 4, according to Woehr.
The opening of Armco to the public is a wonderful idea. Now anybody can enjoy the beautiful park and everything it has to offer. It looks like there is a new place for kids and families to go and have fun this summer.
