Grant Park
Nature Park / 222.48 acres
Hours
The park is open during daylight hours.
Park Entrances
501 Normandy Ridge Road
Kennard Nature Nook - 6588 McEwen Road
616 Grant's Trail
Download a trail map (PDF updated 6-2-2021) >
Grant Park's Natural History Hike (PDF): A 1.1-mile hike describing historical and natural sites around Grant Park. The hike begins at the Normandy Entrance of the park. The brochure should be printed on legal size paper for best results.
Pet Policy
Domesticated animals are permitted if they are controlled at all times on a visible leash not more than eight feet long.
About the Park
Grant Park is an 222-acre natural area. Trails in the park lead along creeks and through meadow, forest, prairie and wetland habitats. The trails are of varying difficulty; some follow ridgelines or bottomlands, while others climb fairly steep hills. Two fire rings, located at the Chimneys and behind the Grant Nature Center, are available for reservations. Campfires are allowed by permit only. For the safety of park visitors, bicycles are not permitted on the trails and all pets must be on a leash. Parking is available at Normandy Elementary School on Normandy Ridge Road, Hadley Watts Middle School on McEwen Road, and at Kennard Nature Nook on McEwen Road. Play equipment is located at the Grant's Trail entrance to the park.
Grant Park Master Plan
The Centerville-Washington Park District began work on a Grant Park master plan project in March 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, proposed community engagement sessions were modified to include an online survey and a virtual community meeting. The online survey was posted in late spring and remained open through the end of August. The virtual community meeting was held in early July.
Based on collective input from the community and in collaboration with park staff, the master plan project team developed a number of recommendations. The recommendations reflect the passion of the community, the enthusiasm of the park staff and the vision of a park that will better serve the community today and in the coming years.
Review the Grant Park Master Plan (PDF) >
Features
AED (automated external defibrillator) at Kennar Nature Nook
Drinking Fountain (at Kennard Nature Nook) (off November-March)
Fire Circles (2)
Grill - Chimneys area
Hiking Trails
Mark Kreusch Nature Playce - natural play area
Owlexander's Hoot Route Nature Literature Trail
Kennard Nature Nook
Parking Lot
Paved multi-use trail (1/4 mile loop) - McEwen Rd. entrance
Picnic Tables
Play Equipment - Grant's Trail entrance
Portable Restroom - Normandy Ridge entrance
Restroom - Kennard Nature Nook
Sled Hills
Wetland/Stream
History
When the Park District was formed in 1959, the commissioners had their eye on the area surrounding Hole's Creek as a nature reserve.
The horseshoe-shaped flow of the creek ran through Normandy Farms, formerly the country estate of Richard H. Grant, Sr. When Grant died in 1957 the family chose to divide the estate into parcels. They are Normandy United Methodist Church in the mansion, Grant Park, Normandy Elementary School, Grant Life Nature Center and residential housing.
In 1963, a zoning agreement stated that the title for this 45-acre nature area that the Park District was interested in would be given to the Washington Township trustees. The trustees then assigned their rights to the Park District.
Over the years, the park grew as a result of a number of open space transfers and purchases.
In 1966, the Park District decided that the forest and field areas within the original park space along the horseshoe bend should be added to the park in order to preserve the entire significant, unique and beautiful natural area forever. A study made by the Miami Valley Regional Planning commission concluded it should all be acquired by the Park District and preserved at all costs. The report also suggested acquiring the adjacent agricultural land to the south for a buffer zone.
The Park District also wanted to connect the park to McEwen Road on the west. A 12-acre open space transfer acquisition resulted in a 1/3 mile Hole's Creek westward extension in 1974.
In 1993, the Township Trustees, which owned four acres on McEwen Road, and the Park District, which owned approximately the same amount of land next to the Rec Center on Miamisburg-Centerville Road, traded properties. Ohio said the law did not allow such a swap, but Bob Corbin, state representative got the law changed and the frontage was acquired for the Park District and the Rec Center received land it needed.
In 2022, the Park District purchased an additional 33.25 acres of land from Centerville City Schools -- 27 acres adjacent to Watts Middle School and an additional 6.25 acres near Normandy Elementary School. The Park District received a $613,000 grant to fund 75% of the land purchase.
Note: History courtesy of Pat Aldrich, Centerville-Washington History