We are celebrating the new playground at Yankee Park with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, May 12 at 4:30 p.m.! Last year, we presented three potential playground design concepts to the community. More than 600 people responded to the…
2021 Annual Report Available
The Centerville-Washington Park District (CWPD) 2021 Annual Report is now available. Discover all of the exciting things that happened last year in your community’s BIG backyard! If you have any questions, please contact us at 937-433-5155 or mail@cwpd.org. We’re looking…
One Picture, So Many Questions!
Spring is such a beautiful season. Color returns to the landscape, and birdsong fills the air. Even a late dose of winter sometimes just adds to the enchantment. In April 2021, at the peak of redbud flowering, a nighttime storm…
Pine Squirrels Love Walnuts
The chatter is unmistakable. All winter long, the woods have been full of American red squirrels, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus. According to Wikipedia, red squirrels are one of three species known as “pine squirrels,” and they are “widely distributed across North America…
Brrrribbit: Frogs Frozen Alive
As humans, we are accustomed to having a relatively constant, warm body temperature. Whether it’s the middle of summer or the cold of winter, we steam right along at about 37oC (98.6oF), almost always warmer than the surrounding air. That…
Kennard Nature Nook Now Reservable
New for 2022, Grant Park’s Kennard Nature Nook is available to rent on weekends beginning March 1. This woodland-themed building with beautiful park views is a great location for baby showers, meetings, birthday parties, picnics and any get-together with family…
Athletic Field Survey Results
The Centerville-Washington Park District maintains 20 soccer game fields, 18 baseball/softball diamonds, 2 football game fields, 2 lacrosse game fields, 5 acres of lacrosse practice area, 5.5 acres of football practice area and 20 acres of soccer practice fields! We…
Wax on the Wings, Fruit in the Belly
This winter, the edges of the wood are rich with fruits. Wild grapes, eastern red cedar, crabapple, dogwood, honeysuckle, bittersweet, and others all seem to have thrived. For birds that seek fruits for winter sustenance–robins, cardinals, white-throated sparrows, and others–that’s…
Of Monkey Brains and Mammoths
It’s been a good year for Osage oranges (Maclura pomifera). Now, in mid-to late-autumn, the grapefruit-sized “monkey brains” (as Osage orange fruits are commonly called) litter the ground, turning from chartreuse to brown as they soften and decay. What are…
Styrofoam Recycling Event Wins Statewide Award
Ohio Parks and Recreation Association (OPRA) has announced its 2021 Annual Awards of Excellence winners. The Centerville-Washington Park District (CWPD) won the first-place award in the environmental and interpretive category for a Styrofoam Recycling Event held at Activity Center Park…