The fall weather is perfect for hiking and luckily for those in Lima, the Johnny Appleseed Metro Park District has opened a brand new park.
Friday was the grand opening of the new Haver Park on Bellefontaine Rd. in Lima. The hiking park features unique trails with rolling hills, wetlands, and prairies. The land for the park was acquired from a local family who wanted it to be preserved.
The former director of the parks, who was with Johnny Appleseed for over 40 years, was surprised to find out the new Haver Park was named after him.
Haver says, “It’s an honor to have to park named after myself, again just an honor. It’s a tribute to the park staff and the park commissioners, they work exceptionally hard to make nice areas here in Allen County for the citizens and it’s great to have been a part of that.”
Tyler Black, the director of the Johnny Appleseed Metro Park District says, “I just hope that they see it as another place to recreate another place to kind of get away. It’s in a spot in the county that we didn’t have a park before and I believe people will like that, will enjoy that and it’s given access to really everybody.”
The park is officially open, but some signage is still needed. Black says that there will also be informational signs throughout the park about the wildlife in the area.
