Knox County Park District Information

The Knox County Park District was formed in 1995 after a group of citizens and local public officials became convinced that a park district was necessary in order to preserve Knox County's open space and natural features. As a first initiative, the district assisted with a committee to request that the state of Ohio designate the Kokosing River as a state scenic river. The park district's involvement, combined with the assistance of eleven local governments and the Brown Family Environmental Center, met with success as the Kokosing was designated a scenic river. The governor at the time, George Voinovich, took part in the designation and dedication of the river as a State Scenic River in 1997. Also in 1997, the district helped finance the development of the current countywide master plan known as Focus 2100. This plan has proven to be a key element in the county's effort to manage growth and development. The district also served as an advocate and active participant in the development of the Kokosing River Watershed Plan, a plan approved and lauded by state agency officials as an excellent example of balanced planning and community partnership. After work on the Focus 2100 plan was completed, the district developed it's master plan. During 2001, the district was unsuccessful in an attempt to pass a real estate levy to support projects that were included in the master plan. The disappointment was short lived, however, when the district obtained a "Clean Ohio" grant of over $600,000 to purchase 288 acres of woodlands and fields on the edge of Mount Vernon's most rapidly developing areas. The partnerships the district created over its first five years enabled the district to make the 30% grant match through donations of land and money that made the grant application a success. The resulting park, Wolf Run Regional Park, is the largest single area in the county devoted to conservation and recreation, where local citizens can enjoy hiking, fishing and nature observation. The community confidence in the park district was truly expressed with the creation of this park.