path finder - The Olander Park System

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Official Publication of The Olander Park System
Serving Our Community
“One benefit of
Summer was
that each day
we had more
light to read by.”
–Jeannette Walls
Since 2002, The Olander Park System has added
5 miles of trails, 230 additional acres, 4 new
properties, and 6 new major programs. We have
a solar powered restroom that pays for itself, and
Fossil Park, known worldwide, brings in fossil
“treasure hunters” from all over the country. We
have pulled all of this off without increasing
our budget. That’s not to say we haven’t been
stretched, or that additional funds wouldn’t be
welcome. But in the last 15 years, we have made
a concerted effort to spend your money wisely, and
we hope you trust us to do the same in the future.
It is due to the generosity of Sylvania School
District Residents that The Olander Park System
is able to accomplish what it does in its mission
to serve the Sylvania Community. We have always
made fiscal responsibility a priority in managing
the park system, and to that end we included it in
our strategic plan for the next five years, making
it an explicit goal.
How have we been good stewards of your tax
dollars? By leveraging funds to bring in an
additional $2.5 million towards land acquisition,
restoration and facilities since 2003. By saving
money every year to carry-over for larger projects
like the paving of Olander Park this spring.
By reorganizing our staff and updating job
descriptions so we can operate efficiently and
effectively. By creating spaces for recreation and
programs that benefit the community in tax
revenue, health and wellness, and education.
By using sustainable practices to not only help
the environment, but save us money. It is all a
part of what we have done and will continue to
do in our plan for the future.
We look forward to seeing you in your parks
this summer!
Erika Buri,
Executive Director
pathfinder | SUMMER 2016
Programs are ONLY for residents of
The Olander Park System and are FREE
unless a material fee is noted.
2nd Annual Firefly Fest
feature programs
Friday, July 8, 8:30pm to 10pm
Sylvan Prairie Park, South Lot
Enjoy nature’s fireworks at TOPS 2nd Annual Firefly Festival! Stroll through
Sylvan Prairie Park where fireflies can blanket the prairie like stars blanket the
sky! Listen for frogs and nighttime insects, do some firefly crafts, and take a
stroll down the path to help with a science project called Firefly Watch. Grab a
snack while you watch the light show!
Sylvania Area Chamber of
Commerce Movie Nights
The Sylvania Chamber of Commerce will be hosting another summer of
outdoor movies. These events are the perfect opportunity for families to enjoy
a fun-filled evening at some of our favorite spots in Sylvania! Each movie
night will begin at 7pm with the movie starting after dusk.
June 9: Burnham Park, Plummer Pool
July 7: Centennial Terrace
August 4: Olander Park, Nederhouser Community Hall
2nd Annual Lucky Duck
Open Water Swim
Sunday, July 17, 9am
Olander Park, Beach Facility
Join us for our region’s only open water swim competition. Whether you are
a serious swimmer looking for a chance to compete, a triathlete wanting to
get practice in open water competition, or if you want to set a personal goal of
improving your swimming so that you can complete the one mile course, the
Lucky Duck Open Water Swim is an exciting, challenging, and fun celebration
of the sport of swimming. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Nature’s
Nursery Center for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation Education. For
more information and to register visit www.luckyduckswim.com.
Advance Registration Is Required
Two Days Prior at 419.882.8313, ext. 1013,
online at olanderpark.com or e-mail
programs@olanderpark.com. If you
or your family have special needs, please
inform the park system when you register.
TOPS reserves the right to cancel programs
with less than 5 registrants.
Gorman Nature Education Center is in the
Nederhouser Community Hall at Olander Park
Sylvan Prairie Park is at 8601 Brint Road,
with access to the Quarry Ridge Bike Trail
Fossil Park is at 5705 Centennial Road,
across from Mayberry Square
“Everything good, everything
magical happens between the
months of June and August.”
-Jenny Han
Super Kids Triathlon
Saturday, August 6, 7:30am
Olander Park, Beach Facility
Get your kids involved in The Triple Play of Physical Fitness – swimming,
bicycling, and running – by participating in The Super Kids Triathlon. Boys and
girls age 7 to 10 swim 100 yards, bike 3.1 miles, and run .6 mile. Older kids 11
to 14 swim 200 yards, bike 6.2 miles, and run 1.2 miles. Register with Triathlon
directors Jim & Joyce Donaldson at 419.829.2398 or eliteendeavors.com.
Sylvania Triathlon
Sunday, August 7, 7:30am
Olander Park, Open Air Shelter 2
One of the longest continuous triathlons in the Midwest is, in reality, four races.
The Olympic distance is a one-mile swim, 26 mile bike, and 6.2 mile run. The
Sprint has a ¼ mile swim, 13 mile bike, and 3.1 mile run. If swimming is not
your stroke, the Duathlon has a run-bike-run format, and there is the team
event for specialists. Contact Triathlon Race Directors Jim & Joyce Donaldson
at 419.829.2398 or eliteendeavors.com for information or to register.
Just for Preschoolers
Spittlebug Surprises
Wednesday, June 8, 10am
Olander Park, Gorman Nature Education Center
Today, along with Joyce Davis, we’ll go on a spittlebug
hunt for this unusual insect that blows bubbles. We will
make our own bubble wands and have a fun “bubble”
day at Olander Park. Come join the fun as we celebrate
this special day with discoveries, puppet talk, bubbles
and more.
Frog Hop
Friday, June 10, 10am
Olander Park, Gorman Nature Education Center
Hop in for a fun filled time with Mary Leugers and her
mascot, Rags. Frog stories, songs and a craft will have
you croaking for more.
pathfinder | SUMMER 2016
Pillbug Adventures
Wednesday, June 15, 10am
Olander Park, Gorman Nature Education Center
Who are these creatures called pillbugs? Not a bug,
but a member of the crustacean family and the only
crustacean to live outside water for 24 hours. Along
with Joyce Davis, we’ll explore the various hiding spots
of these unusual creatures and learn interesting facts
from a pillbug puppet.
Strawberry Fun
Tuesday, June 21, 10am
Olander Park, Open Air Shelter 2
It’s strawberry time! Learn more about strawberries
with ECO Discovery! Make and take home sweet treats
and recipes too!
Bubbles
Tuesday, June 28, 10am
Olander Park, Open Air Shelter 2
Big and small, we love them all! Join ECO Discovery! for
a burst of fun. Blow big bubbles, paint with bubbles, have
a bubbly snack and take home your own bubble mix.
Let’s Fly a Kite
It’s Elementary!
K to 5th Grade
Friday Fun: Bubbles!
Friday Fun: Let’s Fly a Kite!
Friday, July 8, 10am
Olander Park, Open Air Shelter 2
Kites are part of an old story! Join ECO Discovery! to
make a new kite and fly it too. Learn more and have
fun flying.
Friday, June 10, 10am
Olander Park, Open Air Shelter 2
Big and small, we love them all! Join ECO Discovery! for
Friday Fun: Scales in the Sun
a burst of fun. Blow big bubbles, paint with bubbles,
have a bubbly snack and take home your own bubble mix. Friday, July 22, 10am
Olander Park, Open Air Shelter 2
Reptiles are the original sunbathers. Join ECO Discovery!
Choose Your Summer Adventure!
for a one on one with a turtle or two! We’ll meet a couple
Fridays, June 17 through July 29,
of reptiles and learn more about these cold blooded but
12:30pm to 3:30pm
warm creatures. Share a scaly snack!
Girls, choose your Adventure this summer! Attend one or
all six. You do not need to be a current Girl Scout to attend.
June 17: Curtain Call, Gorman Nature Education Center Friday Fun: Paint, Paint Everywhere
June 24: Junior Chef, Gorman Nature Education Center Friday, August 12, 10am
Olander Park, Open Air Shelter 2
July 8: A Friend to All Animals, Gorman Nature
I will paint it with a ball, I will paint it very tall. Join
Education Center
ECO Discovery! for fun with paint. Try some things
July 15: Land Before Time, Fossil Park
July 22: Art Expedition, Sylvan Prairie Park, South Lot new, some things tried and true! Bring your imagination
and be prepared for something different, Sam I Am.
July 29: Splish, Splash, Sploosh, Gorman Nature
Education Center
Friday Fun: Maize Days
Friday Fun: Strawberries!
Tuesday, July 5, 10am
Friday, June 24, 10am
Olander Park, Open Air Shelter 2
Olander Park, Open Air Shelter 2
Kites are part of an old story! Join ECO Discovery! to make
Make it and take it. Join ECO Discovery! for a flurry of
a new kite and fly it too. Learn more and have fun flying.
fun with strawberries. Make and take home sweet treats
and recipes too!
Friday, August 19, 10am
Olander Park, Open Air Shelter 2
Cornbread, popcorn, sweet corn on the cob, yum!
Join ECO Discovery! and find out just how old corn is.
Corn comes in all colors, sizes and flavors. Let’s try some!
Lend an ear and eat an ear.
Scales in the Sun
Tuesday, July 19, 10am
Olander Park, Open Air Shelter 2
Reptiles are the original sunbathers. Join ECO Discovery!
for a one on one with a turtle or two! We’ll meet a
couple of reptiles and learn more about these cold
blooded but warm creatures. Share a scaly snack!
I Spy in the Sky
Tuesday, July 26, 10am
Olander Park, Open Air Shelter 2
What’s in the sky flying by? Join ECO Discovery! and
look up! What do we see? Birds, planes, Superman?
Let’s find out and make an over the park mural.
We’ll munch on a snack while we create.
Paint, Paint Everywhere
Tuesday, August 9, 10am
Olander Park, Open Air Shelter 2
I will paint it with a ball, I will paint it very tall. Join
ECO Discovery! for fun with paint. Try some things new,
some things tried and true! Bring your imagination
and be prepared for something different, Sam I Am.
Maize Days
Tuesday, August 16, 10am
Olander Park, Open Air Shelter 2
Cornbread, popcorn, sweet corn on the cob, yum!
Join ECO Discovery! and find out just how old corn
is. Corn comes in all colors, sizes and flavors! Let’s
try some! Lend an ear and eat an ear.
“Summer afternoon- summer afternoon; to me those have always
been the two most beautiful words in the English language.”
–Henry James
pathfinder | SUMMER 2016
Volunteer Adventures
Adopt-a-Road
Saturdays, June 18, July 23 & August 20,
9am to Noon
Olander Park, Maintenance Building
Volunteers assist TOPS staff in our community clean-up
along Sylvania Avenue from King to Mitchaw Road.
Wear long pants and bring gloves if you have them.
Restoring Wildlife Habitat
Adults of all Ages
(16 & Up)
DIY: Eco-Friendly Crafts
Thursdays, June 9, July 7 & August 4,
6pm to 7:30pm
Olander Park, Gorman Nature Education Center
Join TOPS’ Casey McDonald in creating fun,
sustainable and decorative pieces for your home!
June: Patriotic Mason Jars
July: Outdoor Drink Holders
August: Cactus Rock Garden
Put It on a Shirt!
Wednesday, June 29, 7pm
Olander Park, Open Air Shelter 2
Great techniques from ECO Discovery! for dressing
up your summer T’s. Share with the kids too! Bring
a light-colored t-shirt and your imagination; all
other supplies provided.
Family Fun
Ohio Young Birders Trip:
La Su An Preserve
Saturday, June 4, 8:30am to 2pm
La Su An Preserve, Pioneer, Ohio
Come with us as our guide, Brian McCaskey, takes us
on a tour of the birding hot spots in the La Su An
Wildlife Area. Meet at Olander Park at 8am to carpool,
or meet us at the Wildlife Area. We will be back at
Olander at 2pm.
Monday Morning Bird Walk
Mondays, June 13 & July 11, 10am
Sylvan Prairie Park, South Lot
Take a leisurely stroll around the park observing local
wildlife. Bring your own binoculars.
Olander Park, Gorman Nature Education Center
Tea is tops these days and ECO Discovery! knows tea.
Join us and learn some history, try small delights
and learn some quick, elegant tea treats you will love.
Take home all the recipes to share!
Moths at Night
Star Party
Wednesday, July 27, 7pm
Friday, August 12, 8:30pm
Sylvan Prairie Park, Greenhouse
Join us at Sylvan Prairie Park for a close encounter with
the elusive nighttime flyers, MOTHS! Moths can be big
and colorful or tiny and cryptic. We’ll get a look at all
kinds of moths and other cool insects with a special
lamp, learn how they defend themselves, and talk to
each other, and how to attract and identify these important pollinators. Bring a flashlight, a camera
(if you have one) and your moth questions.
Best Back-to-School Snacks
Wednesday, August 17, 7pm
Olander Park, Gorman Nature Education Center
Moon Munch and Have a Heart snack mix; these are
just a couple of great snacks for the lunchbox or after
school. Join ECO Discovery! for secret recipes that
have been kid tested. Tasting is a must and all recipes
will go home with you on handy cards!
Garden Volunteers Wanted
Thursdays, June 2, July 7 & August 4, 3pm
Olander Park, Maintenance Building
Join Natural Resources Assistant Manager, Robin Parker,
to keep our gardens beautiful! Train to become a garden
volunteer and schedule times that work best for you.
Show off your gardening skills, learn some new tricks
and give back to your community!
Passport to Fishing
Tuesdays, June 14, July 12 & August 9,
1pm to 5pm
Olander Park, Open Air Shelter 2
The Passport to Fishing Program provides skills,
techniques and information that novices need to
begin fishing in their communities. Each hands-on
session focuses on a key participation aspect and
includes strong conservation messages. Program is
rain-or-shine, so dress for the weather! Ages 8 & Up.
Try it For Tea!
Sundays, June 26, July 31 & August 28,
1pm to 4pm
Olander Park, Maintenance Building
Join the Natural Resources Team to restore wildlife
habitat in Sylvania. Explore and improve our many
parks and learn about the wildlife that uses them. Be
prepared to weed, plant, clear brush, etc. Wear long pants
and bring gloves if you have them. All necessary tools
provided by TOPS. Volunteers will need transportation
to the worksite.
Fridays, June 17 & July 8, 9:30pm;
August 12, 9pm
Sylvan Prairie Park, South Lot
Join the Toledo Area Astronomers for an evening
of star watching. TAA members set up their telescopes
so you can look at the stars, moon and other
astronomical objects. Bring your own scope;
canceled if cloudy or raining.
“Life, now, was unfolding
before me, constantly and
visibly, like the flowers of
summer that drop fanlike
petals on eternal soil.”
– Roman Payne
Ohio Young Birders Trip:
Birding by Kayak
Saturday, July 16, 9am to Noon
Farnsworth Metropark
We’ll paddle around Audubon Island in the mighty
Maumee looking for shorebirds, gulls and fishing raptors.
Farnsworth Metropark will furnish the kayak; bring your
binoculars. No kayaking experience necessary. Must be
an OYBC Member. ($15 fee payable to Black Swamp Bird
Observatory: memo: NW Ohio field trip)
pathfinder | SUMMER 2016
Sunset Serenades
Concert Series
The 19th season of this popular concert series happens on the Nederhouser
Community Hall deck every other Wednesday from June 15 through August 24,
7pm to Dark. Sunset Serenades are FREE for Sylvania School District residents;
$3 per car admission for non-residents. The Friends of The Olander Park System
& Oakleaf Village offer light refreshments. Bring blankets or lawn chairs, and if
the weather turns nasty, concerts are moved inside the Hall.
June 15: Duane Malinowski Orchestra
July 27: Bob Wurst
June 29: Toledo Polish American Concert Band August 10: SWINGMANIA!
July 13: Jeff Tucker Band
August 24: Extra Stout
dozen species may burst
their buds on a single day.
No man can heed all of
these anniversaries; no man
can ignore all of them.”
– Aldo Leopold
Olander Park Beach Facility
Come enjoy the all-natural sand at Lake Olander Swim & Beach Facility!
Swimmers and sun-worshipers can hit the natural sand beach
May 28 to May 30, weather permitting, from Noon to 7pm. From
June 1 to August 26, the beach will be open Wednesday through Sunday
from Noon to 7pm. From August 27 to Labor Day, the beach will be open
weekends only, Noon to 6pm, then close for the year following Labor Day
weekend. Admission is $2 for TOPS residents and $4 for all others,
with kids 2 & under free. If you are a “regular,” purchase a 15-visit pass;
you buy 12 admissions and receive 3 free! If you don’t use all 15, never fear,
it doesn’t expire.
Olander Park Bait Shop
and Boat Rental
Spend a lazy afternoon fishing or taking a paddle around Lake Olander. Hooks,
bobbers and worms are available for sale in the Bait Shop. We sell leaf worms,
wax worms and night crawlers for $1.50 to $2-per-container. The popular
paddleboats rent for $3-per-half-hour and seat up to 3 people.
Rowboats are $3-per-hour and hold up to four people. All rentals
require a $5 deposit. Boaters must be 16 years or older to take out a craft and 12
years or older to ride without an adult. TOPS halts rentals one hour prior to the
closing of the Bait & Boat Shop. The Bait and Boat Shop is open daily through
Labor Day. June and July hours are 10am to 8pm; August hours are
10am to 7pm.
Fossil Park: Dig It!
summer fun!
“In June, as many as a
Dig for and keep 375-million-year-old Devonian fossils daily from 8:30am to 90
minutes prior to sunset, with access to the Quarry Ridge Bike Trail. Fossil Park is
at 5703 Centennial Road, and TOPS staffs the quarry to assist you on weekends,
from 11am to 4pm. TOPS operates Fossil Park with Hanson Aggregates Midwest,
Inc. and The City of Sylvania. Fossil Park will close Saturday, July 2,
through Tuesday, July 5, for the Sylvania Area fireworks display
at Centennial Terrace.
pathfinder | SUMMER 2016
Fossil Park
Olander Park
Quarry Ridge Bike Trail
Sylvan Prairie Park
Southview Oak Savanna
Whetstone Park
6930 Sylvania Avenue
Sylvania, Ohio 43560-3524
TOPS Quick View
Olander Park: 6930 Sylvania Avenue
May 28 to July 31: 7am to 10pm
August 1 to 21: 7am to 9pm
August 22 to September 5: 7am to 8:30pm
Commissioners
Connie Feldstein
Harold C. McElmurry
John C. Zeitler
419-882-8313 Phone
419-885-4237 Fax
info@olanderpark.com
olanderpark.com
Fossil Park: 5675 Centennial Road
Restroom open 8:30am to 90 minutes prior to sunset
FREE Admission; Staff on-duty weekends only,
Memorial to Labor Day, 11am to 4pm
FOSSIL PARK CLOSED SATURDAY, JULY 2, THROUGH
TUESDAY, JULY 5, FOR THE SYLVANIA AREA FIREWORKS.
Sylvan Prairie Park: 8601 Brint Road
7:30am to 60 minutes prior to sunset
Lake Olander Swim & Beach Facility
May 28 to May 30, Noon to 7pm
Wednesday through Sunday starting June 1,
Noon to 7pm
August 27 to Labor Day: Weekends & Holiday
only, Noon to 6pm. $2 for Sylvania School District
residents; $4 nonresidents, with 2 & under free.
Std Prst
U.S. Postage
PA I D
Toledo, OH
PERMIT NO. 216
Olander Park Bait & Boat Shop
Daily starting Saturday, May 30, 10am to 8pm
August and Labor Day: Daily, 10am to 7pm
Final boat rentals one hour prior to closing.
Sunset Serenades Concert Series
Every other Wednesday evening
June 15 through August 24, 7pm to Dark
Nederhouser Community Hall deck, Olander Park
FREE for Sylvania School District residents;
all others $3-per-car parking fee
Our Mission
The Olander Park System strives to preserve
and enhance the educational, historical,
natural, and recreational benefits of the
Sylvania region through parklands, family
and community events, conservation and
preservation techniques, environmentallyfriendly practices, and energy-efficient
technologies to ensure a high quality of life
for all Sylvania area residents.
pathfinder | SUMMER 2016