Five Rivers MetroParks


Five Rivers MetroParks is a regional public park system consisting of conservatories and outdoor recreation and education facilities that serve the Dayton metropolitan area. The name Five Rivers MetroParks comes from five major waterways that converge in Dayton. These waterways are the Great Miami River, Mad River, Stillwater River, Wolf Creek, and Twin Creek. Five Rivers MetroParks comprises more than and 25 facilities with a number of amenities and features. These include hiking trails, a mountain bike area at Huffman MetroPark, horse bridle trails, a disc golf course, a whitewater feature at Eastwood MetroPark, and a large butterfly house at Cox Arboretum MetroPark. Five Rivers MetroParks provides year-round recreation, education and conservation opportunities to the Greater Dayton community.

Metropark facilities

The Metropark's 19 facilities are:
  1. Aullwood House and Garden MetroPark, Englewood
  2. Carriage Hill MetroPark, Huber Heights
  3. Cox Arboretum and Gardens MetroPark, Dayton
  4. Deeds Point MetroPark, Dayton
  5. Eastwood MetroPark, Dayton
  6. Englewood MetroPark, Englewood
  7. Germantown MetroPark, Germantown
  8. Hills & Dales MetroPark, Kettering
  9. Huffman MetroPark, Fairborn
  10. Island MetroPark, Dayton:
  11. Possum Creek MetroPark, Dayton
  12. RiverScape MetroPark, Dayton
  13. 2nd Street Market, Dayton
  14. Sugarcreek MetroPark, Sugarcreek Township, [Greene County, Ohio|Sugarcreek Township]
  15. Sunrise MetroPark, Dayton
  16. Taylorsville MetroPark, Vandalia
  17. Twin Creek MetroPark, Germantown
  18. Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark, Dayton
  19. Wesleyan MetroPark, Dayton
The Metropark's 8 conservation area's include:
  • Dull Woods Conservation Area
  • Medlar Conservation Area
  • Needmore Conservation Area
  • Pigeye Conservation Area
  • Sandridge Prairie Conservation Area
  • Shiloh Woods Conservation Area
  • Twin Valley Conservation Area
  • Woodman Fen Conservation Area

    History

Individual park histories

2nd Street Market is public market located on East Second Street near downtown Dayton. More than 200,000 people visit the market year-round. Local merchants sell produce, flowers, baked goods, as well as homemade food and craft items. Entertainment includes local musicians, singers and dancers.
Carriage Hill MetroPark is a 900 acre recreated, historic farm representing 19th century farming methods including historically accurate farm animal breeds. The farm has been operated as an education center since at least 1975. The historic property features the former home of the Arnolds, a German Baptist family, that lived and worked the farm for generations in the 1800s. Their farmhouse, a vernacular federal style brick structure, along with blacksmith and woodworking outbuildings are maintained.
Island MetroPark is a river island located where the Stillwater and Miami Rivers meet. The park was built on the former location of the White City Amusement Park, which began operation in the late 1880s, but did not survive the Great Dayton Flood of 1913. Island Park opened and the Dayton Canoe Club held its first regatta there both in 1914. In addition to public park amenities, it is also the site of the Art Deco-style Leslie L. Diehl Band Shell, a WPA project, which was constructed in 1939. Today the Greater Dayton Rowing Association Boat House is located within the park, and it is a known birding location for black-crowned night herons.
The RiverScape Metropark fountain shoots of water per minute toward the center of the river. The central geyser of the fountain rises from the jets 200 ft in the air. Covering 395,000 square feet across an 800 ft diameter, the Five Rivers Fountain of Lights is one of the largest fountains in the world.