NORTHWOOD — Buttonwood Park will remain closed and parts of it may be changed in response to the
recurring ice damage.
The Wood County Park District Board, meeting Tuesday at JC Reuthinger Memorial Preserve, unanimously
approved a resolution closing Buttonwood for an indefinite period of time.
“I know the parking lot’s toast,” said board member Sandy Wiechman.
But she asked for a better explanation as to how walleye fishing was going on with the Perrysburg
Township access open.
Neil Munger, director of the park district, said that Hull Prairie Road access in the township goes
straight down to the river and has a turn around.
People can walk all the way to the river, possibly crossing into the Buttonwood area.
“And we have nothing to do with Hull Prairie?” Weichman asked.
Munger said the district is permitting access to the river for people who walk there.
“We do allow people to walk the river bank to access the river,” Munger said. “There’s really not a whole
lot of hazardous area down there.”
“So, if people go down the road to the river and take a right along the banks, they’re on park property?”
asked board member Denny Parish.
Todd Nofzinger, police chief for the park district, said that the Maumee River is not park property.
Munger showed the board new photos of the Buttonwood Park damage, caused by a hard freeze in late
January, followed by a rapid thaw and “regular” cold winter weather.
It’s similar to ice damage that also occurred in 2015 and ended up costing $100,000.
This time, though, it’s more difficult to clear, Munger said.
The soccer field is littered with sticks and mud, and there’s still 6 feet of ice in one area.
“This time we’re seeing a lot of mud,” Munger said. “Cleanup this time is going to be a lot different.
This time it’s pretty bad.”
Parish asked if there was a plan for cleanup and how the park will be used in the future.
Munger said the intent is to hold up until it’s dry, then clean up debris. The big wreckage will be
removed by park staff, then they could have a volunteer day to clear out the smaller debris.
“People have been asking how can we help get it cleaned up,” he said.
Jeff Baney, assistant director, said the district could apply for an Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
permit, and burn some of the debris.
Parish asked if the staff could handle the added work of cleaning up the park.
“It’s something that was not obviously planned for this year but we should accommodate,” Baney said.
Some of the damage can’t be fixed, Munger said.
“As far as you can see there’s scour on the trees,” he said. “The trees have really taken a hit again
this time.”
Munger added that the district has been in contact with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers about how to
better use the park and its flood plain.
New parking could be put in on higher ground, for example, Baney said. They could also use advice on
different plantings that could be a barrier for water and ice.
Munger said some of the area that has been damaged this year and four years ago could be left to revert
back to prairie grounds.