YOUNGSTOWN

These Mahoning County favorites have new additions and expansions that make it a great time to plan a summer visit.

By Kellie B. Gormly

Ford Nature Center at Mill Creek MetroParks

Nature and outdoor lovers can find plenty to enjoy in Mahoning County’s Mill Creek MetroParks, which includes attractions such as Lanterman’s Mill and Covered Bridge, Fellows Riverside Gardens, a bike trail and a golf course. New for 2023 is Mill Creek Park’s renovated Ford Nature Center a stone mansion the local Ford family donated in 1968 that opened to the public four years later.

The Ford Nature Center holds a variety of nature-education programs for adults and kids, as well as indoor exhibits on the flora and fauna of the area. The Ford family home, which was constructed in 1912, had not received any renovations in its 50 years of use by the park system, leading to a total of $4 million in updates that were completed this spring.

“The approach is that we bring everybody to the center,” says Justin Rogers, planning and operations director for Mill Creek MetroParks. “We want it to be the starting point for self-guided tours and experiences throughout Mill Creek Park.”

The renovated property includes a new exhibit hall and nature-themed gift shop, history room, bird-observation room, updated restrooms, outdoor classrooms and trails. Rogers hopes that all visitors will walk away with an appreciation for nature and more knowledge than they had when they arrived.

“Everything that we do has an educational component,” he says.

While you’re at the park, be sure to take a stroll through Fellows Riverside Gardens, which contains a parade of seasonal blooms. 840 Old Furnace Rd., Youngstown 44511, 330/740-7107, millcreekmetroparks.org