Board works to bring ‘more activity’ to Myer Creek Park

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MCLEAN

Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022

Board works to bring ‘more activity’ to Myer Creek Park

Karesa Hagan, left, her son Briggs, and Megan Woosley, both of Beech Grove walk the trails at Myer Creek Park in Calhoun.

Photo by Freddie Bourne

BY FREDDIE BOURNE

MESSENGER-INQUIRER

While Myer Creek Park saw an opening of sorts almost 20 years ago, the 218-acre facility that is jointly owned by McLean County Fiscal Court and the city of Calhoun has been seeing more attendance and foot traffi c in recent years.

Known as one of the larger county and city parks in Kentucky, the facility has been able to attract people from both McLean and surrounding counties with events such as the annual Harvest Day and county Ag Fair, along with offering camping and lodging services, sporting events and availability for rentals.

Improvements have been underway at the park this year, according to Bruce Cabbage, chairman of the park board, with

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the installation of new signage for rules and regulations.

Other plans on the docket include adding mapping and signage of the trails on the property using funds raised by a 5K organized by resident Megan Woosley and in partnership with the Green River Area Development District.

Joy Campbell, park board member and city appointee for Calhoun, said much of the park’s success to partnerships that have formed throughout the years, including the local tractor pullers association, the national archery tour R100 that uses the facility every year, the McLean County Cooperative Extension Offi ce and county 4-H program — which has facilities on the grounds that Campbell said have been rented out for receptions and weddings.

“(The) board … can oversee what happens and want things to go according to a plan, but it couldn’t happen without these partnerships,” she said. “It’s just wonderful.”

The park also offers covered shelter rentals along with RV and camping for minimal fees — and the latter has seen an uptick.

“In the last two months, I’ve turned over $1,000 in camping fees,” said Bob Guenthner, park administrator.

“It was over $6,000 last year fi scally,” Cabbage said.

Campbell has been pleased with the number of people using the park for a variety of activities including fi shing, picnic and walking.

Still, Cabbage and Campbell said while people are becoming more familiar with the park, there are still some who are not aware of it.

“Even though they might come to the fair events, they don’t know what else happens up there …” Cabbage said. “One of the reasons why it’s not as well-known … is that it’s a vast area,” Campbell said. “Instead of people going by and seeing a playground or going by and seeing a ball fi eld, they drive by and see this vast area, and if we can’t get them to go through it, it’s not apparent to them ….” The park is looking to see some infrastructure changes and improvements on the horizon.

One of those projects is an upgrade to the park’s sewage and water system through a $177,900 grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) through the Department for Local Government (DLG) under the Offi ce of the Governor, which Campbell said is “in the works.”

The grant will include new year-round heated restroom facilities and inclusive, wheelchair and handicap-accessible playground equipment per American Disability Acts (ADA) standards to provide more recreational opportunities.

Cabbage said camping has increased the past two years and hopes the grant will help with seeing “more activity” in the coming years, such as the inclusion of more activities like the mud bogs and tractor pulls that proved popular at the Ag Fair in July — totaling $5,400 and $4,500 in gate fees, respectively.

Long-term goals for the park include an outdoor amphitheater to draw in larger acts and audience participation, a possibility of adding a ball fi eld and expanding the current disc golf area. There are also discussions about building a small water park facility.

But Cabbage is happy with the progress that has been made thus far and content with the park’s current status.

“In the last fi ve years, it’s really come a long way,” Cabbage said.

New signage replaced existing signage at Myer Creek Park, which was one of the many improvements and projects made throughout 2021.

Photo by Freddie Bourne

“One of the reasons why it’s not as well-known … is that it’s a vast area.” — Bruce Cabbage chairman of the park board

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