TOLEDO, Ohio — COVID-19 has made many people appreciate the outdoor spaces more.
Malena Caruso is deciding which trail to walk her dog Duke in one of her favorite parts of Toledo.
“To have this Metropark right here for Duke and I is just perfect. It allows you to just get outside, be in green-space and you don’t have to drive very far to get to it.”
The 32-year-old young professional walks along the trail and stops to chat with some other park-goers. She explains why for the last seven years, she’s made Toledo her home.
“I had lived in bigger cities, but I hadn’t quite felt like I could make an impact, and being in Toledo, you have that opportunity. There’s so much room for growth here, that if you have an idea, you’ll find someone to support you.”
And through her work with the young professional organization EPIC Toledo, part of the Chamber of Commerce, she’s worked to make Toledo a more attractive spot for young adults.
“A lot of the that is encouraging young professionals to not go to Chicago, or Detroit or Cleveland, but to invest in Toledo.”
And at this construction site, more investment is underway.
“This investment and this kind of new energy is happening in a part of our town and a part of our region where really nothing has happened for twenty years. In many ways, east Toledo has frankly been forgotten about for decades,” said Dave Zenk, the Executive Director of Metroparks Toledo.
Zenk showed Spectrum News the future home of the Glass City Metropark—a park development project that will include a pavilion, park space, boardwalk, walking paths and access for water activities. Zenk says it’s good for the economy and nature.
“Our park district in particular has seen increased visitation year to date of 60 percent. So, people have really found a new appreciation and understanding of the value and the importance of open space,” said Zenk. “As we compared ourselves against benchmark communities across the country, our open space in Toledo was really only 2 percent. And as we compare ourselves to other cities, it really needed to be about 20 percent.”
Metroparks Toledo says reforestation and shoreline restoration will also be included—a major plus for Caruso, who’s excited to be apart of positive change.
“It’s going to bring people closer to the water, and hopefully get them to want to take care of our water better.”
