Liverpool Meadows Nature Preserve officially opens to the public

LIVERPOOL TWP. — Liverpool Township residents can now go for a walk or fish in the Rocky River at Liverpool Meadows Nature Preserve. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held for the preserve on Friday to mark it officially opening to the public. Medina County Park District Director Nate Eppink said the park district has owned the property for 20 years. The park district's final promise to the public in its 2015-2026 strategic plan was providing access to the land. "I know when I first reached out to (Liverpool) Township about two years ago, the reaction I got was, 'Great, you're finally going to do something there,'" he said. "I think what you'll find is a really beautiful preserve and a great walk with really exceptional views of the Rocky River." The preserve at 6601 W. Law Road features a 0.9-mile gravel loop trail, which provides access to the Rocky River, as well as a parking lot, a restroom area and an observation mound. Dogs are allowed if they are leashed. "Where the blacktop ends, the trail begins," Medina County Park District Commissioner Jason Venner said. "That's the idea of the atmosphere of a preserve. As you walk into nature, you sort of leave the rest of the world behind, which is really important." Park planner John Kleshinski said the park district's goal for its nature preserves is to have people feel more connected and immersed in nature. He described the Liverpool Meadows Nature Preserve as a "very serene park." "Welcome to this wonderful park," Venner said. "As we head in, I just want you to appreciate the native grasses, the sky, the openness and the quietness." The site was restored more than a decade ago, and a portion of the property is protected by an environmental covenant, Venner said. It is the Medina County Park District's fourth new property that it has opened to the public this year, and its second property in Liverpool Township. "The work that we do, the collaboration, affects people that we don't even know," he said. "It's a place to go for people who just need that break. They want to take their dog on a walk. They want to take their first date somewhere special, and that is so important to create those memories." Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.