Green keeps getting greener, thanks to the addition of more park land and more recreational opportunities.
“There’s something for everyone in your family,” says Mayor Rocco Yeargin of the 13 parks that span the city. “No matter your interest, age group, limitations or special abilities, you can find something that you can thrive at in our park system.”
While many point to the 60-acre Boettler Park as the park system’s crown jewel with its sprawling green space and varied recreational opportunities, it’s not the only campus with something to offer. Here’s a look at some of the most recent additions to the park lineup and amenities that are sure to welcome people of all abilities.
Willadale Trail
Opened in April 2025, this 1.2-mile trail connects Southgate and Boettler parks via a crushed limestone walkway that eventually meets a wooden boardwalk as it winds over wetlands where bicyclists, walkers and runners can admire numerous species of birds, turtles, frogs, fish and salamanders, says Valerie Wax Carr, director of public service for the city of Green.
“You get back into Willadale and you forget that you’re in an urban area,” she explains. “It’s very well wooded. I think [trail users] will encounter a lot more wildlife back there than they will on some of our other trails.”
The trail sits on nearly 20 acres that were given to the city during a controversial exchange with the Nexus Gas Transmission pipeline project; city council voted 4-3 in February 2018 to approve the pipeline and accept a settlement agreement, which included the land where Willadale was constructed.
“It’s taking something that nobody wanted … and repurposing it to this wonderful public use,” Yeargin points out. “It’s a way to reclaim what we thought we couldn’t use for anything, and it became this jewel where people actually want to live closer to it because of all the benefits that it provides.”
Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation Adaptive Field
The first Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation adaptive field in Ohio opened earlier this year in Green at Kleckner Park and provides a permanent home for the city’s Challenger baseball program and Green’s Organized Adaptive League (G.O.A.L.) — both for individuals with physical and intellectual needs, Wax Carr notes.
At a cost of nearly $1.2 million, the project was funded entirely through grants and private donations. A grand opening in June revealed a turf field made for easy passage of wheelchairs with bases inlaid into the surface as well as oversized dugout spaces and wider gates. A professional-looking scoreboard completes the experience for those who take the field.
“We did that on purpose to give the kids a feeling like they’re playing in the big leagues,” Wax Carr says.
Meanwhile, Yeargin notes the possibilities for the field are boundless as word gets out about this amenity and what it has to offer.
“We expect that it will become more of a regional draw as people learn about it and kind of become a showcase for athletics for kids with special challenges.”
The Center of Recreation & Education (CORE)
Later this year, opportunities will expand indoors as The CORE throws open its doors to welcome sports enthusiasts to a new 53,415-square-foot facility that provides space for Green Middle School students and residents.
The $14.9 million project in coordination with Green Local Schools will share a gym and feature four full-sized courts, an elevated walking track, indoor turf field, studio space, community meeting spaces and a rooftop terrace complete with plants and outdoor furniture for socializing.
The gym will accommodate basketball, volleyball and pickleball while SilverSneakers members will be able to use their membership benefits at the new facility.
“Much of the center is very sports-performance focused for our youth sports here in the community,” Wax Carr notes. “But we want this to be more than just a place where you can walk the track.”
Wax Carr encourages residents to be on the lookout for all kinds of creative programming ideas to be announced in the near future that will encourage everyone to come see this innovative space.
Raintree Golf Course
Acquired in 2018 to preserve green space, the 120 acres owned by the city and operated by Troon management company’s Indigo Golf Partners aren’t just for golf enthusiasts. In fact, if you haven’t checked it out, you’re missing out on the Fourth of July 5K, fish fries, trivia nights, a senior expo and a full banquet center capable of hosting up to 400 guests, Wax Carr notes, adding that it’s one of the largest spaces that can be rented in Green.
“We didn’t want it to just be a golf course when we took it over,” she explains. “Some people go out to Raintree and have never golfed and never will golf, but they can still experience Raintree.”
Meanwhile, an 18-hole, award-winning course; full driving range; and bar and grill restaurant are on hand to welcome novice to master golfers. For smaller putters, the First Tee program is available for golf lessons and youth development.
For added entertainment, GPS interactive screens have recently been added to the golf carts so golfers can see the distance from where they’re shooting to the green, Wax Carr notes.
“It kind of makes us stand out from the other courses,” she says. “Patrons seem to really like the GPS interaction.”
Nimisila Reservoir Metro Park
At 825 acres, “Nimisila Reservoir is the largest body of water in Summit Metro Parks and offers phenomenal fishing for serious and casual anglers alike,” says Claire Merrick, marketing and public relations manager for Summit Metro Parks. Although not a part of Green’s extensive parks, Nimisila is a gem worth noting for additional recreational opportunities.
Sixteen miles of shoreline and four boat launches encourage those who fish to cast a line in search of prized channel catfish, largemouth bass, Northern pike, walleye and yellow perch. With only electric boat motors permitted, the reservoir invites guests to slow down and admire waterfowl, eagles and osprey as well as the resident eagle that nests regularly within the power line right-of-way.
While the most popular activities include water recreation (such as boating, paddleboarding and kayaking) as well as fishing, Nimisila also offers opportunities for ice fishing, camping, birding and picnicking.
