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Field Status Dog park Closed Fields 14 open last updated

Parks

Grant Park

Nature park · 222.48 acres

A family crossing Holes Creek on the stepping stones at Grant Park Two children at a log table in the natural play area at Grant Park A parent and child looking for creatures in the shallows of Holes Creek at Grant Park

About

Grant Park is an 222-acre natural area. Trails in the park lead along creeks and through meadow, forest, prairie and wetland habitats. The trails are of varying difficulty; some follow ridgelines or bottomlands, while others climb fairly steep hills. Two fire rings, located at the Chimneys and behind the Grant Nature Center, are available for reservations. Campfires are allowed by permit only. For the safety of park visitors, bicycles are not permitted on the trails and all pets must be on a leash. Parking is available at Normandy Elementary School on Normandy Ridge Road, Hadley Watts Middle School on McEwen Road, and at Kennard Nature Nook on McEwen Road. Play equipment is located at the Grant's Trail entrance to the park.

This Fall Here

  1. Family Programs

    Nature Fun: An Outdoor Family Storytime

    Fridays, September 11 & October 30, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.

    Kennard Nature Nook · All ages (recommended for children 5 and under)

  2. Adult Programs

    Sweater Weather Knit & Crochet Group

    Mondays, September 14 & 21, October 12 & 26, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.

    Kennard Nature Nook · Ages 16 and up

    15 of 30 spots left

  3. Adult Programs

    Hike with a Naturalist (October: Spider Search)

    Thursday, October 8, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.

    McEwen Entrance · Ages 18 and up · $4 nonresidents

    8 of 20 spots left · Register by Tuesday, October 6

  4. Family Programs

    Butterfly Survey: October

    Saturday, October 10, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.

    Normandy Entrance · Recommended for ages 8 and up

    4 of 6 spots left · Register by Thursday, October 8

  5. Family Programs

    Grow Together Native Garden Club: October

    Saturday, October 10, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

    Normandy Entrance · All ages · $4 nonresidents

    16 of 20 spots left · Register by Thursday, October 8

  6. Children's Programs

    From Patch to Plate

    Tuesday, October 13, 4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

    Kennard Nature Nook · Ages 8 – 15 · $33 residents, $43 nonresidents

    2 of 10 spots left · Register by Tuesday, October 6

  7. Adult Wellness

    Fitness for Longevity C Wednesday

    Wednesdays, October 14 – November 18, 6:00 – 7:15 p.m.

    Kennard Nature Nook · Ages 18 and up · $36 residents, $47 nonresidents

    11 of 15 spots left · Register by Monday, October 12

  8. Children's Programs

    An Evening at Camp

    Thursday October 15, 4:30 – 7:00 p.m.

    Normandy Entrance · Ages 5 – 12 · $10 residents, $13 nonresidents

    2 of 28 spots left · Register by Friday, October 9

All 20 programs here this fall

Recent News

Features

  • AED (automated external defibrillator) at Kennard Nature Nook
  • Drinking Fountain (at Kennard Nature Nook) (off November-March)
  • Fire Circles (2)
  • Grill - Chimneys area
  • Hiking Trails
  • Mark Kreusch Nature Playce - natural play area
  • Owlexander's Hoot Route Nature Literature Trail
  • Kennard Nature Nook
  • Parking Lot
  • Paved multi-use trail (1/4 mile loop) - McEwen Rd. entrance
  • Picnic Tables
  • Play Equipment - Grant's Trail entrance
  • Portable Restroom - Normandy Ridge entrance
  • Restroom - Kennard Nature Nook
  • Sled Hills
  • Wetland/Stream

Grant Park Master Plan

The Centerville-Washington Park District began work on a Grant Park master plan project in March 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, proposed community engagement sessions were modified to include an online survey and a virtual community meeting. The online survey was posted in late spring and remained open through the end of August. The virtual community meeting was held in early July.

Based on collective input from the community and in collaboration with park staff, the master plan project team developed a number of recommendations. The recommendations reflect the passion of the community, the enthusiasm of the park staff and the vision of a park that will better serve the community today and in the coming years.

History

When the Park District was formed in 1959, the commissioners had their eye on the area surrounding Hole's Creek as a nature reserve.

The horseshoe-shaped flow of the creek ran through Normandy Farms, formerly the country estate of Richard H. Grant, Sr. When Grant died in 1957 the family chose to divide the estate into parcels. They are Normandy United Methodist Church in the mansion, Grant Park, Normandy Elementary School, Grant Life Nature Center and residential housing.

In 1963, a zoning agreement stated that the title for this 45-acre nature area that the Park District was interested in would be given to the Washington Township trustees. The trustees then assigned their rights to the Park District.

Over the years, the park grew as a result of a number of open space transfers and purchases.

In 1966, the Park District decided that the forest and field areas within the original park space along the horseshoe bend should be added to the park in order to preserve the entire significant, unique and beautiful natural area forever. A study made by the Miami Valley Regional Planning commission concluded it should all be acquired by the Park District and preserved at all costs. The report also suggested acquiring the adjacent agricultural land to the south for a buffer zone.

The Park District also wanted to connect the park to McEwen Road on the west. A 12-acre open space transfer acquisition resulted in a 1/3 mile Hole's Creek westward extension in 1974.

In 1993, the Township Trustees, which owned four acres on McEwen Road, and the Park District, which owned approximately the same amount of land next to the Rec Center on Miamisburg-Centerville Road, traded properties. Ohio said the law did not allow such a swap, but Bob Corbin, state representative got the law changed and the frontage was acquired for the Park District and the Rec Center received land it needed.

In 2022, the Park District purchased an additional 33.25 acres of land from Centerville City Schools -- 27 acres adjacent to Watts Middle School and an additional 6.25 acres near Normandy Elementary School. The Park District received a $613,000 grant to fund 75% of the land purchase.

Note: History courtesy of Pat Aldrich, Centerville-Washington History

Before You Go

Hours
The park is open during daylight hours.
Entrances
  • 501 Normandy Ridge Road
  • Kennard Nature Nook - 6588 McEwen Road
  • 616 Grant's Trail
Pets
Domesticated animals are permitted if they are controlled at all times on a visible leash not more than eight feet long.

Directions

Grant Park on the map of the DistrictMap of Washington Township and the City of Centerville with Grant Park marked and the District’s other parks in gray.
Where Grant Park sits among the District’s 51 parks

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors and the U.S. Census Bureau

What’s Here

Play

Trails & nature

Shelters & picnics

Comfort & access

Drawing of Grant Park: its boundary, wetland, water, play area, parking, trail
  • Wetland
  • Water
  • Play area
  • Parking
  • Trail

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

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