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Official Publication of The Olander Park System
Pictured L-R: John Zeitler, Gail Abood,
Harold McElmurry and Connie Feldstein
A Farewell and Welcome
“What good
is the warmth
of summer,
without the
cold of winter
to give it
sweetness.”
–John Steinbeck
2015 saw a change in the guard at TOPS, and while we are
sad to see Commissioner Gail Abood resign her position,
we are looking forward to working with new Commissioner
Connie Feldstein!
When I started with The Olander Park System in 2000,
I got an opportunity to meet the Board of Commissioners.
Gail and I quickly hit it off for a number of reasons. She
went to high school with my aunts and grew up down the
street from my grandparents. In fact, last summer in my
Grandmother’s recipe collection, I found a recipe card for
veggie dip that Gail’s mother had given her. On top of that,
Gail was particularly interested in how to improve natural
areas in our parks, an area close to my heart, and we
shared cycling as a common passion. In 2004, she helped
me buy my house!
As a Commissioner, Gail was dedicated to ensuring the
park district was fiscally responsible. Her interest in
helping TOPS acquire more property precipitated her role
as a member of the Natural Resources Assistance Council,
which decides how funds from the Clean Ohio Greenspace
Fund are allocated in Lucas County. With Gail as an
advocate, both through NRAC and on the TOPS Board,
we were able to add 275 acres to The Olander Park System
from 2006 to 2015, creating a new park in the process:
Sylvan Prairie Park. In a community where land is at a
premium, and for a district that had shown little previous
inclination towards expansion, that is tremendous
growth. The Quarry Ridge Bike Trail was also a project
Gail strongly supported. The route, which connects Sylvan
Prairie Park, Fossil Park, Pacesetter Park, and Centennial
Terrace, is popular with casual cyclists and more dedicated
bikers. In her 20 year tenure as Commissioner, Gail has
supported some extensive changes for the park system,
and I think we can all agree that those changes have
increased the value and support that TOPS brings to the
Sylvania Community.
Our incoming Commissioner, Connie Feldstein has
been a lifelong resident of Sylvania, and she and her
family have been regular visitors at Olander Park for
years. She is enthusiastic about her new position with
the parks because it allows her to be directly involved in
the community she grew up in and to promote what she
feels is one of Sylvania’s best assets, its great parks and
recreation opportunities. I am excited to have Connie as a
new member on our Board. Her experience on the Board
of Trustees for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Toledo and
her role in organizing their fundraising events, as well
as her connections in the Sylvania Community, will be
tremendously helpful as TOPS increases its fundraising
and development efforts over the next few years. Her energy
and excitement are infectious, and I am looking forward to
working with and learning from her!
Thank you, Gail, for all your hard work! Thank you,
Connie, for taking up the challenge!
Have a great Summer!
Erika Buri, Executive Director
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feature programs
Sylvania Area Chamber of
Commerce Movie Nights
The Sylvania Chamber of Commerce will be hosting another summer of
outdoor movies. These events are the perfect opportunity for families to enjoy
a fun-filled evening at some of our favorite spots in Sylvania! Each movie
night will begin at 7pm with the movie starting after dusk.
Thursday, June 11, Frozen at Centennial Terrace
Thursday, July 9, Lego Movie at Lourdes College
Thursday, August 13, Wreck It Ralph at Olander Park,
Nederhouser Community Hall Deck
Bike Sylvania 2015
Saturday, June 20 & Sunday, June 21
In celebration of the bike-ability of the Sylvania Community, TOPS, City of
Sylvania, Sylvania Area Joint Recreation District, Toledo Metropolitan Area
Council of Governments, and We Are Traffic are offering a weekend full of
bicycling events.
Programs are ONLY for residents of
The Olander Park System and are FREE
unless a material fee is noted.
Advance Registration Is Required
Two Days Prior at 419.882.8313 ext. 1013
or [email protected]. If
you or your family have special needs, please
inform the park system when you register.
TOPS reserves the right to cancel programs
with less than 5 registrants.
Gorman Nature Education Center is in the
Nederhouser Community Hall at Olander Park
Sylvan Prairie Park is at 8601 Brint Road,
with access to the Quarry Ridge Bike Trail
Fossil Park is at 5705 Centennial Road,
across from Mayberry Square
Family Bike Day
Saturday, June 20, 9:30am
Centennial Quarry
Bring your family and friends out for a morning ride around the Sylvania
Community on trails and lanes, with three routes, each suited to every level of
rider, all starting and ending at Centennial Terrace. Get some bike safety tips,
meet local bike clubs, local business owners, and bike enthusiasts, and enjoy
the cycling resources your community has to offer. Free swim passes to Olander
Park and Centennial Quarry will be available so you can cool off after your
ride. Register through TOPS.
“Be like the flower, turn
your face to the sun.”
-Kahlil Gibran
5th Annual Sylvania Cycling Classic
Sunday, June 21, 8am to 6pm
Burnham Park
The Fifth Annual Sylvania Cycling Classic will host the 2015 Senior State
Criterium Championships. This event will be the championship race for both
men and women categories 1-4. The venue is extremely family friendly, as the
course loops around Burnham Park, whose picnic, swimming and playground
facilities will be open for race participants, their family, and spectators. Races
throughout day with pro/semi-pros at 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. For more information
and to register, visit www.sylvaniacyclingclassic.com.
Just for Preschoolers
Gone Fishing
Tuesday, June 2, 10am
Firefly Festival
Thursday, July 23, 8:30pm to 10pm
Sylvan Prairie Park, South Lot
Enjoy nature’s fireworks at TOPS 1st Annual Firefly Festival! Stroll through
Sylvan Prairie Park where fireflies can blanket the prairie like stars blanket the
sky! Experience the accompanying night sounds from frogs and insects. The
community event will host a variety of activities such as children’s arts and
crafts, naturalist led walks, firefly counts for the citizen science program
Firefly Watch, and complimentary refreshments.
Olander Park, Gorman Nature Education Center
Get hooked on fish! We will go fishing in books and songs,
and make a fishy craft. Join Mary Leugers and her mascot,
Rags for a splash of a good time.
pathfinder | SUMMER 2015
It’s Elementary!
K to 5th Grade
Recycled Crafts for Kids
Saturdays, June 6 & August 8, 10am
Olander Park, Gorman Nature Education Center
Join TOPS’ Casey Fuleky in creating some fun crafts
made from recycled household items!
June: Puzzle Piece Tree
August: Crazy Crayons
It’s Your Planet, Love It!!!
Tuesdays, June 16 through July 21, 2:30pm
Olander Park, Gorman Nature Education Center
Are you ready to have the best summer ever with the
Girl Scouts? We have put together a FUN-cyclopedia
of all things exciting! Come explore with us – we will
help you discover how you can have fun and make new
friends all while learning about loving our planet.
In the Middle
Child And Babysitting Safety
(CABS)
Saturdays, June 13 & September 12,
9am to 3pm
Olander Park, Gorman Nature Education Center
Fee: $45 per student
Ages 11-16. CABS prepares young individuals for the
responsibility of providing a safe environment for the
younger ones left in their care. We cover Babysitting as
a Business, Safety and Injury Prevention, Leadership,
PlayTime, Basic Caregiving Skills, and First Aid.
“I will be the gladdest
thing under the sun! I will
touch a hundred flowers
and not pick one.” – Edna St. Vincent Millay
Resident Birds
Saturday, June 13, 9am
Oak Openings Metropark, Buehner Center
Ages 12-18. Birding through Oak Openings Metropark
with Elliot Tramer. Sponsored by Ohio Young Birders
Club. Bring your own binoculars.
Paddle OHIO
Sunday, June 28, 1pm to 4pm
Farnsworth Metropark
Ages 12-18. Join Toledo Metroparks and ODNR as
we paddle on the Maumee River. Learn about stream
ecology and monitoring from Ohio Scenic Rivers’
Christina Kuchle.
Family Fun
Outdoor Yoga
Thursdays, May 7 through July 30, 9am
Olander Park, Picnic Area by Boat Ramp
Fee: $10 Adults, $5 Students, Ages 12 & under FREE
This class creates a solid foundation for exploring
and understanding the fundamentals of yoga. You
will be guided through basic yoga poses, meditation,
and breathing exercises to help balance your mind
and body. All levels welcome, suitable for all ages.
Check www.facebook.com/olanderparkyoga for
schedule updates.
Passport to Fishing
Session 1: Friday, July 24, 1pm to 5pm
Session 2: Tuesday, August 11 & Wednesday,
August 12, 1pm to 5pm
Session 3: Wednesday, August 19 & Thursday,
August 20, 1pm to 5pm
Olander Park, Open Air Shelter #2
The Passport to Fishing Program provides skills,
techniques and information that novices need to
begin fishing in their communities. Each hands-on
session focuses on a key method and includes strong
conservation messages.
Adults of All Ages
(16 & Up)
DIY Eco-Friendly Crafts
Thursdays, June 4 & August 6, 6pm
Olander Park, Gorman Nature Education Center
Join TOPS’ Casey Fuleky in creating fun, sustainable, and
decorative pieces for your home.
June: Mason Jar Terrariums
August: Renewed Coffee Containers
Birding 4 Beginners
Saturdays, June 20, July 18 & August 15,
10am
Sylvan Prairie Park, South Lot
Join TOPS’ Robin Parker for a stroll around Sylvan
Prairie to observe summer birds and other wildlife.
Bring binoculars if you have them.
“A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is
blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.” –James Dent
pathfinder | SUMMER 2015
Community Events
Lucky Duck Open Water Swim
Saturday, July 18, 7am
Olander Park, Beach Facility
Join us for our region’s first open water swim competition.
Whether you are a serious swimmer looking for a chance
to compete, a triathlete wanting to get practice in open
water competition, or if you want to set a personal goal of
improving your swimming so that you can complete the
one mile course, the Lucky Duck Open Water Swim will
be an exciting, challenging, and fun celebration of the
sport of swimming. A portion of the proceeds will benefit
Nature’s Nursery Center for Wildlife Rehabilitation and
Conservation Education. For more information and to
register visit luckyduckswim.com.
Super Kids Triathlon
Saturday, August 8, 7:30am
Olander Park, Beach Facility
Get your kids involved in The Triple Play of Physical
Fitness – swimming, bicycling, and running – by
participating in The Super Kids Triathlon. Boys and girls
age 7 to 10 swim 100 yards, bike 3.1 miles, and run
0.6 mile. Older kids 11 to 14 swim 200 yards, bike 6.2 miles,
Adopt-a-Road
and run 1.2 miles. Register with Triathlon directors
Saturdays, June 13, July 25 & August 8,
Volunteer
Adventures
Jim & Joyce Donaldson at 419.829.2398 or
9am to Noon
eliteendeavors.com.
Restoring Wildlife Habitat
Olander Park, Maintenance Building
Tuesdays, June 16, June 30, July 14, July 28 & Volunteers assist TOPS staff in our community clean-up
Sylvania Triathlon
August 11, 9am to Noon
along Sylvania Avenue from King to Mitchaw Road.
Sunday, August 9, 7:30am
Wear long pants and bring gloves if you have them.
Olander Park, Maintenance Building
Olander Park, Open Air Shelter #1
Join Natural Resources Manager, Melanie Coulter,
One of the longest continuous triathlons in the Midwest
to restore wildlife habitat in Sylvania. Explore and
Special Event Volunteers
is, in reality, four races. The Olympic distance is a
improve our many parks and learn about the wildlife
Large events include many tasks! Volunteer your time
one-mile swim, 26 mile bike, and 6.2 mile run. The
that use them. Be prepared to weed, plant, clear brush,
and expertise and take part in TOPS’ special community
Sprint has a ¼ mile swim, 13 mile bike, and 3.1 mile
etc. Wear long pants and bring gloves if you have them. events. Spend a day making these annual events the best!
run. If swimming is not your stroke, the Duathlon has
All necessary tools provided by TOPS. Volunteers will
Sunset Serenades Concert Series:
a run-bike-run format, and there is the team event for
need transportation to the worksite.
Wednesdays, June 10, June 24, July 8, July 22, August 5
specialists. Contact Triathlon Race Directors Jim & Joyce
& August 19, 6pm-9pm
Donaldson at 419.829.2398 or eliteendeavors.com
Bike Sylvania: Saturday, June 20, 9am
Maintenance Mania
for information or to register.
Fridays, June 5, July 10 & Tuesday, August 4,
9am to Noon
Olander Park, Maintenance Building
Join Facilities Manager, Dave Woodcock, in a variety
of maintenance tasks. Wear long pants and bring gloves
“Without music,
if you have them.
Sustainable Gardening
Saturdays, June 6, July 4, August 1,
9am to Noon
Olander Park, Maintenance Building
Join Natural Resources Assistant Manager, Robin Parker,
to keep our gardens beautiful! Enjoy a morning in the
park, show off your gardening skills, and learn some
new tricks.
life would be a mistake.” – Friedrich Nietzsche
pathfinder | SUMMER 2015
Sunset Serenades Concert Series
The 18th season of this popular concert series happens on the Nederhouser Community
Hall deck every other Wednesday from June 10 through August 19, 7pm to Dark. Sunset
Serenades are FREE for Sylvania School District residents; $3 per car admission for
non-residents. The Friends of The Olander Park System & Oakleaf Village offer light
refreshments. Bring blankets or lawn chairs, and if the weather turns nasty, concerts
are moved inside the Hall.
June 10:Chris Shutters
June 24: Toledo Polish American Concert Band
July 8: Extra Stout
July 22: Bob Wurst
August 5: SWINGMANIA!
August 19: KMB3 Trio
the whole globe as one great
dewdrop, striped and dotted
with continents and islands,
flying through space with
other stars all singing and
shining together as one, the
whole universe appears as an
infinite storm of beauty.”
– John Muir
Olander Park Beach Facility
Come enjoy the all-natural sand at Lake Olander Swim & Beach Facility! Swimmers
and sun-worshipers can hit the natural sand beach from May 23
through 25, the next weekend of May 30 & 31, then daily starting
Thursday, June 4, weather permitting, from Noon to 7pm. From August 29
to Labor Day, the beach will be open weekends only, Noon to 6pm, then closed for the
year following the Labor Day weekend. Admission is $2 for TOPS residents and $4 for all
others, with kids 2 & under free. If you are a “regular,” purchase a 15-visit pass; you buy
12 admissions and receive 3 free! If you do not use all 15, it remains valid in 2016.
Olander Park Bait Shop
and Boat Rental
Spend a lazy afternoon fishing or taking a paddle around Lake Olander. Hooks, bobbers,
and worms are available for sale in the Bait Shop. We sell leaf worms, wax worms, and
night crawlers for $1.50 to $2-per-container. The popular paddleboats rent for
$3-per-half-hour and seat up to 3 people. Rowboats are $3-per-hour
and hold up to four people. All rentals require a $5 deposit. Boaters must be 16
years or older to take out a craft and 12 years or older to ride without an adult. TOPS
halts rentals one hour prior to the closing of the Bait & Boat Shop. The Bait and Boat
Shop is open daily through Labor Day. June and July hours are 10am to 8pm;
August hours are from 10am to 7pm.
Fossil Park:
Dig It!
Fossil Park will close Thursday, July 2,
through Sunday, July 5, for the Sylvania
Area fireworks display at Centennial
Terrace. Dig for and keep 375-million-year-old
Devonian fossils daily from 8:30am to 90 minutes
prior to sunset, with access to the Quarry Ridge Bike
Trail. Fossil Park is at 5703 Centennial Road, and
TOPS staffs the quarry to assist you on weekends,
from 11am to 4pm. TOPS operates Fossil Park
with Hanson Aggregates Midwest, Inc., and The
City of Sylvania.
summer fun!
“When we contemplate
pathfinder | SUMMER 2015
Fossil Park
Olander Park
Quarry Ridge Bike Trail
Sylvan Prairie Park
Southview Oak Savanna
Whetstone Park
6930 Sylvania Avenue
Sylvania, Ohio 43560-3524
TOPS Quick View
Olander Park: 6930 Sylvania Avenue
May 23 through July 31: 7am to 10pm
August 1 to 23: 7am to 9pm
August 24 to September 1: 7am to 8:30pm
Commissioners
Connie Feldstein
Harold C. McElmurry
John C. Zeitler
419-882-8313 Phone
419-885-4237 Fax
[email protected]
olanderpark.com
C Printed on recycled paper.
Fossil Park: 5675 Centennial Road
Restroom open 8:30am to 90 minutes prior to sunset
FREE Admission; Staff on-duty weekends only,
Memorial to Labor Day, 11am to 4pm
FOSSIL PARK CLOSED THURSDAY, JULY 2, THROUGH
SUNDAY, JULY 5, FOR THE SYLVANIA AREA FIREWORKS.
Sylvan Prairie Park: 8601 Brint Road
7:30am to 60 minutes prior to sunset
Lake Olander Swim & Beach Facility
Memorial Day Weekend and May 30 & 31
Daily starting Thursday, June 4, Noon to 7pm
August 23 to Labor Day: Weekends & Holiday only,
Noon to 6pm. $2 for Sylvania School District residents;
$4 nonresidents, with 2 & under free
Olander Park Bait & Boat Shop
Weekends April 26 to Memorial Day, 10am to 7pm
Daily starting Saturday, May 30, 10am to 8pm
August and Labor Day: Daily, 10am to 7pm
September: Weekends only, Noon to 7pm
Final boat rentals one hour prior to closing.
Std Prst
U.S. Postage
PA I D
Toledo, OH
PERMIT NO. 216
Sunset Serenades Concert Series
Every other Wednesday evening
June 10 through August 19, 7pm to Dark
Nederhouser Community Hall deck, Olander Park
FREE for Sylvania School District residents;
all others $3-per-car parking fee
Olander 250 Walking Program
May 1 through October 31. Logs at the Callahan
Administrative Office or Nederhouser Community
Hall information box. Turn walking logs in at the
Callahan Administrative Office by November 15.
Our Mission
The Olander Park System strives to preserve
and enhance the educational, historical,
natural, and recreational benefits of the
Sylvania region through parklands, family
and community events, conservation and
preservation techniques, environmentallyfriendly practices, and energy-efficient
technologies to ensure a high quality of life
for all Sylvania area residents.
pathfinder | SUMMER 2015