Caring for Our Community at Karr Park
Pataskala’s William V. Karr Park has a long history of providing benefits to our community. Since William V. Karr donated this lovely patchwork of woods and field to the Village of Pataskala in 1985, this 9-acre park off Broad Street has become an oasis along a busy corridor. Today the park sits alongside Conine Village, a retirement community of some 60 residents who value the lovely greenery next door.
However, the old 600-foot asphalt walking path that traces a loop through the heart of the park has become cracked and uneven over time, and is no longer inviting for Conine Village residents and the Pataskala community to enjoy safe and healthy exercise. This well worn path is slated for improvements this spring that will not only restore its former appeal, but also make the park a hub for health and fitness enthusiasts. In addition to repaving, the path will feature outdoor fitness equipment stations. Work on these projects will begin in the spring with funding from a 2019 NatureWorks grant.
Last year, an old raised flower bed at the park was replaced with a series of ten raised garden beds, designed for easy access for planting and maintenance of a community vegetable patch. The idea is for healthy produce grown in the beds to be donated to neighbors in need of food assistance along with the local LEADS food pantry. Volunteers from Licking County Master Gardeners donated plants while the parks department cultivated the beds last summer, demonstrating how the program can work in the future.
