Above, L-R) Tyler Gleason, Ashley Gleason, Jen Vastano, Aaron Meyers

By Paula Pyzik Scott

On Thursday, August 22, Bluffton residents had an opportunity to review plans and concepts for Village of Bluffton parks in a open-air forum at Buckeye Park. The event was promoted by the Allen County Department of Health. 

After the event, Village representatives noted that while attendance was light, participants came ready to provide input and used the dot polls and note boards provided. Village Administrator Jesse Blackburn, council member Ben Stahl and volunteer organizers of the following projects were on hand to discuss the following projects:

1) A Community Dog Park to be built on Lake St.
2) A seven-field Soccer Complex to be built on Snider Rd.
3) Progress on Bike and Pedestrian pathways, a.k.a. Lions Way
4) Additional recreation ideas of general interest, such as pickleball courts and playground equipment for all abilities. 

The dog park, soccer complex and pathways are examples of Village-community partnerships. Corporate, nonprofit and individual involvement have made planning and funding these projects possible. Organizers note that even the most popular projects do not have unanimous support. Changing how Village property is used requires dialogue, which is why the event was created.

COMMUNITY DOG PARK 
The Community Dog Park is planned for Village land across from Cobb Lake and next to the Village Arboretum on Lake St. Donations will pay for the infrastructure.

The facility will provide separate fenced-in areas for large dogs and small dogs, where pets can run off-leash. Amenities in the preliminary plan include landscaping, benches and picnic tables, and an ADA-accessible parking lot with sidewalk access. There will be fresh water and supplies for animal waste pickup.

A Community Dog Park Facebook group currently has some 500 members. The ad hoc group organized a May 2024 “Yappy Hour” fundraiser that helped publicize the project and donor opportunities.  

SOCCER COMPLEX
The Bluffton Soccer Club and Village of Bluffton have formed a partnership to develop new soccer facilities on Snider Rd., on land donated by SumiRiko of Ohio. The location is across from the Bluffton Family YMCA and Bluffton Community Pool.

At the forum, organizers told the Icon that a soccer complex has been under consideration for some ten years. The facility will be in addition to existing soccer fields and will serve players ages 6-12 (U8-12 divisions). 

Plans for the complex include a one-mile walking path, a public playground, a pavilion and seven new fields.

Recent Bluffton High School alumni soccer games served as a kick-off event for the fundraising campaign.

To follow the Bluffton Soccer Club, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, visit www.blufftonsoccerohio.com and the club's Facebook and Instagram pages. To become a partner, email [email protected] or call Tyler Gleason at 419-889-3981.

BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN PATHWAY
The Bluffton bike and pedestrian network is a long-standing project started in 1990 with the creation of the Triplett Pathway from College Ave. to Village Park under I-75. The Village of Bluffton and the Bluffton Lions Club have collaborated on the complex project, and some two-thirds of the proposed pathways have been built. 

Forum attendees were asked to label a large map with how they would prioritize future pathway segments. Existing areas needing improvement include grade-level bridges and I-75 overpasses.

Materials provided at the forum showed that $2,729,187 has been raised for bike and pedestrian pathways in Bluffton. From 2009 to 2011,  some 8,040 volunteer hours were contributed to the pathway project.

The Bluffton Lions meet on the first and third Wednesdays of the month. The Lions may be reached at P.O. Box 223, Bluffton, OH 45817. Contact the Village of Bluffton at 419-358-2066 about Pathway Board meetings.