SWANTON, Ohio — A northwest Ohio campground and nature preserve will see some developments in the coming years, following a large acquisition by Metroparks Toledo and a local, family-owned business.
In a press release Thursday, Metroparks Toledo said the organization had received a more than $800,000 grant from the Clean Ohio Fund to acquire and preserve 113 acres of land in the Oak Openings corridor, including a preexisting campground on the property.
Starting in 2025, local campground Big Sandy Campground will be known as Superior Made RV Resort, operated by RV enthusiasts and local business owners Nathan and Alicia Lawson, alongside some of their other family members.
The Lawsons said they plan to develop the South Berkey Southern Road camping property in a variety of ways. According to the release, campsites will be refurbished, and the family plans to add to the property a swimming pool, pickleball and volleyball courts, two new bathhouses and kayak access on the nearby lake. Developments are slated to begin in 2026, the Lawsons said.
The campground will include 180 RV sites in total. Of that, 60% will be for seasonal campers while 40% will be allocated for transitional or nightly campers.
Metroparks Toledo also has plans for the remaining acreage acquired in the purchase. In their initiatives to preserve and protect the land, said they plan to develop a trail connection between the campground and Oak Openings Preserve. They also plan to add public access to some of the acquired property near the campground, including the lake.
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“This is an opportunity for us to continue our important work of preserving natural areas in a corridor through the Oak Openings Region while partnering with an experienced local family to carry on a tradition of camping in this beautiful area of Lucas County,” Dave Zenk, Metroparks executive director said in the release. “After meeting the Lawson family, learning about their background and seeing their plans, I know we picked the right partner.”
As for those who current camp at Big Sandy, Alicia Lawson said they wouldn't see a rent increase for the first year of Superior Made's ownership.
“In appreciation of current loyal guests, current seasonal campers will not experience a rent increase for the 2025 season, with small, incremental increases that are reasonable for the improvements over the next five years,” Alicia Lawson said in the release.
Oak Openings Preserve is the largest of Toledo's Metroparks at 5,000 acres, and includes a treehouse village, campgrounds and other outdoor recreational facilities. It's also home to many rare species in the state of Ohio, including prickly pear cactus and the gray fox, among others.
The purchase of the new land is expected to be finalized this year, according to the release.
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