TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - Toledo's newest metropark will open to the public Saturday!
It's a new green space in Downtown Toledo that's been years in the making, and now it's finally here!
Scott Carpenter with the Metroparks of Toledo says it took a lot of work but was well worth it.
"When we purchased the property ten years ago, the first thing we had to do was get it down to a blank slate. This was a long abandoned site that had been used for dumping. So, the first thing we had to do was removed 8,000 tons of debris, that's like 16 million pounds of debris, just to get a blank slate before we could begin the work of making it into a green space. So, it's sort of a double positive, we have a new metropark and we've erased a negative from downtown," said Carpenter.
He says though the park won't be open until Saturday, the response from the public has already been very positive.
"We've has so much support from the downtown community and so much interest from the people of Toledo. A lot of people have wandered in here, especially in recent weeks when we've been down here working and we stopped and talked to them. Everybody seems really, really jazzed about having a metropark in downtown," said Carpenter.
He says they are expecting a crowd and can't wait to the turnout.
The park officially opens to the public at 12 p.m. Saturday. Carpenter says parking will be available at Owens Corning.
Those coming to check out the new green space will also enjoy live music all day long and will get to experience things like artery and kayaking on the Maumee River.
The park will be open until 9:30 p.m.
