Medina County Park District opens Shotwell Gardens at Lake Medina

As part of its 60th anniversary celebration, the Medina County Park District (MCPD) opened its third new park area of 2025 on land donated to the district in recent years.

Shotwell Gardens at Lake Medina opened Saturday, Oct. 25, made possible through a generous 25-acre donation from the Shotwell family. The new MCPD site, located at 4581 Foote Road in Medina Township at the corner of Weymouth (State Route 3) and Foote roads, offers visitors another way to enjoy Lake Medina. It features accessible paved trails, two garden ponds, a small amphitheater, a restroom, interactive outdoor musical instruments, swinging benches, native gardens, a bike repair station and 45 parking spaces.

“Countless individuals have commented on how quickly we’ve transformed this property into something special,” MCPD Director Nathan Eppink said. “That’s a testament to our planning department and our contractors. It’s been amazing to watch it come together since Labor Day.”

Design and construction services were completed by Davey Resource Group and Marks Construction. JTS Landscaping built the bridge between the two garden ponds, and Snider Recreation provided and installed the musical instruments. Stone for the amphitheater was purchased from Cleveland Quarries. Northwoods Cabin Company constructed the shade structures at the amphitheater. MCPD staff installed the amphitheater’s front porch-style benches and the bike repair station.

Funding for Shotwell Gardens was partially provided by a state capital grant. The amphitheater and swinging benches were funded by Friends of Medina County Parks, Inc. through its endowment fund. The Medina Sunrise Rotary Club awarded its 2025 Impact Grant to MCPD and Friends to underwrite the cost of the musical instruments and bike repair station. The Davey Tree Expert Company, through its Birdies ‘Fore’ Trees partnership with The Kaulig Companies Championship, paid for and planted 50 trees at Shotwell Gardens in the week leading up to the opening and will plant an additional 36 trees at a later date. Sponsors of the native gardens include Critchfield, Critchfield & Johnston and First Financial Bank. Additional support was received from Akron Children’s and Ravago.

Becky Shotwell reflected on her family’s longtime connection with the park district, noting that it has provided places for hikes, company picnics, meetings, celebrations and education over the years. “We were honored to donate the property and feel fortunate to have a park district with the vision and leadership to preserve land and expand services for future generations,” she said.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Shotwell family, park commissioners, MCPD staff, elected officials and contractors took place at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 24.

Previous openings on donated land in 2025 included the Zachary A. Weber Riverside Park in Valley City on July 4 and Rivendell Nature Preserve in Westfield Center and Westfield Township on Sept. 20.