By 1812Blockhouse
Across Ohio, local parks are about to look a little different. New splashpads. Fresh basketball courts. Pickleball lines painted where cracked asphalt once lived. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has approved more than $2.9 million through its NatureWorks grant program, funding 76 park projects spread across 64 counties.
One of those projects lands close to home in Richland County.
Frances Hitchman Park Gets an Upgrade
The Village of Butler will receive $57,273 to renovate courts and add new pickleball courts at Frances Hitchman Park. The project focuses on replacing existing courts that have seen better days and adapting the space to meet changing recreation habits.
Pickleball’s rise isn’t a trend anymore. It’s a reality, especially in small communities where a single set of courts can serve teenagers after school, adults in the evening, and seniors in the morning. For Butler, this investment isn’t flashy, but it’s practical and timely.
What NatureWorks Is Funding Across Ohio
The Butler project is part of a much larger picture. Statewide, NatureWorks funding will support:
• New and renovated playgrounds
• Splashpads
• Basketball and pickleball courts
• Trails and walking paths
• Pavilions and exercise equipment
• Restrooms, lighting, and parking improvements
Some communities will use the money to buy new park land. Others are focusing on fixing what already exists. That mix matters. It keeps the program grounded in local needs rather than one-size-fits-all projects.
Why the State Is Leaning Into Parks
Governor Mike DeWine framed the funding around the role parks play as community anchors.
“We take pride in our parks because they are an important central gathering place in our local communities,” DeWine said. “We hope the projects funded by these grants will encourage more Ohioans to enjoy the outdoors with friends and family.”
ODNR Director Mary Mertz echoed that focus on accessibility and proximity.
“We want Ohioans to be able to discover an amazing park in their own backyard,” Mertz said. “These grants allow communities to grow their love of nature and exploration.”
It may not be lofty language, but it reflects something practical. Parks are one of the few public spaces that still work across income, age, and politics.
How the Program Works
NatureWorks grants cover up to 75 percent of eligible project costs for local governments, including villages, cities, townships, counties, and park districts. The funding comes from the Ohio Parks and Natural Resources Bond Issue, first approved by voters in 1993, along with later legislation that established the NatureWorks program itself.
That reimbursement structure matters. It keeps local skin in the game while making projects possible for smaller communities that couldn’t fund improvements on their own.
A Small Project With Real Impact
Frances Hitchman Park won’t become a destination park. That’s not the point. It will become more usable, more inviting, and more reflective of how people actually recreate today.
In a village the size of Butler, that’s a meaningful upgrade. And it’s exactly the kind of quiet, practical investment the NatureWorks program was designed to make.
