Metro Parks spends $20 million for added acreage

Published February 04, 2003 11:03 AM CST

The Metro Parks Board of Park Commissioners has entered into a $20 million land deal with the Galbreath family that makes the Battelle-Darby Creek Metro Park the largest in the park district.

The Franklin County Metropolitan Park District will pay $17 million for 1,010-acres along the Big Darby Creek east of the Madison County line, with an option to buy more. The land deal, approved unanimously by the board on Monday, increases the park to more than 6,300 acres with more to come.

Prairie Oaks, the first Metro Park within Madison County, opened last year.

Established in 1945 and funded with Franklin County taxes, Metro Parks operates 14 parks in seven counties. Last month the district surpassed Cleveland Metroparks to become Ohio's largest park district.

"This is a dream I had when I first came on the board," Tad Jeffrey said, before joining the rest of the board of park commissioners in voting for the land purchase during a special meeting at Cedar Ridge Lodge, a scenic spot along the Big Darby Creek, south of Darby Dan farms.

"I never thought it would come to pass," Jeffrey said. "Now, it has."

In the largest purchase in Metro Parks history, the district gains land on either side of Darby Creek Drive, east of the scenic waterway, for $17 million. The agreement grants Metro Parks an option to purchase another 180 acres, with access to U.S. Route 40, for $3 million.

Also, once the park district raises the funding for that purchase, the family will donate an additional 60 acres on the northeast edge of the new park boundary.

The core of the Darby Dan Farm property, south of the National Road, will remain in the family.

"They're actually keeping about 1,500 acres in the family," Metro Parks Executive Director John O'Meara told the board.

O'Meara said the $20 million price tag for the two parcels, a total of 1,190 acres, is $7 million below the appraised value of the property. He said also that the Galbreath family has "first refusal to buy it back" if Metro Parks ever decided to sell the land, and the park district has a first option if the Galbreaths wish to sell more of the well-known farm behind the long white fence.

"For over 65 years, Darby Dan Farm has been a significant part of the Galbreath family, and our intention is clearly to continue our family heritage," Squire Galbreath, managing partner of the family farm, said in a written statement.

"Battelle-Darby Creek Metro Park is an ideal neighbor given our desire and emphasis on conservation and preservation of the environment."

With the new acquisition, 12 miles of the Big Darby Creek now lie within Metro Parks boundaries.

The organization says it intends to link the newly expanded park and the new Prairie Oaks Metro Park three miles to the north, and that the two parks will serve as "conservation jewels for hikers, bikers and other outdoor enthusiasts."

Steve Smith can be contacted at (740) 852-1616, 1-800-282-3838 or by e-mail at news1@madison-press.com