Parks at the Polls; Metro Parks Levy with John O'Meara, Greg Lashutka and Jeff McNealy.

Six million people enjoy the Columbus Metro Parks' 15 venues each year. But the future of those parks is on a bubble with the current 0.65-mill 10-year levy expiring at the end of 2009.

Passage of this levy at the polls on May 5 will allow Metro Parks to continue to operate clean, well-maintained, safe parks that are open daily throughout the year and are free to the public while continuing to acquire and manage natural areas to protect wildlife and water resources.

Admittedly passing any levy will be a challenge in the current economic climate, but Metro Parks has a good track record. During the current levy period, Metro Parks added five new parks, acquired more than 7,500 acres of land, built 80 miles of trails, provided educational programming for more than 50,000 school children and thousands of visitors each year, developed programs for senior citizens and urban youth, enhanced protection of wildlife habitat especially in the Darby Watershed, and increased yearly visitation by more than a million people.

Metro Parks' Executive Director John O'Meara will present the story at CMC on April 1, no foolin'!