Munroe Falls Metro Park

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Before Metro Parks purchased 222 acres from the Renner family in 1978, John Renner owned and operated a swimming park here. In the 1930s, the family built a two-room summer cabin and dug a small fishing lake near the present park entrance. By 1935 they constructed a house and lived here year-round, and they soon realized their lake was popular with swimmers. To discourage visitors, they started charging 10 cents per visit, but this only attracted more people. To accommodate the new business, they created the current 13-acre lake in 1937 and named the place Renner Park.

John Renner, an engineer who built many homes in Akron's Goodyear Heights area, also tried raising pigs on the southeast side of the lake. Price restrictions enacted during World War II made his farming venture unprofitable.

In 2006, Metro Parks acquired the adjacent 287-acre former County Home property, bringing this park to its current 509 acres. Today, the sandy, acidic soils of Munroe Falls Metro Park permit the growth of flora that is typically uncommon in Summit County. Blueberries, shiny club moss, ground pine and a colony of Ohio haircap moss flourish here. Trees include black gum, sassafras and tulip. Beavers, frogs, turtles, salamanders and crayfish are seen in both Beaver and Heron ponds.

Munroe Falls Metro Park offers lake swimming, picnic areas, pedal boat rental, a children’s play area, soccer field, and basketball, volleyball and tennis courts. Admission is charged for entrance to the park each summer. During swim season, pets are not permitted in the park. Lifeguards are on duty, and a first aid station and snack stand are available. Fishing is permitted at Heron Pond. Sledding and cross-country-skiing are permitted in winter. Three picnic shelters can be reserved.

www.summitmetroparks.org/ParksAndTrails/MunroeFalls.asp...