Major changes are coming to the beach at Dillon State Park

NASHPORT, Ohio – Major changes are coming to the beach at Dillon State Park this year thanks to the J.W. and M.H. Straker Charitable Foundation.

The beach project will include remodeling the restrooms, installing two pickleball courts, and resurfacing the existing basketball and tennis courts. As Park Manager David Finley explains, the list of improvements doesn’t stop there.

“The biggest thing is that we’re going to be adding a new splash pad. The splash pad will be inclusive and ADA-accessible, replacing the old spray pool that is no longer functioning here at the park. The spray pool will become a seating and viewing area with some shade structures so that people can look at the lake,” Finley said.

This project is part of a larger effort to keep the park up to date for visitors, including the experiences offered at the Nature Center and the recently announced horse camp improvements.

“Well I can’t speak highly enough about our administration. Director [Mary] Mertz and the administration’s done a spectacular job, you know, attending to the outdated facilities at Dillon. You know all of our 29 cabins have been remodeled. We have a newly remodeled camp store that opened up last year,” Finley said. “With the new playground and this new beach project, we’re fortunate and lucky to have the support of our administration.”

The beach project will start this month and is expected to be ready in September. Dillon State Park will announce an official grand opening as the project nears completion.