Muskingum Valley Park District Acquires Riverfront Land

ZANESVILLE, OH – Big things are coming to the banks of the Muskingum River, starting with a brand-new riverside space for all to enjoy.

The Muskingum Valley Park District has acquired more than six acres of riverfront property on the west side of the Muskingum River. The spot, once known as Kirkbride Marine, will soon be transformed into Straker Landing, thanks to a partnership with the J.W. and M.H. Straker Charitable Foundation.

“One of the Park Districts goals is to revitalize the Muskingum River. It used to be a really popular spot for recreation. Over the years, there’s been some public perception that the river is dirty or it’s not desirable. But actually, if you look at some of the recent studies that were conducted with construction projects, there’s a lot of unique aquatic life in the river which couldn’t exist if the water is really at poor quality. So, we want to get people back on and in the river,” Executive Director of the Muskingum Valley Park District Russell Edgington, said.

Plans for Straker Landing include an access road, parking, picnic areas, covered pavilions, paved trails, and even a pedestrian bridge connecting to Riverside Park across the river.

“At one time, there were boat ramps, docs, camping, and all sorts of activities here. Our plans are going to be a little different. While we are intending to reconstruct one of the existing boat ramps, one of the really exciting things is that we’re hoping to construct a pedestrian bridge that will go across the river to connect to River Side Park. That way it’ll allow people to be able to park here and access the park without going all the way around,” Edgington said.

The park district plans to start construction as soon as possible once funding is secured, and they’re still actively seeking additional support to make it happen.