Park District Requests Bids for Camp Spelman Property

The Portage Park District (PPD) Board of Commissioners (the Board) is soliciting offers for the purchase of Camp Spelman, a 58-acre property with a lake located at 7650 Ferguson Road, Franklin Township. Interested parties can find information on the property and how to submit a sealed bid by September 2^nd by clicking the download bid packet button.

The Board is offering the sale of the property, as-is, including an almost 70-year-old manmade lake and dam, which the Ohio Department of Natural Resources classified as a Class I dam in 2019. In response to their report, PPD proceeded with the initial requirements of regulatory compliance, including contracting with engineers to develop an Operations Manual, Emergency Action Plan and cost estimates for necessary improvements. Management of the lake is complicated by the split ownership of the dam and spillways with one of the five neighboring residences that also share lakefront property.

The Park District will ensure that its investment and original conservation intentions are preserved by placing a permanent conservation easement on the property that will prohibit development but allow low-impact recreation. The Board will consider all bids and will award the ‘highest and best’ bid, with consideration to non-financial factors such as land management and uses that best align with PPD’s mission and public interest. If no acceptable bids are received, the dam will be removed, and the area will be restored to wetlands.

“This is an unprecedented and unique situation and the decision to offer the property was not made lightly,” said Christine Craycroft, Executive Director. “We felt that the liability and continued investment in the dam was not a prudent use of public funds, but at the same time we wanted to be respectful of community members or other public agencies who may want to take on that responsibility for various reasons.”

The property was acquired in 2005 from Carrie Martin, whose family had owned it for decades and offered it for use by civic groups such as the Kiwanis Club, Scouts, and area churches for camping and picnicking. The Park District received a generous cash donation that covered 2/3 of the purchase price and has since offered it by reservation at no charge to community groups, though there has been very little demand over the years.

Camp Spelman Pre-Bid Tours will be held on Friday, June 24, Saturday, July 23, and August 17. You can sign up for a tour here.

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