Boston Mills Visitor Center is built with $7.1M in donations

by Sue Serdinak

For 45 years, work has been ongoing to protect, create and enhance the Cuyahoga Valley, first as a national recreation area, and then as a national park, Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

A recent National Park Service report showed that the CVNP had 2.1 million visitors in 2018.  

“Cuyahoga Valley National Park welcomes visitors from across the country and around the world,” said CVNP Superintendent Craig Kenkel at the time of the report. “National park tourism is a significant driver in the national economy, returning $10 for every $1 invested in the National Park Service, and it’s a big factor in our local economy, as well.”

Until now, CVNP visitors had nowhere to begin their exploration of the valley and learn about its rich history and beauty. Cars with local and out-of-state license plates jammed the small community of Peninsula. Tour buses had nowhere to park. No federal funds were available to create a visitor center.

Friends of the park to the rescue

The Conservancy of the CVNP took up the challenge to create a visitor center. Headed up by CEO Deb Yandala and Chief Development Officer John Debo, the conservancy determined the site, a 1905 building on Boston Mills Road. The century building was originally a general store that served workers of the Cleveland Akron Bag Company, which operated diagonally across Riverview Road.

Debo, superintendent of the park from 1988 to 2009, when the Ohio & Erie Towpath Trail was developed, said the owner of the building had approached him about selling the property to the park just before he retired as superintendent.

Debo went on to be development director for the conservancy and kept the building in mind for a visitor center.

In 2014, he started a fundraising drive. It was first estimated that it would cost $3 million to convert the century-old building.

“Early on, we were focused on corporate support, but we had some disappointments. Then, the GAR and the Burton Morgan foundations made donations,” said Debo.

When the Gund Foundation required a 50-percent match before contributing, one individual contributed $1 million.

In January 2018, the conservancy began the restoration project. Four months later, when workers lifted the century building onto piers to work on the foundation, they found that the bedrock was closer to the surface than testing had shown. Work halted for several months, and plans were redrawn. 

Restoration got back on track in 2019, and the entire project was finished this October, only slightly behind schedule but at a higher price tag of $7.1 million.  

The increased cost was a difficult blow to the conservancy, and in early 2019, it was $1 million short of needed funds.

“A letter went out to members of the conservancy,” Debo said. “Gifts started coming in. It was a glorious time. Over seven months, $1 million came in from the community.”

There were 550 donors, he said.

“There is a community of people who have a passion for this park,” he added.

Crown jewel of visitor centers

The two-story Boston Mills Visitor Center has a large mural showing the Cuyahoga River connection between Cleveland and Akron. Exhibits, paintings, photographs and maps grace all of the walls.

An outdoor pavilion was built on the west bank of the Cuyahoga River. A lighted kiosk and restrooms are nearby and available 24 hours a day. An adjacent building was converted into an office building.

“The Conservancy bought the property, raised the funds and managed construction of the project, including exhibit contractors,” Debo explained.  

At the dedication ceremony on Oct. 25, the conservancy handed the center’s keys to CVNP Superintendent Kenkel, who called it a “crown jewel” as a visitor center.

The NPS is moving the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad train terminal from the north side of Boston Mills road to be adjacent to the visitor center so that riders can walk to the visitor center without crossing the busy road.

NPS also built a bus/RV parking lot on the site where the Cleveland Akron Bag Company was once located.   

Ohio Senator Rob Portman was on hand to help cut the ribbon, as he sponsored the National Park Service Centennial Act in 2016 to provide additional funding for the national parks. He was awarded the Centennial Champion Award that same year for his support of the parks, following in the tradition of Congressman John Seiberling, who is considered the father of CVNP, and whose words, “a park by, of and for the people,” are displayed on a main wall.

The visitor center project was designed and built by local companies: Peninsula Architects, Regency Construction and Environmental Design Group.

Conservancy CEO Yandala indicated that the group is now working with the Trust for Public Land to purchase the Brandywine Golf Course property on Akron Peninsula Road to eliminate the threat of a housing development being built in the park.

His large task complete, Debo has announced his retirement as conservancy development director, effective in January.

The Boston Mills Visitor Center is open 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. The National Park Service and its volunteers staff it, and the Conservancy of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park manages the gift shop.

Featured image photo caption: Cuyahoga Valley National Park Superintendent Craig Kenkel (r) thanks John Debo (l) and Deb Yolanda for creating the crown jewel of national park visitor centers. Photo by S. Serdinak