Improving guest experiences for Amity House lake front

by Sue Serdinak

July 29 RJRD meeting

The lakefront behind the Amity House has become a popular location for marriage ceremonies.

Richfield Village Park Director John Piepsny told the Richfield Joint Recreation District board that the park district’s two golf carts are very old and not suitable for transporting older guests to Amity House and the lakefront. The carts are also used to haul work tools and equipment.

According to Piepsny, the district’s financial adviser said a five-year loan at 5.25% interest could be obtained to buy a $14,400 cart. He predicted that if there were a guest charge for a cart and driver, $300 per month could be recouped for a loan payment during the wedding season.

Board Chair Anita Gantner and member Holly Price said the park is in need of other items, such as bridge and roadway repairs.

Board Treasurer Dave Wehner also had concerns.

“I have a problem with selling this as a transportation vehicle that is also used as a utility vehicle,” he said. He later recommended renting a cart during the wedding season, about six months a year.

Piepsny suggested that guests could reserve and pay for the cart usage when they reserve the Lodge for their reception.

“I can’t say that [the cart] would generate money except that it might help sell reservations,” he said.

“I think there are other alternatives. I’d like to see this analyzed,” Price said.

Amity rental

Friends of Richfield Heritage Preserve completed the restoration of the Amity House, including constructing a French drain outside the building. Piepsny was hoping to have all inspections completed and the building available to rent in a few weeks. He showed pictures of the fully restored and decorated house and  predicted that eventually there will be a waiting list to rent it.

 He requested that Shari Green, the sales rep for the Lodge, be paid commission on the rental of the house, as is done with the rental of the Lodge. He suggested a 10% commission.

Price reminded the board that Green was given a substantial pay increase this year and recommended that the building be rented on the internet like Airbnb, not requiring a salesperson.

Piepsny also reported that he is getting quotes for cleaning the house and washing the linens, but the quotes are very high.

State funding

Board Vice President Mike Selig announced that the park will receive $150,000 from this year’s state capital budget. The funding will be used for improvements to the Buckeye Trail and the upper lake bridge, which is part of the Buckeye Trail.

Shelters

Piepsny asked the board to begin conversations about the number and condition of the park’s shelters, explaining there are several small, simple shelters that are old.

“Do we need all of these shelters? Do we want these shelters to all have the same look? … We don’t have a very large shelter,” he said. He showed pictures of large shelters with more amenities in other parks.

Friends volunteer Doug Wisnieski told the board the group is working to bring electricity to the Mable Smith shelter.

Agreement

Governance committee chair Mike Lyons said the committee paired down the lengthy agreement with the Friends and asked the board for feedback.

The agreement would give Friends authority to use some of the facilities and defines their utilization of the park, fundraising and accounting of funds.

Friends would work under the direction of the park director and would provide an audit every 10 years.

“Some of this is related to finances and raising money. … The Friends are a separate 501(c)(3) and independent, and have asserted that independence. We don’t have a say over their organization,” Lyons said.

He asked if it is reasonable for the board to have a say in what they do with their money and how they raise it.

“I like the formalization of the relationship. … I like the framework of the agreement and it gives flexibility to the Friends,” said RJRD board member Mark Rosen.

Board Chairperson Anita Gantner said money the Friends raise that is not for a specific purpose should go into the park’s general fund. She said the Friends were asked to pay for the installation of air conditioning in the Amity House and [we] were turned down.

“The air conditioning is not a project for which they went out and raised funds for. I’m not sure we can take umbrage,” said Lyons.

The board will resume discussion of the agreement at future meetings.

Volunteers

Piepsny reported that 84 Lumber donated $600 in lumber and CESO surveyors installed a 40-foot boardwalk over a swampy area in the park.

Volunteers also worked on the Buckeye Trail, removed invasive plants and an Eagle Scout built picnic benches.

Oviatt House

Bob Hooper, vice president of Oviatt House Inc., reported that the Oviatt House has been prepped for painting. Valley View Restoration completed tuck pointing and sandstone restoration on the building foundation. Volunteers re-graded and planted grass around the building.

In the last quarter, volunteers worked over 602 hours on the building.

The group received a grant to pay two interns to do historical research in association with the Network to Freedom Association for the Study of African American Life and History. 

The group will receive $100,000 from state capital funding, but project details were not announced.

State visit

Friends’ historian Lynn Richardson said some members of the State Historic Preservation Office visited the park and provided advice on securing funding from the state.

Air conditioning

After the meeting, Friends President Corey Ringle posted that a donor offered a $3,000 matching gift to assist with the purchase of an air conditioning system for Amity House. The Friends’ board approved contributions of up to $6,000 for the installation. ∞

Photo: For the fourth year, several employees of the national civil engineering firm, CESO, Inc. volunteered their time and expertise at Richfield Heritage Preserve. This yea, they extended a boardwalk 40 feet, removed multiple structures, built and installed new doors on the Chagrin latrine, and conducted comprehensive surveys around Amity House. 84 Lumber donated the lumber for the boardwalk and CESO donated two tons of gravel and hardware. Having completed the boardwalk work are (l-r) Mark Belmont, Colin Moran, Dante Anderson, Mick Helcbergier, Mark Snyder, Jerry Holloway, Steve Clutter, Dawson Williams, James Lott, Devon Champney, Mike Dusky. Photo by S. Gannon