A year after being established in 1947, Boardman Township Park received its first tax levy of 1-mill, which was approved in 1948. Today, 70 years later, Boardman Park continues to operate, preserve and improve the Green Oasis on the equivalent of a 1-mill levy.
      Currently, the Boardman Park has two (2) voted levies three-tenths mills and six-tenths mills) and one non-voted levy of one-tenth of a mill.
      These subsequent levies generate approximately $871,028, which represents 65 per cent of the park’s annual income.
      In order to provide this tax revenue, the owner of a $100,000 home contributes approximately $30 per year, or 8-cents per day to support the park, whose mission is “To provide a diversity of recreational and educational opportunities in an environment that lends itself to pleasant family experiences, and to preserve areas of natural habitat.”
      Boardman Park has been a long-time member of the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association (OPRA), which has over 2,000 members. Believing that there is no other public park in the Ohio that has operated longer on essentially the same tax millage as Boardman Park, the park’s staff inquired to the OPRA if there is any other park that has operated on the same tax millage for 70 years.
      The OPRA responded: “OPRA is not aware of any park or park district in Ohio that has been operating at the same millage rate for 70 years.”
      “This response from the OPRA confirms our long-time belief that Boardman Park is the only park in Ohio, that has operated on the same tax millage for 70 years,” Executive Director Daniel Slagle Jr. said.
      “However, and most importantly, while operating on the equivalent of a 1-mill levy, Boardman Park has consistently increased its capacity to better serve the recreational needs the community through initiatives ranging from land acquisitions and implementing a broad and diverse range of programs and making significant improvements to its facilities,” he added.
      For example, the size of Boardman Park has more than tripled since 1947, currently providing 60 acres for active recreational purposes and preserving 183 acres as undisturbed natural habitat. The park is not only a sanctuary for numerous species of plants and animals, but also is a recreational haven for the community it serves, a place where families gather to enjoy one of our community’s greatest treasures, the Green Oasis.
      “At the Green Oasis our purpose is to create wholesome opportunities to live and interact with family, friends and neighbors, which are opportunities for living, learning, and leading full and productive lives as well as avenues for people to experience purpose, pleasure, health and well-being,” Slagle said.
      Over the years, 23 major capital projects have been completed creating a unique and diverse footprint of facilities and programs.
      The total cost of these projects, totaling over $6 million, were largely funded through government grants coupled with the private donations of time, materials and money. Approximately 80 per cent of the funding for these improvements has been generated by grant monies and donations, with the balance of the money coming from the park’s budget.
      “Because of the generosity of our community, Boardman Park has been able to evolve our Green Oasis into one of the most unique and popular recreational facilities in the Mahoning Valley. Annually, over 500,000, people enjoy the facilities and programs. Certainly, without the generous support of the community and our success in securing grants, the successful implementation of the park’s capital projects would not have been realized if solely dependent on our limited budget,” Slagle said.