The Buildings & Grounds division is primarily responsible for maintaining the City’s buildings, parks and Westwood Cemetery. The division shares responsibility with the Oberlin Municipal Light and Power System for the City’s roughly 3,000 curb lawn trees. Staff works closely with the Recreation Division to coordinate the use of parks, ball fields and other municipal facilities in support of the City’s recreational programs. The Buildings & Grounds Division may be contacted at (440) 774-2820.
City Parks – The City’s 2011 “Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan” indicates that the City meets or exceeds National Recreation Standards in virtually every category. Our parks, totaling over 200 acres of woods, water, and open space, provide numerous active and passive recreational opportunities. They include (in alphabetical order): Bill Long/Scott & Olive Carson Nature Preserve; Depot Park; Don J. Pease Memorial Bike Path, (Oberlin’s section of the North Coast Inland Bike Trail); East College Street Plaza; Gasholder Building (future home of Oberlin’s Underground Railroad Center); Legion Field; Martin Luther King Jr. Park; Morgan Street Reservoir; Oberlin Recreation Complex; Park Street Park; Parsons Road Reservoir; Roadside Park; Spring Street Park; and Wright Park. Fishing is permitted at the Morgan Street Reservoir, Bill Long Nature Preserve and Parsons Road Reservoir. Boating is prohibited at the Morgan Street and Bill Long Reservoirs. Non-motorized boats only are permitted on the Parsons Road Reservoir.
In 2011, the City acquired the 15-acre Green Acres site on Oberlin Road between East Lorain and East College Streets; this is expected to be the site of a future neighborhood park.
People wishing to make reservations for use of a picnic shelter or park facility may contact the Recreation Division at (440) 775-7254.
Parks are generally open from 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset.
Mosquito Control – The goal of the Mosquito Control program is to reduce the number of nuisance mosquitoes and mosquitoes which may transmit the LaCrosse Encephalitis and West Nile viruses. The City of Oberlin has educational pamphlets and environmentally-safe mosquito control larvicide in briquette form available for residents. The brochure explains the life cycle of the mosquito and suggests ways in which residents can reduce mosquito breeding habitat on their property. Mosquitoes breed in standing water so it is important to check gutters, planters, bird baths, and any other place on your property where water can pool. The briquettes are used in standing water to prevent mosquito larvae from maturing to adulthood. Briquettes are free and come with instructions for use.
Briquettes and educational pamphlets are available at City Hall (85 South Main Street) during normal business hours. The educational pamphlet can also be viewed here. Please call (440) 775-7218, if you need additional information.
Westwood Cemetery – Situated on nearly 40 acres along the south side of Morgan Street, Westwood Cemetery was founded in 1863. The cemetery is the final resting place of many of Oberlin’s most influential residents, including many associated with Oberlin College and Oberlin’s role in the Underground Railroad. Many beautiful monuments and headstones may be found throughout the cemetery grounds. Westwood Cemetery contains a diverse variety of wildlife and trees; it is a popular destination for a peaceful walk.
The Oberlin Heritage Center has prepared a 64-page guidebook about Westwood Cemetery. The Oberlin Heritage Center may be contacted at (440) 775-1700 or go to www.oberlinheritage.org.
Questions regarding Westwood Cemetery may be addressed to the Buildings & Grounds Division at (440) 774-2820 or to the Public Works Department at (440) 775-7218.