Despite interest, the closed golf course will not become a site for development.
In a win for Mother Nature and the public at large, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park is set to grow by 215 acres of lush land with the acquirement of the late Brandywine Country Club. [Featured image via Shutterstock]
Since closing in 2018, the Brandywine Country Club has been the subject of interest for a number of public conservations groups as well as developers. The non-profit group, Trust for Public Land, initially lead the efforts to add the closed golf course to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, “so that the people of Summit County and the millions who visit Cuyahoga Valley National Park can have access to it for generations to come,” said director of the trust, Shanelle Smith.
According to the Akron Beacon Journal, efforts to acquire the Brandywine on behalf of Cuyahoga Valley – the 11th most visited national park in 2016 – were not moving quick enough, making the park vulnerable susceptible to developers.
To prevent this from happening, the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park went ahead with purchasing the property at an undisclosed amount. In a recent statement, the Department of the Interior officially announced that it would be adding the property to the national park, using $3.8. million to buy it from the Conservancy.
“Because of its size and location, protection of this property is a critical concern for the park and an important connection with other parklands, recreational opportunities and resources,” said the Department of the Interior in a release. “Loss of this property to development would greatly diminish the open space character. The threat to natural resources includes the loss of approximately 80 acres of forested hills and riparian areas, along with the potential for degraded downstream water resources.”
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