Lancaster City Council votes to expand Ten Mile Creek Nature Preserve

by Bill Conrad of Lancaster TODAY

Fifty acres of land which could be the future site of a city of Lancaster arboretum were added to Ten Mile Creek Nature Preserve April 27.

The Lancaster City Council approved the ordinance adding the property to the existing preserve, located along Nokomis Road near Edgewood Cemetery. The park consists of hiking and jogging trails on the banks of Ten Mile Creek as well as an open area suitable for playing games and holding picnics. Documents provided to the council by Gary Sims, director of parks and recreation for the city of Lancaster, said the new additions would improve the park.

“The proposed site is suitable for a wide variety of public outdoor recreational opportunities that could include future expansion in Ten Mile Creek Nature Preserve, specifically the hike and bike trail,” according to the documents. “Additionally, these new sites have the potential for amenities that are not currently available, such as an arboretum, additional hike and bike trails, outdoor composting demonstration sites, a community garden, etc...”

The 50 acres of land that the council added were originally owned by Lancaster residents Bruce and Pat Moreland, David Poluda, Douglas Terry and Byrd White III. The land is located on the opposite side of Nokomis Road from the existing land that makes up Ten Mile Creek Nature Preserve.

In addition to Ten Mile Creek Nature Preserve, the city also operates the Bear Creek Nature Preserve, located along Bear Creek Road south of Country View Golf Course.

The park's mission is “to promote educational studies, conserve nature and enhance the quality of life for generations to come.”

The park consists of nearly 200 acres of wooded and prairie terrain, as well as a small lake and natural wetlands. It has two hiking trails as well as an equestrian trail. The trails only cover about half the park, with plans to expand them in the future.

The park's lake is open to fishing, and has been stocked with native sunfish, largemouth bass and channel catfish. Fishing is permitted from the fishing pier, as well as from the banks surrounding the lake.

If fishing and hiking aren't enough, the park also features a wide variety of wildlife. In addition to the abundant squirrel population, other park visitors can include raccoons, bobcats, coyotes and birds such as red-tailed hawks and various owls. The park is also on the migratory path for many species of birds and hosts migrating monarch butterflies in the fall. Some of the more interesting visitors to the park so far are a pack of feral hogs and a small alligator, which was trapped and removed soon after it was spotted.

Other park amenities include a covered pavilion with seating for 90, which can be reserved through the city of Lancaster Parks and Recreation Department.