Countryside Park

 
     Countryside Park is located behind and is a part of the Washington Township Recreational Center at the corner of McEwen and Route 725.  This complex is one of the most complete and developed indoor/outdoor facilities available.  www.washingtontwp.org/rec
 
     Before development this property was farm land, a flat treeless meadow.  In the early 1950s, forty-four acres was owned by Thomas Owen Stolz, a Dayton native and a biochemistry student at University of Arizona.  His plan for this land was to create an organic farm and private laboratory and to pursue independent research in biochemistry and nutrition.  After his graduation in 1957, however, he was unable to accomplish this and so Tom began a nursery and landscaping business called the Countryside Nursery.  By the mid-1970s his business was thriving and his employees numbered thirty-four.  
 

 

 This aerial of Tom Stolz's property faces east.  It shows Route 725 in the upper right corner and his nursery building in the lower right corner.  The three lakes and the hiking trails can be seen.  This photo was taken before the YMCA building was built.

     In 1977, he found himself overextended due to his many charitable donations of landscaping for community projects.  He attempted to auction his business but the auction was "a bust" and he ended up leasing his nursery to Scarff's Nursery of New Carlisle.  He then pointed his life in a different direction, that of philanthropy.

 

South Suburban YMCA

 

  

 

   He began by donating 8.5 acres of his land to the Centerville YMCA.  At that time, the YMCA did not have a home and it's programs and activities were held in various locations throughout the area.  It changed its name to the South Suburban YMCA and covered Miamisburg, Springboro, Bellbrook, West Carrollton, and Washington, Sugar Creek, Miami, and Clearcreek Townships.  Tom organized and led the drive to raise $2.5 million  for the building. 

   He also began developing and creating what would be Countryside Park.  He sold some of the trees left over from the failed auction and planted the rest.  Using the proceeds, he planted more trees and shrubs totaling over 70 different species.  He also developed the back area with walking trails, ponds, streams and ornamental bridges.  In 1983, Tom began another park project - Leonard E. Stubbs Memorial Park.

     "Instead of landscaping for profit, I started landscaping for parks." 

   In 1978, he raised $4000 for a playground.  In February, 1979 the township trustees approved the property for a recreational facility "in concept" from use as a nursery, thereby making it conform to the zoning code.

At the 1980 Voluntary Action Center of United Way Awards Luncheon Tom was recognized as one of the areas Top Ten Volunteers.  They said, "Tom so strongly believes we must help one another that he alone is providing the necessary stimulation for the development of the South Suburban YMCA.  He not only generously and unselfishly donated the property for the site but continues to maintain the buildings and grounds."
 
   The YMCA built a gymnasium building in 1982-83, but the branch was abandoned about a year later because of debts within the YMCA of Metropolitan Dayton system.  The Centerville-Washington Park District took care of the land east of the central driveway that includes two ponds, a shelter and a baseball diamond.

  

Washington Township Recreation Center

 

   In 1988, the Washington Township Trustees placed a 1.5 mill tax levy on the ballot to purchase South Suburban YMCA.  The voters said yes!  A natatorium was added in 1990.  The facility reopened as a Rec Center.

    

    

     In 1990, Tom donated the 13.5 acre Countryside Park to the township for $8000 to cover back taxes owed on the parcel.   The land was appraised at $1.3 million.

     Tom's only condition was that the land be maintained as park green space in perpetuity and that he be allowed to use a drive way through the land to get to his old nursery building and two acres of storage area around it.

     "I figured the most mature way to see the green space preserved would be to have it all placed under one authority.  Our successors in 400 years may look back on this oasis and it may be in much the same state it is now.  That's what I want."


 

This small crude hand hewn log cabin was built by Abraham A. Roades in Brush Creek Township in Southeast Highland County in 1802.  A Cincinnati contractor was demolishing a home and found the cabin inside.  He donated it to the YMCA and Tom Stolz moved it to his property in 1984.

When Tom Stolz donated land to build a YMCA, Turtle Lake was already available for ice skating and canoeing.  Also, a family picnic and outdoor recreational facility was completed and in use.  The softball field had the tallest backstop in the United States at the time.  The one and a third mile jogging track included a parcourse.

This chapel/shelter was dedicated November 2, 1980 and was considered the focal point of the outdoor facility.  It was built by Tom and stone masons Dave and Mark Hanauer.  It includes a fireplace and a cedar shake roof.  The structure cost $7500 and was called the "Big Teepee."  This picture was taken in 2007.
The stone marker shown at the right sits east of the building and was dedicated to Tom Stolz in 1992.  It reads:

"Washington Township Recreation and Countryside Park

"In the early 1950s, this property was open farm land with only a few scrub trees.  Today, it provides a natural green oasis within a fully-developed area.

"The development and preservation of Countryside Park and the Washington Township Recreation Center has been the life-long work of its former owner, Thomas O. Stolz.  Through his love of the land, diligence and hard work, there are now more than 3500 trees planted on the property.

"In 1977, the Stolz family donated 8-1/2 acres of land for construction of the South Suburban YMCA.  After voter approval, Township Trustees purchased the South Suburban YMCA in 1988 and reopened it as the Washington Township Recreation Center.  A major natatorium addition was constructed in 1990.  That same year, Mr. Stolz donated the 13-acre rear park area and the purchase brought the countryside area back to its original 1950 size.

"Tom Stolz personally constructed the limestone trail system and the beautiful shelter, as well as the log cabin, ball fields docks and many bridges located throughout the park.  Tom's dream stands for future generations to enjoy."