Catalog | Conferences | - Departments - | First Year | Handbook | Honors | Learning Spaces | Off Campus | Research | Support | Writing Center

Honors

Sugar Loaf Park Cleanup - Spring 2004

History Lesson
Sugar Loaf recreational park (Sugar Loaf Hill) is located on West Broadway in downtown Granville. During Granville's early years, the area was heavily mined and most of the trees cut down. Many of the homes in downtown Granville likely boast wood and stone from Sugar Loaf. The bald hill had the appearance of a sugar loaf (hence the name). Apparently, the hill was also a popular place for Denison students to burn their textbooks at the end of a term.

Several decades later, the village recognized the need for additional green space in the immediate downtown area. It was decided that Sugar Loaf Hill would be restored. The park was dedicated in April 1896, and was originally planted with one specimen of every tree native to the Licking County area. The park is open to the public, and picnic facilities are available.

The Present Day
In years past, the park had fallen into extreme disrepair. Deadfall had accumulated to the point that trails were unidentifiable and signs and benches had been vandalized. In the past couple of years, our cleanup project has helped to maintain the park and bring some of the community back into it. It is our hope that, by reintroducing a community presence in the park, we will prevent any further vandalism, reverse the effects of decades of neglect, and have the park in good shape for Granville's bicentennial celebration in 2005.

Thanks to Dr. Tony Lisska for Sugar Loaf historical information.

Sign.jpg

The First Cleanup
In March of 2001, the Honors Program teamed up with a local Boy Scout to help clean up and restore Sugar Loaf Park. He coordinated a large-scale cleanup effort as a part of his Eagle Scout project. By actively tapping into several community resources - which is a core component of the Eagle Scout Project - his efforts meant a lot to the success of the first Sugar Loaf cleanup. During two volunteer days, we cleared most of the park's main paths, spread a load of gravel, and restored some park benches.

This was a great opportunity for the Honors Program to get involved in an ongoing positive community effort.

The New Project: Bicentennial 2005
Part 1: Identification and listing of tree and plant life in Sugar Loaf. This list will be compared to the original plantings at Sugar Loaf. Hopefully anything that is no longer growing in the area can be replaced by 2005.

Part 2:A large scale map showing trails and major plant life in the park to be placed at the entrace in a weather-proof case for the 2005 Bicentennial year.


Cookie Sunkle, Assistant to the Director of the Honors Program
Contact for general information.
E-Mail: sunkle@denison.edu
Phone: x6573


Dr. Warren Hauk of Denison's Biology Department is assisting with the Bicentennial project of the plant identification and mapping of Sugar Loaf park. Contact him if you have any question about this aspect of the project.
E-Mail: hauk@denison.edu