Yes, there are three rooms available to rent: The Great Room is perfect for a reunion, reception, or large party; the Teen Center is just the right size for a birthday party or meeting; and the Large Classroom can comfortably accommodate 10-15 people for a meeting or presentation. For information on room rentals, please contact the OCC at (937) 298-0775.
Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has destroyed millions of ash trees throughout the upper Midwest. The city’s tree inventory identifies the ash trees in the city rights-of-way, parks, and natural areas. They continue to be monitored and inspected by city staff and the city’s tree contractor. In 2024, we again treated a large number of our trees as a deterrent against EAB. To date, the only EAB activity or evidence of the insect in Oakwood has been on trees that were not treated. We have removed some ash trees in the city over the last few years, but that was done because of other insect activity or disease, or for other reasons.
In 1974, Mr. and Mrs. Carlton W. Smith donated the gardens and the house at 20 Walnut Lane to the City of Oakwood. Under the terms of the gift, the city sold the house and established an endowment fund to help pay for maintaining the gardens.
In 1981, the Friends of Smith Gardens was founded by a group of Oakwood citizens, which has provided community-wide financial support. Revenue from this annual membership drive is the largest source of income and is extremely important to the vitality of this community treasure. All funds go directly to the care and maintenance of the gardens. Your membership is tax-deductible and is greatly appreciated.
This is a great opportunity to leave a lasting legacy and be an integral part of this lovely garden. Individual brick pavers can be purchased in honor of, in memory of, in recognition of a friend or family member or to celebrate an anniversary or special occasion. Pavers can be placed on the patio by the garden house or at the entrance to the gardens off Oakwood Avenue. Please contact the OCC at (937) 298-0775 for further information.
The Oakwood Community Center launched an online registration program called MyRec (www.OakwoodLeisureServices.com) in November 2020. This website allows residents to set up their own household profiles, register and pay for classes, renew memberships,
track their activities, search online through all of the current offerings, and much more. Members who purchase a Health Center Membership or Pool Membership are required to submit an individual photo for each family member to the OCC. The front office staff will upload photos in the membership profile and assign an official OCC key tag to each family member. These key tags will be their permanent tags. This will eliminate the need to reprint passes every year. As always, the front office staff is very willing to help, if needed. If you have any questions while setting up your profile, please call the OCC at (937) 298-0775 or email occ@oakwoodohio.gov.
During the winter months of 2024, we completed the installation of a pool liner at Gardner Pool, which cost approximately $110,000. This project will provide cost savings in several different ways for the pool over the coming years. It will prevent any leaking of the pool shell which will save on expenses of lost water and extra chemicals. It will also eliminate the need to paint every 4-5 years. The liner is projected to last at least 10 years, but most liners last closer to 20 years. Other benefits include no paint chipping or wear spots in the shell of the pool. The liner is a light blue and will enhance the look of the pool water. After completing the new deck around the pool in 2023, and installing the liner, we feel this will really enhance the experience for our Gardner Pool members.