Observatory Park is...
Becoming a Reality

Observatory Park is a visionary Geauga Park District project which will bring a combination of educational and recreational opportunities without compare to Northeast Ohio.

Observatory Park Case for Support

Observatory Park is...
A Provisional
International Dark Sky Park

Phase I is complete. This first of four phases involved preparing the main drive, the parking area, storm water management, and the area on which Observatory Plaza will be built in Phase II.

Phase II will see the development of the Plaza and walkway and of course the construction of the Public Building and the Oberle Observatory, the latter of which will house the magnificent Oberle telescope donated by the Oberle family.

Phase II - Observatory Plaza

Phase II - Proposed Plaza

Phase II presents exciting opportunities not only for all Geauga County residents and beyond, but even more so for students. The educational aspect of Observatory Park will provide a truly unique opportunity through the collaboration with Geauga Park District with organizations such as:

Case Western Reserve University
Kent State University
Cleveland Museum of Natural History
Great Lakes Science Center
Chagrin Valley Astronomical Society

Observatory Park is...
An International Dark Sky Park

It is difficult to comprehend the paramount importance of the sky to our ancestors. The rhythms of the sun and moon oriented them to time and space and the stars guided them in their explorations of new lands. However, in this age of urbanization and artificial light, the night sky has become diluted by light pollution (obtrusive and misdirected outdoor lighting) and we are losing the heritage left to us by our ancestors.

Light pollution is so pervasive that a person standing on the observation deck of the Empire State Building would be unable to discern much more than the moon and a handful of very bright stars – less than one percent of what Galileo Galilei saw through his telescope in 1610.

And, standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon, the brightest feature of the sky is not the brilliance of the Milky Way, but the glow of Las Vegas, one hundred and seventy-five miles away.

photo courtesy of Russ Swaney/Chagrin Valley Astronomical Society

Geauga Park District is dedicated to the preservation of the dark sky in Geauga County. Observatory Park, located in Montville Township, has received provisional certification as an “International Dark Sky Park” by the International Dark Sky Association based in Tucson, Arizona.

Light pollution is not an inevitable side effect of progress, but is instead indicative of wasteful and inefficient outdoor light. Unlike other environmental problems, light pollution can be easily reversed without reducing visibility, safety, or security.