Mahoning commissioners seek state grant to protect McKelvey Lake

YOUNGSTOWN — The Mahoning County commissioners have enacted a resolution supporting an application for a state grant that would enable the purchase and permanent protection of McKelvey Lake and environs on Youngstown’s East Side.

The commissioners voted this morning to support an application by the Natural Areas Land Conservancy for an $836,729 grant for this purpose from the Clean Ohio Green Space Conservation Program of the Ohio Public Works Commission.

The Moreland Hills-based conservancy, a non-profit organization devoted to protection of Ohio’s natural areas, would provide the remaining 25 percent of the $1,115,638 project cost as a match to the grant.

The effort would be to acquire 400 acres, including the lake, located three miles east of the city’s downtown, and the forested land near the lake for potential use as a park or wildlife reserve.

McKelvey Lake is one of Aqua Ohio’s water source lakes.

McKelvey Lake and the surrounding acreage is owned by Aqua Infrastructure LLC.

“Preservation of the property with a perpetual conservation easement will safeguard its abundant natural assets, which include the approximately 125-acre McKelvey Lake and the diverse flora and fauna to which the lake and its surroundings are host,” the resolution said.