SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WKBN) – People who live in Springfield Township have a new place to experience nature.

Just in time for the holiday weekend, the Mill Creek MetroParks Foundation opened a forest property.

The 88-acre site offers hiking trails, a boardwalk, a fishing pier and views of the water.

It’s on Springfield Road just north of the I-76 bridge. This is the first Mill Creek MetroParks area in Springfield Township.

“Parks in general are obviously a benefit to the community. They improve quality of life, getting people out to appreciate natural features,” said Justin Rogers of the Mill Creek MetroParks Foundation.

The Clean Ohio Conservation Fund and the Mill Creek MetroParks Foundation paid for the improvements to the property.