The very first piece of land purchased by the Park District since its formation was made possible in 1993. With support from a long-time anonymous donor, 98.5 acres of land that would eventually become part of Blues Creek Park was purchased at auction.
On the 50th anniversary of Preservation Parks, Mary Van Haaften, the executive director of Preservation Parks, announced that a long-time Delaware resident, Marianne Gabel, was the anonymous donor who made the purchase possible.
The property included several wooded areas with vernal pool wetlands, several former fields, and wooded riparian corridor and floodplain along Blues Creek, from which the park was eventually named.
As the park began to take shape, the first playground and picnic area were constructed in 1997 with funding through a federal Land and Water Conservation Fund grant. Help with construction came from volunteer groups including the Olentangy and Delaware Rotary Clubs, Scout groups, and the OWU Tree House Club. In 1998 a pedestrian bridge over Blues Creek was constructed with funding provided by a NatureWorks grant.
In the year 2000, an additional 40 acres were purchased from donors William & Elizabeth Glenn, bringing Blues Creek Park to the 139 acres it is today. This expansion added more wooded riparian corridor along Blues Creek, and an additional field that would later be considered part of the main hub of the park.
Blues Creek Park opened to the public in 2001, becoming the first-ever park managed by Preservation Parks of Delaware County. Prior to opening, the 1.1-mile-long gravel Shagbark Loop trail was completed with funds from the federal Recreational Trail grant.
Since opening, a secondary parking area near the front entrance was added in 2005. A year later, the construction of the Fox Run Loop and Meadowlark Trail were completed, bringing the total trail length at Blues Creek Park to 2.4 miles, and then in 2007, the vehicular bridge over Blues Creek was improved using funds from the Ohio Department of Transportation to reduce closures due to flooding with a higher bridge. While flooding still occasionally closes the park, it occurs less frequently now.
Recent improvements include the construction of a 1 acre fishing pond and sledding hill in 2010–two features that make Blues Creek Park a popular destination for both summer and winter recreation. A fishing pier was added and the pond was stocked a year later, making it a popular catch and release fishing spot. In 2013, a new restroom with flush toilets and sinks replaced the original pit toilet, a major improvement indeed. Over 20 acres of prairie habitat with colorful summer blooming prairie species have been established. Several seasonal wetlands have been constructed. Many of the former field areas are in the process of becoming forested again. The seemingly oh-so-slightly out of the way location of Blues Creek Park can make it a favorite recreation spot for those wishing to escape the crowd. Beginning with the Park Districts’ original purchase of 98.5 acres, to its current holdings of over 2,300 acres, Blues Creek serves as a reminder of how much the park district has grown.
