This past weekend it was finally warm enough to venture outside, so on Sunday, I donned my roller skates and headed to Summit Lake. If you’ve been in Akron for any amount of time, you’ve probably heard that Summit Lake used to be referred to as “Akron’s million dollar playground.” In a 2021 article from Ideastream, Akron historian David Lieberth talked about the many recreational draws of Summit Lake’s past, including an amusement park, a massive swimming pool and a dance floor. In later decades, the area became vastly underserved and victim to inequity in public resources.

Summit Lake is pictured in the background. A large blue Adirondack chair is in the foreground.
Summit Lake, pictured March 3, 2024. Credit: (Brittany Moseley / Signal Akron)

In an effort to turn Summit Lake back into a recreational hub, a new trail opened in September. The almost 3-mile trail circles the lake and connects to the Towpath Trail.

On my skates, I passed people biking, fishing and walking their dogs, as well as plenty of geese and ducks. I didn’t skate the whole trail, but that will have to wait for warmer days as we’re in for another cold spell this weekend. Summit Lake might never be a “million dollar playground” again, but thriving, community green space sounds pretty great too.

Three things to do this weekend in Akron:

Summit Artspace will host the first ArtWalk of 2024 Friday from 5 to 9 p.m. Resident artists at Summit Artspace will open their studios to the public for the evening, and vendors will sell handmade wares throughout the building. There will also be live music, art exhibits and a pop-up shop from Elizabeth’s Bookshop & Writing Centre. Check the website for information on other activities happening downtown in conjunction with Friday’s ArtWalk.

Don your green attire and head downtown Saturday for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. A variety of local organizations, businesses and community leaders will participate, including the St. Vincent-St. Mary High School Marching Band, Akron Roller Derby and MacConmara Academy of Irish Dance. The parade steps off at noon at South Main and Cedar streets.

Stop by Summit Metro Parks’ Eclipse Exploration Open House Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. at the Liberty Park Nature Center. Guests of all ages will learn about the science of eclipses and how to safely view the April 8 solar eclipse. The event will also feature demonstrations, crafts and a campfire.

Culture & Arts Reporter (she/her)
Brittany is an accomplished journalist who’s passionate about the arts, civic engagement and great storytelling. She has more than a decade of experience covering culture and arts, both in Ohio and nationally. She previously served as the associate editor of Columbus Monthly, where she wrote community-focused stories about Central Ohio’s movers and shakers. A lifelong Ohioan, she grew up in Springfield and graduated from Kent State University.