A new facility opened in June 2018 inside the west entrance of Sippo Lake Park, off of Genoa Avenue Northwest. The center is dedicated to wildlife rehabilitation services and is a licensed Category 2 facility.

State and federal permits allow our experienced staff to care for nearly 2,000 injured and orphaned native wild animals each year. With assistance from local veterinarians who volunteer their services, the staff releases over 55% of the animals they care for. In accordance with state regulations, all wild animals accepted for rehabilitation become the property of the State of Ohio.

The Exploration Gateway at Sippo Lake Park is a center of nature, culture, and life-long learning established in June 2007 as a partnership between the Stark County Park District and the Stark County District Library. The facility includes three banquet and meeting rooms, a video conference center, the Perry Sippo Branch Library featuring a 58,000-item collection with specialized nature and Canalway history resources, an outdoor terrace and indoor fireplace, drive-through book drop, 400-gallon aquarium, wireless internet access, and public computers.

The Stark County Park District and Stark County District Library-Perry Sippo Branch share more than a building. Staff members work together daily to demonstrate a commitment to education, the environment, community outreach, and stewardship of financial resources that make this partnership unique.

The Sommer Wildlife Conservation Center and the Public Safety/Operations departments are located at the Genoa Avenue entrance (798 and 800 Genoa Avenue Northwest, Massillon, 44646).

Sippo Lake Park was purchased in 1977 with a Community Development Block Grant because of its central location between two of Stark County’s major cities. It provides visitors with a variety of amenities, programs, and 202 acres of deciduous forest, wetlands, old fields, and mixed shrub areas. Featuring a variety of habitats for wildlife viewing, this quiet urban oasis is home to a large number of bird species, including blue herons and other waterfowl. The songs of spring peepers, frogs, and toads also enliven evening sunsets along the shoreline of the 100-acre lake.

Two trails are accessible from the Sommer Center.

Cottonwood Trail, 0.63 miles, is a wetland trail. Park at the Genoa Avenue entrance, then cross the driveway to find the trailhead. Perfect for hikers and bird watchers alike, this natural surface trail follows the edge of the restored Cottonwood wetland. It offers a wildlife-viewing house where wood ducks, mallards, and green herons can be seen. Pockets of spring wildflowers along the trail include spring beauty, trout lily, mayapple, and trillium.

Woodland and Wetland Trails, 1.28 Miles. Park at either the Genoa Avenue or 12th Street park entrances. This network of trails travels through wetlands and young woodlands between the Exploration Gateway and the Wildlife Conservation Center. Waterfowl, muskrats, and several types of frogs (green, wood, and spring peepers) make their homes in the wetlands. Maturing cottonwood trees create a canopy as they border the trail in several places.