Photo by Emma Delk Two unused greenhouses in Oglebay will become the location for a new hydroponics farm.

WHEELING — Oglebay officials shared environmental conservation efforts that will be implemented in the park and gave an update regarding the park’s deer population management plans at Monday’s Wheeling Park Commission meeting.

Oglebay Senior Director of Strategic Planning Beth Whitehouse Whitehouse said Oglebay officials have been in “contact with the DNR” and scheduled a meeting with them. Whitehouse said an update would be given following the meeting.

During January’s commission meeting, Wheeling Park Commission President and CEO Bob Peckenpaugh said park officials would begin to accept community input reading the deer population at the park during the spring.

Community members have sought input in future discussions on deer population management following a November urban deer hunt on parts of Oglebay property that was scheduled to help cull the herd. Locals suggested a deer population control task force made up of Oglebay officials, DNR representatives and community members.

Whitehouse also gave an update on the implementation of solar power at the park. Oglebay is in partnership with the solar energy developer, IMC Solar, LLC, to facilitate the installation of solar panels in chosen locations at the park for energy production.

Whitehouse explained the power purchase agreement for the park’s solar panels has been “rounded out.” The final power purchase agreement will be presented to the WPC for approval at their next April meeting.

Whitehouse added commissioners will be informed of the savings “over the next 25 years” the panels will provide for the park.

“At this point, we’re very excited about the progression towards solar energy at the park,” said Whitehouse.

Peckenpaugh noted that commissioners would “see the fruits of our efforts” by 2025 through the money saved by installing solar panels.

At Monday’s meeting, Peckenpaugh explained a “big focus” for the park’s conservation efforts in 2024 would be getting their hydroponics farm “up and going” this year.

Hydroponics uses a water-based nutrient solution rather than soil to grow plants. Produce will be grown at the park at hydroponics displays in unused Oglebay Greenhouses.

Oglebay officials plan to use the plants grown in the hydroponics farm to feed the rest of the park, as greens grown there will be transported and used in Wilson Lodge restaurants. Peckenpaugh noted this would save money in both food transportation costs and cut down on fuel emissions at the park.

Peckenpaugh added that schools can use the hydroponics farm for educational programs, and community members will be welcome to visit and learn about the display.

“We’ll be reducing costs and emissions so we’re doing the right thing for the environment, so we’re very excited about this,” said Peckenpaugh.

The park is also exploring increasing its environmentally friendly waste management options by taking composting at Oglebay “to the next level,” according to Peckenpaugh.

Peckenpaugh explained Oglebay creates “tons” of food waste at Wilson Lodge between food preparations and guests not eating everything on their plates. To manage this waste, Peckenpaugh explained they are looking into diverting the leftover food into a composting machine.

“I’ll call the machine a quick composter, because it’s a lot faster and easier than taking the waste to compost at the back of the zoo like we used to,” explained Peckenpaugh. “The leftover meals will be put in the machine, with some things done afterward to turn that meal into fertilizer.”

Oglebay Executive Vice President Rod Haley explained that they would use the fertilizer from the compost machines in their flower beds at the park.

“We’ve just been playing with how we can use that fertilizer, there’s not a lot of information out there so a lot of it’s experimental,” noted Haley. “This should save money as well on fertilizers.”

Oglebay will also continue its work with Summit Forestry Group and WVU Extension Services to manage the park’s forests. Peckenpaugh explained the two organizations would soon “come in and clean up some more invasive species.”