Implementing the plan
Wadsworth is looking for community input
City officials say they are looking for volunteers for the downtown implementation committee. Photo by EMILY CANNING-DEAN
WADSWORTH – While the downtown visioning plan recently approved by council contains dozens of concepts for revitalizing the downtown area, many of the larger concepts will not become a reality without a lot of planning and input from the community.
Service Director Robert Patrick said the city is looking to form an implementation committee made of residents and other stakeholders to oversee possible plans for the downtown area.
“We have asked members of the original downtown plan task force to be a part of that, but we certainly welcome anyone else to become involved,” Patrick said, adding that anyone interested in being part of the committee could contact him or Assistant Service Director Harry Stark at City Hall.
Patrick said proposed improvements suggested within the downtown plan range from small improvements to major projects. The city is planning to implement some of the smaller projects this year. Older wooden park benches in the downtown area have already been replaced with new wrought iron benches. Patrick said the city is also looking to install Edison lights in a couple of the downtown alleys this year.
Also this year, city officials plan to start looking at concepts for a downtown streetscape. However, construction on a streetscape will not take place this year and likely wouldn’t take place next year.
“But, there are a lot of decisions that will go into that,” Patrick said. “Do we want to keep the angled parking spaces the way they are or do we want to look at another option? What kind of trees would work best for the sidewalks or do we want to look at another option like shrubbery instead?”
Once a decision on how the streetscape should look is finalized, the city will still have to complete engineering plans for the project before it can get started and city officials will also have to figure out how to pay for the project.
A resident recently went before council and said she was not in favor of the removal of the gazebo island and the relocation of the gazebo and Boy with the Leaky Boot statue. She asked what the timeline was on this project.
Patrick explained that the relocation of these items and the removal of the gazebo island was just one concept within the plan, but said there are no definitive plans to make this concept a reality.
“This was just a concept drawn up by a professional who was trying to incorporate all of the input we had received from stakeholders,” he said. “It doesn’t mean that is what will happen.”
Also, to make this concept a reality, the city would have to acquire land that is currently privately owned. Patrick said there are no definite plans to acquire that land at this time. Another conceptual drawing within the plan calls for the gazebo island to stay put and shows improvements to the parking lot behind Valley Café.
“Also, if we did relocate the gazebo island, we would have to take a look at the utilities in the area,” he said. “We also don’t know what the cost of this project would be. Some of these ideas within the downtown plan are expensive and we would have to look for funding assistance before we could implement them.”
Patrick also added that the city could not take on a large project in the downtown area without budgeting for it, and that would require approval from council.
The entire 70-page plan can be viewed at http://www.downtownwadsworth2016.com. There is also a hard copy available to be viewed at City Hall.
Patrick said anyone interested in being part of the implementation committee should call City Hall at 330-335-1521.
“Implementing this plan really is a community activity,” he said. “We want a downtown that is good for the community.”
Service Director Robert Patrick said the city is looking to form an implementation committee made of residents and other stakeholders to oversee possible plans for the downtown area.
“We have asked members of the original downtown plan task force to be a part of that, but we certainly welcome anyone else to become involved,” Patrick said, adding that anyone interested in being part of the committee could contact him or Assistant Service Director Harry Stark at City Hall.
Patrick said proposed improvements suggested within the downtown plan range from small improvements to major projects. The city is planning to implement some of the smaller projects this year. Older wooden park benches in the downtown area have already been replaced with new wrought iron benches. Patrick said the city is also looking to install Edison lights in a couple of the downtown alleys this year.
Also this year, city officials plan to start looking at concepts for a downtown streetscape. However, construction on a streetscape will not take place this year and likely wouldn’t take place next year.
“But, there are a lot of decisions that will go into that,” Patrick said. “Do we want to keep the angled parking spaces the way they are or do we want to look at another option? What kind of trees would work best for the sidewalks or do we want to look at another option like shrubbery instead?”
Once a decision on how the streetscape should look is finalized, the city will still have to complete engineering plans for the project before it can get started and city officials will also have to figure out how to pay for the project.
A resident recently went before council and said she was not in favor of the removal of the gazebo island and the relocation of the gazebo and Boy with the Leaky Boot statue. She asked what the timeline was on this project.
Patrick explained that the relocation of these items and the removal of the gazebo island was just one concept within the plan, but said there are no definitive plans to make this concept a reality.
“This was just a concept drawn up by a professional who was trying to incorporate all of the input we had received from stakeholders,” he said. “It doesn’t mean that is what will happen.”
Also, to make this concept a reality, the city would have to acquire land that is currently privately owned. Patrick said there are no definite plans to acquire that land at this time. Another conceptual drawing within the plan calls for the gazebo island to stay put and shows improvements to the parking lot behind Valley Café.
“Also, if we did relocate the gazebo island, we would have to take a look at the utilities in the area,” he said. “We also don’t know what the cost of this project would be. Some of these ideas within the downtown plan are expensive and we would have to look for funding assistance before we could implement them.”
Patrick also added that the city could not take on a large project in the downtown area without budgeting for it, and that would require approval from council.
The entire 70-page plan can be viewed at http://www.downtownwadsworth2016.com. There is also a hard copy available to be viewed at City Hall.
Patrick said anyone interested in being part of the implementation committee should call City Hall at 330-335-1521.
“Implementing this plan really is a community activity,” he said. “We want a downtown that is good for the community.”