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Tuesday, 12 May 2009 |
By MATT NICHOLS
Staff Writer
CRIDERSVILLE — Officials with a northern Auglaize County village are set to unveil what its village councilors call a “master plan” to provide safety to children and link the community to outlying areas.
Cridersville Mayor Lorali Myers said Monday Cridersville Village Council members intend to showcase their plans to install a network of walking and bicycle paths during an open house at 6:30 p.m. June 1 at Otterbein-Cridersville.
The proposed project is part of the Ohio Department of Transportations’ (ODOT) Safe Routes to Schools program. Myers said she hopes the village is a prime candidate for the $250,000 grant.
“The students in our new school are between the ages of five and 10, and the primary road leading to the school (Reichelderfer Road) is not conducive to walking,” Myers said after Monday’s village council meeting. “This is an opportunity for us to look at that and see how we can improve the safety for the students.”
During the open house, Myers said a schematic of the proposed paths are to be displayed. Tentative plans have a web of bicycle and walking paths criss-crossing and connecting the new school with the existing school location, as well as Otterbein-Cridersville, Tower and Hinkle parks.
The mayor said the schematic also includes pathways connecting the village with the Meadowbrook development and the Johnny Appleseed Parks in Fort Shawnee.
Myers said the village is working with architects with Columbus-based Floyd Brown Group to complete the grant application and said she has received positive feedback from ODOT as they continue to pursue the funds.
“I really can’t wait for this open house,” Myers said. “It’s just a great chance for us to show the community what we are putting in place.”
During Monday’s council meeting, councilors approved the purchase of a $1,200 aeration system for the Town Pond. The new wind-powered sys-
See GRANT, Page 8A
tem is to replace to non-functional electrical system.
Myers said the pond had fallen onto tough times as an overgrowth of algae had stagnated the water and killed off several fish. The new windmill is a positive in more ways than one, Myers said.
“We’re going green with this, and it gives us an opportunity to invest back into the pond,” Myers said. “There’s no electricity needed and it helps bring the pond back up to the level it needs to be.”
Myers said wind speeds as low as 3.5 miles per hour are enough to power the aeration system.
Cridersville Fire Department Fire Chief Ron Mertz addressed councilors Monday, informing them he was successful in attaining an $8,000 grant to purchase new boots for the firefighters.
He reported the department’s Operation Smoke Alert program was in full swing. The program allows any resident in Cridersville the opportunity to receive a smoke detector free of charge. If necessary, Mertz said the fire department will install the smoke detector as well.
The village’s annual garage sale is to be held Saturday (May 16), and it’s annual clean up day is scheduled for May 30.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 13 May 2009 )
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