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Friday, 29 May 2009 |
By MATT NICHOLS
Staff Writer
Residents of a northern Auglaize County village are being encouraged to voice their opinion on a potential new sidewalk system designed to provide safety for children.
In an open house event, Cridersville village officials are to unveil its proposed new sidewalk system at 7 p.m. Monday at the Otterbein, in Cridersville.
Cridersville Mayor Lorali Myers said public input is imperative as village councilors prepare a grant application totaling up to $250,000 through the Ohio Department of Transportation’s Safe Routes to Schools program.
Myers said the schematic, which will be unveiled Monday night, illustrates a web of sidewalks which directs children from walking on Reichelderfer Road and Carlisle Street when walking to the new elementary school.
“This is an opportunity for the village to put in walkways and bike paths for the students to get from their homes
to the schools in a safe manner,” Myers said. “This event allows the community a chance to come and see what we are proposing, and give their input.”
Cridersville councilors are working in tandem with representative with the Floyd Browne Group to devise the new plan, and Myers said the marketing partner has identified key areas within the village as connecting points for the walking and bicycle paths. Hinkle Park, Tower Park, Meadowbrook Park and the planned Pioneer Park will each have spokes of sidewalks webbing out and connecting each other.
If the village receives the grant, Myers said she has future hopes of expanding the pathways to the Johnny Appleseed parks in Shawnee.
“It would be a wonderful opportunity to be able to connect two villages or townships together,” Myers said.
If the village is successful in obtaining the funds, Myers said the criss-crossing pathways could be in place by the first day at the new elementary school in the autumn of 2010.
During the open house, Myers said residents can take both a “walkability” and “bikability” survey to list where they walk. The survey helps village and Floyd Browne officials determine the ideal path locations.
“This is all for residents to share their voice,” Myers said. “Hopefully we’ll have a great turnout and people can let us know how they feel about the project.”
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Last Updated ( Monday, 01 June 2009 )
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