City of Toledo Newsletter, Sept. 23, 2021

Message from Mayor Kapszukiewicz

My administration announced this week that we will implement a 10-year action plan to improve access to safe, affordable housing in Toledo. This is something we started working on about 12 months ago, when we contracted Enterprise Community Partners to gather community feedback and put together a comprehensive housing strategy.

We are creating a blueprint for how to improve housing outcomes for all Toledoans, and our strategy for uplifting neighborhoods continues to include encouraging redevelopment, advocating for tenants’ rights, investing in low-income areas, the historic roads repaving program, beautification, and public safety. You can read more about the housing plan at this link.

LMH Collingwood Green Project

I was also thrilled last week to celebrate the acceptance of $5.8 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to complete the fifth and final phase of Lucas Metropolitan Housing’s Collingwood Green project – something that has been 15 years in the making, and will include 75 senior apartments. The federal funding will also provide rental assistance to tenants and capital advances to private and nonprivate sponsors to finance the development of housing for very low-income residents.

As I said last week, there are federal resources coming into our community that never flowed into Toledo, or at least not since the New Deal. This is one type of federal assistance, and it is going to transform that neighborhood.

Vote Yes For TARTA

I want to urge everyone to support the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority’s sales tax request on the November 2 ballot, Issue 12.

Public transportation is important for Toledo, and especially important for our economy. Successful cities invest in public transit because they know it keeps their economies strong and their workforces moving.

Restoring Sunday service would be one of the first results of passing the new sales tax, and expanding the Toledo Area Regional Paratransit Service eligibility throughout Lucas County is another benefit.

This is about essential services for many Toledoans, but it is also about attracting economic development to our region. Toledo was ranked as the number one midsized city in America for new business investment last year. Help us keep that momentum and help us keep building!

Rain This Week

I know some residents were deluged this week from the heavy rain. Our sewer and drainage employees were on a 24-hour rotation, with extra shifts to respond as quickly as possible. One of the biggest things we saw was flooded streets. Now that we are into autumn, it is a good time to remind residents to please refrain from blowing or raking leaves and grass clippings into the street. It clogs sewers and causes heartburn for you and your neighbors. As always, call us at 419-936-2020 to report flooding or any concern.

Wayman D. Palmer YMCA

Finally this week, I want to invite everyone to a public meeting to discuss plans for the new Wayman D. Palmer YMCA building and a new Inez Nash Park.

It will be held at 6 p.m., Monday, Sept. 27, at the Wayman D. Palmer YMCA. The address is 2053 North 14th St., but please enter from Franklin Avenue.

Toledo Lead Safe

Toledo’s Lead Safe Program began with passage of the new lead ordinance in October 2020. Since then, Toledo has had great success with owners registering rental units with the Lucas County Auditor, and becoming Lead-Safe Certified by the Toledo Lucas County Health Department.

Rental registrations in Toledo have increased from 9,540 to 15,262. To date, 1,770 of those units have received their lead-safe certificates.

“While we know there’s still a lot of work to do, we are excited that Toledoans are getting on board with this program that will help protect our children from the toxic legacy of lead poisoning,” said Toledo Lead Safe Coordinator Stephanie Beebe. “The first compliance deadline is June 30, 2022, and affects about 5,000 rental units in our highest risk neighborhoods.”

Please visit ToledoLeadSafe.com for information, and to get certified today.

Parks

Exciting new proposed designs were revealed last week to residents for four neighborhood parks, including new playground equipment and areas for sports.

“As part of our strategy to improve our neighborhoods, we are making renovations to parks that have been neglected for decades,” Mayor Kapszukiewicz said. “These improvements for neighborhoods go hand-in-hand with our historic residential roads repaving program, housing programs, and beautification.”

The Kapszukiewicz administration held community engagement meetings to reveal the final design ideas for Goodwin Park, 116 Oregon Rd.; Oakdale Park at Oakdale Avenue and Schomberg Street; Edgar Holmes Park, 1216 Ironwood Ave., and T. Jean Overton Park, 3016 C St. The meetings followed previous sessions to solicit public input. A future meeting will be scheduled at Maya Park, which is located at Emerald Avenue and Hobart Street.

The final reveals also coincides with National Public Lands Day on Sept. 25. It is held annually on the fourth Saturday in September and celebrates the connection between people and green space in their community. It also inspires environmental stewardship and encourages use of open space for education, recreation, and health benefits.

“We want these neighborhood parks to be the clean, updated, and life-giving locations that Toledoans deserve, where children can play safely and enjoy themselves,” said Karen Ranney Wolkins, commissioner of parks, recreation, and forestry. “More people than ever enjoy the jogging, picnicking, and recreational opportunities in our historic, larger parks. We want residents to have equally delightful experiences in our smaller parks throughout Toledo.”

The proposed improvements for the parks are as follows:

Edgar Holmes Park: new playground equipment, a new basketball court, a new gazebo, picnic tables, and charcoal grills.
Goodwin Park: new playground equipment, walking path, and benches.
Oakdale Park: new playground equipment, benches, picnic tables, charcoal grills, drainage improvements, and resurfacing open air shelter area.
T. Jean Overton Park: new playground equipment and benches.
Maya Park: input from neighbors will be solicited to revise the plans.

Funding is not yet approved for the improvements at the neighborhood parks. The city has already approved funding for Casey Jones Park, 1760 Hamilton St., and Feeback Park, 613 Buffalo St. Community input meetings were previously held at both locations. Those park improvements are expected to occur during the 2022 construction season, and will include new playground equipment, benches, charcoal grills, and picnic tables for both parks. Additional funding is being sought to cover walking paths, a small picnic shelter, and a rebuilt basketball court.

Smith Park

Residents are already enjoying improvements that incorporate accessible and inclusive features in all new playground installations at Smith Park, located along Dorr Street between Forest and Lawrence avenues.

“The process for deciding on the new play system at Smith Park involved numerous meetings with neighbors and area stakeholders over the course of many months,” Ms. Ranney Wolkins said. “The new playground is an expression of thoughts and ideas generated by these dedicated individuals. Funding for the system included capital improvement dollars, as well as a donation from the Toledo Lucas County Public Library.”

The new Smith Park play system features overhead canopies, multiple levels of play including slides, web climbers, swings, and climbing walls. The play system also features a rubberized surface to allow for maximum wheel chair accessibility throughout the play area to ground level features such as the transfer platform, fun phones, low-level climbers, and a handicap swing seat.

Mark Your Calendars

Free Engage Toledo Drop Off Refuse and Recycling Event

The next Engage Toledo Drop Off Refuse and Recycling event is 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 25 at Detwiler Park, 4001 North Summit St.

Acceptable items include electronic waste; televisions and CRT monitors; up to 10 tires, on or off the rim, but no commercial tires; documents; clothing; toys; bulky items, and refuse. Latex paint will be accepted for $1 per gallon. Major appliances will not be accepted.

Welcoming Picnic and Gathering

Women of Toledo, in partnership with Welcome Toledo-Lucas County and the City of Toledo Human Relations Commission, is hosting a community picnic to recognize immigrant contributions to our community.

The Welcoming Picnic and Gathering will be 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 25 at Mary Jane Gill Shelter, Swan Creek Preserve Metroparks.

The City of Toledo supports the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, please contact the Office of Diversity and Inclusion ADA coordinator at 419-245-1198 or submit a request online at toledo.oh.gov/ada.

Find information on more city events at toledo.oh.gov/events

or on Facebook at facebook.com/cityoftoledo/events

Residential Road Repaving

COVID-19 Vaccine

As the virus spreads, remember that the best way to prevent severe illness is to get vaccinated. The vaccines are safe, effective, free, and available to all Ohioans 12 and older.

Please, get vaccinated today.

For information, go to: gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov