News from BG: June 23, 2021

BG's First Three Parklets to be Installed June 25th

The city's first parklets will be installed by Kabob It, Juniper Brewing Company, and Grounds for Thought in downtown Bowling Green on Friday, June 25.

The parklets are being built by Ellen Fure Smith, artist and owner of Little Bare Furniture, with the assistance of faculty and staff from Bowling Green State University School of Art’s Integrated Studio. “We were excited to help – Ellen was so persuasive on what a great addition parklets will be downtown. We hope to continue working with the city and downtown merchants on this project moving forward,” said Charles Kanwischer, the Director of the School of Art.

The School of Art’s Integrated Studio opened in 2016 as a “maker space” facility for physical and digital prototyping and production. “I love our college town – and I feel so lucky that the School of Art and Charlie have partnered with us on this project,” said Smith. “We are already discussing ideas for the second batch of parklets next summer!” Smith is part of the Parklet Project team, which launched a fundraising effort last month to help downtown businesses build and install the city’s first parklets. More than 60 individuals and businesses have already contributed to the effort.

The Parklet Project has been a true community effort. While Smith leads the build on BGSU’s campus, Sue Wolf and her team at Wolf’s Blooms and Berries are busy planting the large planters that will add color to the three parklets being installed. And the parklets and planters will be loaded and transported downtown Friday by truck, a donation from Jim Palmer Excavating, Inc.

Located in the parking lane adjacent to the curb, parklets are designed as an extension of the sidewalk. They have the potential to greatly increase outdoor dining options and gathering spaces downtown, where narrow sidewalks limit outdoor seating. The latest business to join the Parklet Project is Kabob It, located on E. Wooster St. “We love our customers and are running out of space in the store. The parklet is a great solution for us, and will make our street livelier,” said Zach Baroudi, owner of Kabob It.

Legislation to permit parklets downtown was passed by BG City Council in April, and the city’s program permits parklets to be in place downtown April through November.

Parklet Project members include Smith, Chris Mowen, Tony Vetter, Jeff Dennis, and Rachel Phipps.

The group has partnered with the Downtown BG Foundation to accept donations. Anyone wishing to support the Parklet Project can do so online or by sending a contribution to “Downtown Foundation, Inc. – Parklets” c/o Jeff Dennis, PO Box 406, Bowling Green, Ohio 43402. More information is available at downtownbgohio.org/parklet-project.

Above is a photo of (from left to right) Charles Kanwischer, Ellen Fure Smith, and Anthony Smith standing on a parklet that is under construction in the BGSU School of Art’s Integrated Studio. Below are parklet renderings created by Chris Mowen and Thomas Porter Architects.

East Wooster Paving

The East Wooster Paving project is scheduled to begin in late July. A contractor has been selected and is in the final planning stages with the City and ODOT.

The area on East Wooster to be paved is from the railroad tracks (Dairy Queen) to Campbell Hill Road. Lane restrictions will be unavoidable, but access to through traffic will be maintained for the duration of the project. Efforts are also in place to avoid major construction activity on East Wooster during BGSU Move In and the Tractor Pulls.

Continue to follow City news sources and social media for continued updates. Updates are also posted to the City's Capital Projects linked below.

Bowling Green Chamber Fireworks Update

To celebrate this Independence Day, the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Fireworks Project Team, and the City of Bowling Green invite the community to come out and enjoy the pyrotechnics display on July 3rd at dusk, approximately 9:45 pm. A rain date for the fireworks will be Monday, July 5th.

As announced previously, this annual event will happen in a new location. The launching of the fireworks will happen in a secured area within the National Tractor Pulling Championships property. No unauthorized persons will be allowed past the cement barriers located around this area. The prime location to view the display will be from the Wood County Agricultural Society property located in the camping area behind the Fairgrounds. Access to this lot will be from Brim Rd and will be open at 7:00 pm.

Volunteers will be guiding guests to the proper parking spaces and the Chamber asks that guests follow the directions given by the volunteers in order to maintain a safe and organized experience.

Additional parking will be available in the lot across from the Fairgrounds on Poe Road. No volunteers will be guiding parking in that area. The Fairgrounds proper will not be accessible for this event and roadside parking will not be permitted....continue reading the Fireworks press release for full details.

Storybook Trail at the

Nature Preserve!

Time for the family to hit the trail with Bowling Green Parks and Recreation! The second storybook trail of the season will be available for viewing from June 19 through June 27 at Wintergarden/St. John’s Nature Preserve. The story “Over in the Forest” by Marianne Berkes at Wintergarden will familiarize young readers with notable woodland animals.

This self-guided walk will begin near the wetland and take you through St. John’s Woods. Maps or a link to a map are located outside the office door of the Nature Center.

This activity is made possible through a donation and with the help of the Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Foundation and Wood County District Public Library Children’s Place.

New Website

Launched June 22nd!

For the past several months, Bowling Green has been partnering with CivicPlus and the Bowling Green Economic Development Office to redesign the City’s website to better serve and promote the community. The refreshed site, available at www.bgohio.org, went live on Tuesday, June 22nd.

The fresh new look and feel is not just about the aesthetics. The new site features a fully responsive design available on any device, with an emphasis on accessibility standards. Site content has been reorganized to provide a more intuitive experience for users, making it easier than ever to find and receive information. Using the “Notify Me” feature on the new site, residents may sign up to receive customized alerts sent directly to their email or phone. Notification options include meeting agendas, local emergencies, refuse/recycling delays, events, and more.

“Our refreshed site will allow us to better provide information to Bowling Green residents while also serving as our front door to future residents and businesses who have not yet discovered our great community,” Mayor Aspacher said...read full release and check out the new website!

Concert in the Park: Sunday, June 27th

Join us for the 2021 BG Parks & Recreation Concert in the Park series

View the complete schedule for the 2021 Concerts in the Park series.

Bowling Green Parks and Recreation, along with series Title Sponsor BG Transit, and supporting sponsors Edward Jones Investments and Otterbein Senior Life in Pemberville, will be hosting the second performance of the 2021 Concerts in the Park series this Sunday, June 27, 2021. There will be a live performance by Kerry Patrick Clark at 7:00pm on the Needle Hall stage.

This is a rain or shine event with the event taking place at Needle Hall or inside the new Veteran’s Building in the case of inclement weather.

Lunch in the Park: Friday, June 25th

Bowling Green Parks and Recreation, along with series Title Sponsor Premier Bank and Entertainment Sponsor Montessori School of Bowling Green, will be hosting the fourth 2021 Lunch in the Park series event on Friday June 25^th, 2021. Food from Qdoba will be available for purchase from 11:30am-1:00pm at City Park’s Martin and Kiwanis Shelters. There will be a live performance by the Gene Parker Trio throughout the lunch.

This is a rain or shine event with the event taking place at the Martin and Kiwanis Shelters or inside the new Veteran’s Building in the case of inclement weather.

View the full list of musicians and restaurants scheduled for this summer.

Parks & Rec Summer Programs

Summer Activity Guide

Don't miss out on Summer fun! Registration for the Bowling Green Parks & Rec Summer 2021 programs is currently open to all residents and non-residents.

Find all the fun activities offered in the Summer 2021 Activity Guide.

Be sure to complete the 2021 Registration & Waiver form in advance to help make registration a quicker process.

Registrations may also be completed in person at the Bowling Green Community Center.

For questions or more information contact the Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Department at 419-354-6223.

WOOD COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

WEEKLY UPDATE

All Wood County Health Department vaccine clinics are free, and no appointment is needed. If you would like to make an appointment for a specific time, you can use the ArmorVax app or go to www.ArmorVax.com

Both Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are available at all events. Youth ages 12-17 are eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine with a parent or guardian present.

All of the COVID-19 vaccines have been proven to protect the individuals who receive them from disease, to limit transmission in the community, and to reduce the risk of severe illness. The more people in our community who are vaccinated, the better we can protect ourselves and one another.

Below are upcoming chances to be vaccinated for COVID-19:

Wednesday, June 23
4-7 p.m., Bowling Green Farmers Market (100 Clough St.)
Thursday, June 24
11 a.m.-8 p.m., Perrysburg Heights Community Association (12282 Jefferson St.)
3-8 p.m., Perrysburg Farmers Market (Louisiana Avenue)
Friday, June 25
10 a.m.-6 p.m., Bowling Green City Park (520 Conneaut Ave.)
11 a.m.-8 p.m., Risingsun Community Park (550 Salem St.)
4-8 p.m., Lake High School (28080 Lemoyne Road, Millbury)

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