Hyre Park courts
to be resurfaced

AKRON: The city will spend about $158,000 to resurface the Hyre Park tennis courts.

Akron City Council approved the expenditure last week that allows the city to seek bids on the project. The park and courts are located on the city's east side in Ward 6.

City officials said the courts have not been resurfaced in about 20 years.

The project is expected to begin in mid-May and be completed by the end of June.

Meeting to discuss
development rules

WADSWORTH: The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at 7:15 p.m. tonight to discuss a proposal to establish regulations for developments along waterways.

The meeting will be at City Hall, 120 Maple St.

Planning Director Jeff Kaiser said the proposal is to adopt standards set by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. The goal is to protect sensitive areas such as wetlands and open space.

Kaiser said the real impact of the regulations will be on undeveloped property along streams.
— Beau Dusz

City will sue
over easements

WADSWORTH: City Council has authorized attorneys to sue in Wayne County Common Pleas Court for easements for a waterline.

Under an agreement with Barberton, Wadsworth will lease 15 acres in Wayne County where water wells will be drilled. To get the water from those wells to the city's treatment plant, more than six miles of pipes must be installed.

Some property owners along the proposed route refused to grant Wadsworth easements.
— Beau Dusz

Panel approves
addition at Walsh

NORTH CANTON: The Planning Commission last week approved a preliminary site plan for an addition to the physical education building at Walsh University.

The 25,000-square-foot addition will have two stories where it joins the current building and a roofline that slopes to a single story.

Planners also approved a conditional-use permit because the addition will be within 50 feet of a residential district.

Walsh officials said they met with residents and modified plans in response.

The original building is 40 years old and does not meet the needs of a growing enrollment, university officials said. Walsh expects to file a final site plan in two months and begin construction this summer.
— Dottie McGrew

City trucks to clear
entrances to drives

NORTH CANTON: Six city trucks equipped with plow blades are available to clear snow between curbs and the entrance to private driveways to help those who might require medical care, according to Mayor David Held.

Held said efforts to keep city streets plowed in the wake of the weekend's record snowfall often resulted in blocking residential driveways.

The city help line is 330-499-8223.

— Dottie McGrew

Calliope is subject
of fireside program

LAKE TWP.: The Lake Township Historical Society will feature a talk on the calliope at its next fireside chat from 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday.

Society curator Steve Espenschied will be the guest speaker. The old-time calliope produces music by sending steam through whistles.

The meeting will be at the Historical Society in the Uniontown Community Park.

For more information, contact Phil Schiffbauer at philschiff@aol.com or 330-877-9063.

Park district collects
old cell phones

AKRON: Visitors to Metro Parks, Serving Summit County can recycle old cell phones.

Drop off sites are the Seiberling Nature Realm, 1828 Smith Road, or at park headquarters, 975 Treaty Line Road.

In 2007, the park district collected 1,216 pounds of cell phones and kept that waste out of landfills. Cell phones contain toxic heavy metals that can leach out and contaminate groundwater.

For more information, call 330-865-8065.