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Revitalization board seeking public input
on improvements
by Nicole Madgar
(source: ellwoodcityledger.com)
Ellwood City – Members of the planning
firm for the Ellwood City Revitalization project will be in town over
the next month gathering information to incorporate in their design plan
for the downtown area.
Representatives of EG&G Inc. of Akron, Ohio, met with the revitalization
project’s board of directors Tuesday, their first meeting since the
board signed a contact with the firm in November.
”Today, the process begins,” said Rod Garrison, project manager for EG&G.
Garrison, along with fellow EG&G representatives Richard Cleveland and
Dale Garrison, have a list of goals to accomplish before beginning their
plan. They will need to review photographers of modern downtown
buildings; meet with borough officials and stakeholders; evaluate
physical conditions, traffic patterns and parking; and prepare a base
map of the project area.
EG&G uses a four-step process when planning development. It first
gathers input from the community to help generate a design plan. Next,
it establishes a financial plan to accomplish those goals, then directs
the development steps. Finally, it provides constructions
administration.
In addition to discussing revitalization goals with downtown businesses,
the group hopes to gather the bulk of public input on the project at a
town hall meeting scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Feb. 5 at the Sons of Italy
Hall, 808 Lawrence Ave.
”We want the public to bring their wishes and dreams for downtown and
discuss its strengths and weaknesses,” Rod Garrison said. The
revitalization plan will include more than just physical improvements,
he said. It will also encompass economic growth and development.
The revitalization board is encouraging residents to share all of their
ideas at the town hall meeting, no matter how unrealistic they may seem.
Residents should also be prepared to discuss the changes they would like
to see in Ellwood City’s future.
”Money is not an object at this point,” Garrison said. EG&G will
document every idea given at the meeting and will consider all of them
when developing a plan for Ellwood City’s future, he said.
”This (revitalization) is going to happen,” Bazzichi said. “It’s going
to be a long process and it’s going to take a lot of hard work.”
The group also visited the Ellwood City Area Historical Society Tuesday
to view historical photos of Lawrence Avenue. Cleveland said the
pictures help the planners understand how the downtown area looked in
the past, shows them what utilities existed, and gives them a feel for
the architecture.
”We try to have future development blend in with existing structures as
much as they can,” Cleveland said. The photographers will also be used
in future PowerPoint presentations to illustrate how Ellwood City has
changed.
Local EG&G projects include revitalizations in Slippery Rock and Grove
City. Project funding will come from federal, state and private
contributions, Garrison said.
Angela Valvano, revitalization board member and newly appointed
chairwomen of the borough’s public works department, said completion of
the new sewage treatment plant will aid in expansion and development of
the downtown area.
”There’s a lot of opportunity for positive change in Ellwood City,”
Garrison said.
Within a few weeks, the project Web site at
www.ellwoodcityrevitalization.org will be operational. Residents are
encouraged to visit the site to see examples of EG&G work, comprehensive
project outlines and continuous updates on the project.
In case of inclement weather, the town hall meeting will be rescheduled
for 6:30 p.m. Feb. 12 at the Sons of Italy Hall.
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