Chardon Rotary Supports Veterans Memorial
Chardon City Council is considering a proposed pocket park at the intersection of Cherry Avenue and Water Street and may soon seek public input on the project.
Chardon City Council is considering a proposed pocket park at the intersection of Cherry Avenue and Water Street and may soon seek public input on the project.
At the July 10 council meeting, City Manager Randy Sharpe said the city had sent out requests for quotes to various architecture and planning firms, but only OHM Advisors responded with the capacity to take on the project.
Vice Mayor Heather Means explained the city was gifted the land in 2019.
It has a lot of deed restrictions, she said, and the city accepted it with the goal of turning it into a park.
Sharpe outlined a two-phase preparation process. Phase one would include a survey and site analysis, a public engagement event and the development of initial and refined design concepts with estimated costs.
“For that phase, their proposal was $35,300,” he said. “We’d like to see if council is amenable to having them start and do a kickoff meeting. They want to start doing the planning and the kickoff meeting as soon as possible so they can get input before the end of summer.”
He said the public involvement portion could take the form of an informal pop-up during the city’s summer concert series or a formal meeting at Heritage House on Chardon Square.
Phase two would involve geotechnical work and the creation of construction documents, with a proposed cost of $34,300. Sharpe noted the city’s budget would need to be amended for this second phase.
Means emphasized the importance of completing both phases.
“We have the funds right now for phase one. We would have to amend the budget to add that second $34,300 so that we can finish up and get the construction documents and the renderings so when we’re going to these stakeholders, we can show them what we’re trying to do,” she said.
Once phase one is completed, Parks and Recreation Director Adam Rogers will pursue grants and donations to help fund the project.
“There are seven or eight grants possible,” Rogers said, noting Chardon Rotary also is interested in supporting the effort.
Renderings, especially 3D ones, will be essential in applying for grants, Sharpe added.
Sharpe also said the city already has $160,000 allocated for the project from the sale of a property on Center Street.
A key feature of the pocket park would be a veterans memorial, Means said, inviting Rotary President Susan Parker to share details.
“(Rotary has) been looking for a capital project,” Parker said. “I think this pocket park could be … a great amenity for the community. Have a place to go sit, have some shade, have it nice.”
She said the Rotary Club has approved setting aside $60,000 for the park.
“I see this as an opportunity for Chardon Rotary to give back to the community in a way that’s more of a legacy thing,” she said. “This is something that will last.”
Parker added she had reached out to the Eagle Scouts, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion and received encouraging responses.
Chardon VFW Commander Bill Richardson was very much in favor of a memorial or remembrance of some kind, she said.
“I feel very confident saying that if you can see your way to letting us move forward with this project, we can garner community support to offset some of the expenses, because this will be a legacy amenity for the City of Chardon,” said Parker.
Mayor Chris Grau asked about specific plans for public engagement.
“(OHM) had a couple of ideas, but the one we were leaning towards is doing it at the Heritage House,” Means explained. “They have different pictures of things and they have different things they’ve done, so they can say ‘If you could put something in that space, what would you want? Would you want a water features, do you want benches, what do you want there?’”
She added the city already is maintaining the space and does not intend to create something high maintenance.
“We want it to be something that’s usable. I think the word is ‘passive park,’ which … is not something where it has fields or where there’s going to be events. It’s something people can use,” Means said.
Parker expressed interest in adding a script sign like the one in Cleveland, which she said could be ideal for photos.
Council approved a motion to amend the budget to include the $34,300 needed for phase two.
