Amherst News-Times, 2000-04-19

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Hall enjoys last day on force — Page 3      Magazine to debut in paper — Page 10
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Amherst News-Tim
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Wednesday, April 19, 2000
Amherst, Ohio
ike,
railway
find way
to build
together
by KEITH GRIBBINS
News-Times reporter
Seven years after the Ohio Turnpike Commission gathered resources to make plans for a new interchange at Rl 58, the group has finally reached an agreement with the
Lake Shore Railway Association
that would allow the commission to
move ahead with construction.
The commission sat down with
the railway association to devise a
plan that would allow the turnpike
interchange to be built and still keep
a transportation corridor open, that
will run beneath the interchange, for
possible future use by the
association.
"This is a win, win situation for
everyone," explained turnpike director of public affairs Karen Lenehan.
"We'll have built, opened, and
maintained an interchange that will
promote economic development
without having to wait, and the Lake
Shore Railway has bought some
rime."
In 1993, the railway association,
which promotes railroad history and
tourism in southern Lorain County,
came to the commission in the
hopes of saving an abandoned transportation corridor that the new interchange would destroy for the possibility of laying new tracks. The association is attempting to save and
restore the former Lorain and West
Virginia Railway, which runs from
Lorain to Wellington.
The loss of the transportation corridor would cut the railway line in
two.
The commission agreed to compromise with the railway association
in 1993. They would make new
plans and move the interchange
structure if the association would
pay for the $1.6 million in re-
engineering costs.
By early 2000, the association
had raised the needed funds,
$300,000 in grants, $500,000 in
loans, and $800,000 from private investors, according to Lenehan. But
the cost of $1.6 million for re-
engineering were the numbers in
1993, not the cost in the year 2000.
"Working out the details they
came to a reimbursement that no
longer reflects the mid-90s number
in 2000." cited Lenehan.
So the association bought some
time. The commission allowed the
• railway group to purchase a $5,000
option, that can be continued for the
next nine years at the same price per
year, to purchase a permit fee that
would allow the association to build
tracks on the property. The permit
fee would cost $1.6 million for the
first year, and increase by 5 percent
or the yield of US treasury bonds,
whatever is greater, each subsequent
year after.
"The option on the permit can
still allow them (railway association) to operate a railway on the
property," stated Lenehan.
The option would allow the railway association to build tracks in
the transportation corridor in the future and allow for the construction
of the new interchange without having to wait for the association to
raise the needed funds, stated
Lerehan.
''The turnpike commission voted
00 Monday, April 10 to resend the
1993 resolution, approve the agreement between the commission and
the Lake Shore Railway Association, and moved to approve the new
resolution that explains the coexisting 2000 plan, stated Lenehan.
>v
The turnpike interchange hit
another bump in the road last July
when environmentalists accused the
commission of destroying wetlands.
Lenehan stated that the turnpike
woniu desnoy 1.7 acres of wetlands,
CONTINUED on page 8
Window of opportunity
Art students from Marion L. Steele High
School helped the Amherst Library celebrate National Library Week. Led by instructor Anthony
Trunza, students painted library windows with
signs of spring to correlate with this year's theme
of "Our Libraries are Blossoming." Pictured, left
to right, above, AH Alicea and Ryan Hobson use
teamwork to put a little bit of spring on a first
floor window while, below, Russ Marty gives the
finishing touches to a tree on a window on the
second floor.
i0 cents
MetroParks
for construe
inWestSid<
awarded today
rk
by KEITH GRIBBINS
News-Times reporter
The city's West Side Park will
soon have contractors ready to dig
into the 72-acre property just south
of the RL 2 exit behind the police
station on South Lake Street
Bids went out last week and the
city and the Lorain County Community MetroParks should decide
today on who will get the task of
finishing up the state's first city/
county MetroParks creation.
"We couldn't have done this
ourselves. Without the donations
and the expertise of the MetroParks
this would not have been possible,"
explained mayor John Higgins.
"This is really going to give Amherst an aesthetic variety to its recreation facilities."
The $1.8 million project is an effort of teamwork. The City of Amherst, the Lorain County Metro-
parks, and the local community
have come together to raise a third
each for the cost for the park. Amherst has already raised $500,000 of
the $600,000 that it needs to pay for
its share of the cost, stated Higgins.
The city will be in charge of constructing an eight foot connector
path, including earthworks and
drainage, a timber pavilion, playground at the Amherst Beavercreek
Reservation, the park's parking lot,
and a soccer field. The park will
also have a 1.5 mile paved multipurpose trail for biking, walking, and
running, and a variety of bridges,
walkways, and good-old-fashioned
mother nature.
"The MetroParks will handle the
programs involved, and the city will
be in charge of maintenance," Higgins stated.
Work has already started on the
park's timber pavilion. The pavilion
slab has already been laid, according to Higgins, and its shake roof
will come soon.
The pavilion is one of the center
points to the park's new facilities.
The enclosed structure will be used
year-round for all non-profit community use, stated Higgins.
"It'll have programs for both the
young and the old to attend," cited
Higgins.
Higgins sees the new park as an
expansion of the city's natural resources that will help with the overcrowding at Maude Neiding Park.
"It gets so crowded at Maude
Neiding. People want somewhere
else to go and relax," said Higgins.
"This new facility will give them
the chance to do that. It's the first
MetroPark facility in Amherst, and
the first of its kind in the state."
The bid for construction will be
awarded today, Wednesday, April
19, according to MetroParks director Dan Martin. A presentation to
city council will probably come
from Martin and the MetroParks on
Monday, April 24.
"Once they award a bid, I expect
they'll be full go on the construction," Higgins explained.
Be prompt for egg
hunt on Saturday
Marion L. Steele High School Leo Club and the Amherst
Lions Club will again be the co-sponsors of the community
Easter egg hunt The hunt will take place on Saturday, April
22 at Maude Neiding Park.
Members of the two service clubs are busily preparing for
the event Leo Club members are stuffing more than 1,000
pounds of candy into nearly 10.000 plastic eggs. A couple of
hours before the hunt begins, Leos and Lions will be scattering the filled eggs over three designated hunt areas in the
park for infants to 3-year-olds, 4 to 6-year-olds, and 7 to
10-year-olds.
There will also be specially marked prize eggs hidden that
are to be redeemed for gifts set aside.
The Easter Bunny will make a return appearance this year
as a special treat tor the younger set Since the Easter Bunny
is very photogenic, parents may want to bring a camera
along. Children are advised to bring their own baskets or
bags to help gather their found bounty.
The hunt will begin promptly at 11 a.m., rain or shine. It
only takes a few minutes for the excited hunters to sweep
over the grounds. With well over 500 people expected to be
on hand, parents are advised to plan to arrive in plenty of
time.
Parking is limited.
In addition to the hunt activity, the Amherst Lions will
have collection boxes set up for used eyeglasses. These glasses are recycled to be distributed to people in third-world
countries. Bring any unwanted eyeglasses to the hunt.
Churches present Good
Friday services for all
Two Good Friday church services we being sponsored by the
Amherst area churches for the community.
At noon, a service will be held at the Park Avenue United
Methodist Church, where the hour service will be presented by
boat pastor Kent Joy.
During the service, father Larry Martello. of St. Joseph
Catholic Church, and pastor BUI Mouer of Family Fellowship
Foursquare Church, win give brief nomilies on the meaning of
Christ's death.
An evening service at 7 p ju. will be held at Good Shepherd
Baptist Church which pastor Rick Martin will host Pastor Rich
Henry, Living Faith Nazarene, and pastor Rick Martin will give
brief sermons on Ovist's craefflxion.
In both services, other clergy will also participate m reading
scripture and prayec, and several soloists and enaembie music presentations will be given by church munWiani
The public it invited to attend tie services.
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