Township plans to enhance Bath Community Park

by Laura Bednar

Oct. 28 township trustees meeting

Bath Township will apply for two grants that would enhance Bath Community Park and allow community members to learn about barn art.

The first grant is through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Land and Water Conservation Fund. It would be a 50-50 matching grant, with the township coming up with half the cost for enhancing outdoor recreation at Bath Community Park.

Trustee Elaina Goodrich said the township is interviewing four companies about creating a master plan for the park. Until a plan is conceptualized, she said there are no specifics about how the grant would be used, though pickleball courts will likely be included. Grant money would be used sometime next year.

Planning Director/Zoning Inspector Bill Funk said he, Goodrich and Service Director/Interim Parks Director Caine Collins did a walkthrough of the park with the four companies and narrowed it down to Environmental Design Group, and Envision working in partnership with Designing Local in Columbus. On Nov. 14, township officials heard presentations from each company about their process for developing a master plan.

The other grant would come from the Bath Volunteers for Service, which supports community programs and events. Bath is asking for $2,000 to send 20 community members to a workshop on barn art. The Heritage Corridors of Bath Committee would select the participants with hopes they would use the knowledge to incorporate barn art into the community.

Bath will continue its agreement with the Summit County Sherriff’s Office and Summit County OVI Task Force, appointing police officer Rob Young as the designated OVI Task Force member. Police Chief Vito Sinopoli said this is Bath’s fourth year as part of the OVI Task Force. Young usually patrols for five or six hours on a weekend to “keep the road safe from OVI offenders.”

Trustees approved the following purchases:

  • $11,294 to I2C Technologies for security system enhancements.
  • $12,630 to Gardiner Service Company for heat pump replacements.
  • $23,441 to R2K Contracting as payment for work on the lower-level restroom construction in the administration building.
  • $22,405 to U.S. Bank Equipment Finance for the fire department’s radio lease. ∞