ThisWeek Delaware 5/29

Page 1

May 29, 2011

New interchange could bring growth to area By SARAH SOLE ThisWeek Community Newspapers

Construction is not likely for another three years, but the Ohio Department of Transportation expects to make decisions this year that could lead to a second Interstate 71 exit near U.S. Route 36. During their May 23 work session, Delaware County commissioners dis-

cussed an economic impact study that says a second I-71 interchange could generate nearly $1 billion a year by 2030 for the area. The study was conducted by BaxStarr Consulting Group and predicts growth from 2012 through 2039. The county paid $40,000 from its Community Development Block Grant Economic Development Revolving Loan Fund for the

study. County economic development director Gus Comstock said the interchange could become a reality in less than three years if a developer with significant job potential expresses an interest in the project. Ferzan Ahmed, Ohio Department of Transportation District 6 deputy director, told ThisWeek two developers have

expressed interest in a new interchange. Weiler-Nationwide Realty has expressed interest in an interchange north of the existing exit. Developer Pat Shivley, president of Guaranteed Co., has expressed interest in an interchange south of the current exit. Both developers’ engineers completed traffic studies. While both developers have expressed desire to fund the proj-

ect, “We have not seen anything definitive,” Ahmed said. Ahmed told ThisWeek that the current interchange has a great deal of congestion, which is causing traffic accidents. ODOT had been examining these safety concerns at the same time that developers were looking at the area. This, he See NEW INTERCHANGE, page A2

Charter school plans move to expand By SARAH SOLE ThisWeek Community Newspapers

By Eric George/ThisWeek

(Above) Fifth-generation farmer John Price tells Big Walnut Elementary School third-graders about raising pigs at Price Farms Organics during a student field trip on May 24. (Right) Third-grader Mary Gray wrote an essay answering, “How do Ohio farmers make sure we have good, safe food to eat?” and won the field trip for her class.

Big Walnut Elementary students visit farm By BONNIE BUTCHER ThisWeek Community Newspapers

About 85 Big Walnut Elementary third-grade students visited Price Farms Organics in Radnor Township on May 24. The day trip was made possible by fellow student Mary Gray, whose essay won an all-expensespaid trip from the Ohio Livestock Coalition. The coalition sponsored the statewide essaywriting contest for third-graders who answered the question, “How do Ohio farmers make sure we have good, safe food to eat?” Students used educational materials provided by the coalition and available at www.ForYourInFarmation.com. The materials explain livestock

farming and provide industry related data, such as Ohio has 75,000 farms and more than 50 percent of Ohio’s land mass is used for agricultural purposes. The essays reflected what students learned about food production, from the farm to the kitchen table. Gray said she was most surprised to learn that Ohio ranks first in producing Swiss cheese and eighth in the production of ice cream. Tom Price participated in the program, inviting the students to visit his family farm and composting business. The 360-acre farm raises hogs and cattle, grows soybeans and hay, and composts the manure with yard waste and recyclaSee BIG WALNUT ELEMENTARY, page A2

At five years old, Grace Community School is outgrowing its nest. The Christian faith-based chartered private school plans to leave its location at the Salvation Army Greenwood Conference Center at 340 Lake St. for more space at 715 W. William St. Lifepoint Church, previously at that location with Toddler Inn Daycare Center, has moved to 7719 Graphics Way, Suite B in Lewis Center. Contingent upon a lease agreement between Grace and Lifepoint, Toddler Inn Daycare, which has an enrollment of about 70 children, will close this summer. Grace, which plans to lease to buy from Lifepoint, will also sublease to Baracka Church, which will use the facilities primarily on Sunday morning and evening and sometimes Wednesday night. The move will give Grace an opportunity to offer preschool next school year for 3- to 5-year-olds. The school currently offers kindergarten through seventh grade, and has an open enrollment admissions policy. School administrator Phil Mears said he’s expecting at least 25 preschool students. Enrollment is at 75 now, and with preschool enrollment Mears predicts total enrollment could reach, 100 by next school year. Eventually, the school plans to add eighth grade classes. “We need more facilities,” Mears said, saying the school had been looking for a new location for a couple of years. Grace plans to move into the new facility the week of July 1. School starts Aug. 29 for first- through seventh-graders, Aug. 30 for kindergartners, and Sept. 6 for preschoolers. The new location has 10,130 square feet and sits on about 4.53 acres, 2.53 acres of which are in Delaware Township. The lot features a sanctuary that can hold between 150 and 175 people, a commercial kitchen, eight classrooms and three office rooms. “We wanted a place we could grow into,” Mears said. Classroom size at the new facility will be 50 See CHARTER SCHOOL, page A2

Delaware city parks improvements suggested by panel By SARAH SOLE

Mingo, Smith, Kensington, Strat- Stratford parks improvements are coming from park fees paid Kensington and Stratford are by developers, said Delaware in the Kensington and Stratford community affairs coordinator Woods subdivisions, respective- Lee Yoakum. ly. The Houk Road park will be City council on May 23 apat the new YMCA. proved a $300,000 appropriation The city plans to spend about for a splash pad at Houk Road $3,320,150 on improvements to Park, bringing the total planned Mingo, Smith, and Houk Road improvements to about $3,620,150. parks. Funds for Kensington and Rough estimates show that the

ThisWeek Community Newspapers ford and Houk Road parks.

Construction is slated at Mingo and Smith parks this summer. The rehabilitation is one element of the parks plan that the city’s recreation field subcommittee recommended to Delaware City Council on May 23. The plan includes improvements to

costs now exceed the available parks levy balance by about $572,960. “Estimates are always high,” Mayor Gary Milner told ThisWeek, saying that the YMCA community center cost was lower than expected. He expects the same thing to happen with park estimates. Milner said he doesn’t expect

there to be a funding shortage once the projects go out to bid. “We are extremely confident that we will not have to prioritize anything,” he said. At the meeting, Milner, who is chairman of the recreation field subcommittee, voiced concern over starting rehabilitation in a timely manner since the YMCA community center would be com-

pleted about the end of September. People interested in field improvements will question what has been done so far, he said. “Your constituents are going to come looking for you, or they’re going to come looking for us to find out who delayed these projects, because we have See DELAWARE, page A3

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