August 4, 2011
Council looks at infrastructure, aesthetics By ANDREW MILLER
ThisWeek Community Newspapers
The focus was on improving infrastructure and aesthetics when CanalWinchester City Council and its finance committee were presented the new draft of the five-year capital improvement plan by public works director Matt Peoples on Aug. 1.
Council’s finance and service committees will review the CIP prior to a vote at the Aug. 15 city council meeting. The draft includes all major capital improvement plans through 2016. Peoples said the approval of the CIP is necessary for a pending application to the Ohio Public Works Commission to complete improvements to the tank- town waterline, which will include street re-
pairs. A current application for a grant for the work, through the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, apparently is not on the road to approval, according to finance director Nanisa Osborn. The Ohio Public Works Commission applications are due Sept. 6. A public hearing about the application will be held at 6:30 p.m., Monday, Aug. 15, prior to
the next city council meeting. Also at Monday’s meeting, local insurance broker Mike Coolman spoke in favor of the efforts of resident Joe Hannah to repaint the Indiana and Ohio Railroad Bridge over Waterloo Street, using volunteers. Obtaining liability coverage for the project, however, has been mostly unsuccessful, he said. “I’ve submitted requests for insurance
quotes to several companies. So far I’ve had five refusals and one company that’s still looking at it,but it’s been four and a half weeks and we don’t have a quote back yet,” Coolman said. “According to (Hannah’s) personal policies, as long as he is painting it himself and doesn’t receive any wage, he will See CITY COUNCIL, page A2
‘Destination’ brings new perspective to organization By ANDREW MILLER
ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Canal Winchester’s growth from village to city has prompted a broader mission for the Main Street Canal Winchester organization, and along with that mission comes a new name — Destination:Canal Winchester. The name change w as announced earlier this month during a public meeting of the Old Town Historic Committee. The organization is still completing the formal paperwork with the Secretary of State and IRS, according to board president Bob Garvin. “We’re in the process of formalizing the name change, and we still have some work to do, like changing our mission statement,” Garvin said. “Basically, the thing is that we want to not be constrained. Right now Main Street (Canal Winchester) is just here to support the downtown, but there
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This organization is now going to be both business- and tourism-oriented to bring people into Canal Winchester and get them to spend their dollars here.
BOB GARVIN
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— Board president, Destination: Canal Winchester
are other things outside of the downtown area, and we want to be more inclusive of the whole of Canal Winchester.” Executive director Bruce Jarvis agreed. “The name change will better reflect the mission of the organiSee DESTINATION, page A2
OPVBA to host flea market on Saturday By NATE ELLIS
ThisWeek Community Newspapers
A closer look
Everything from hand-medowns and cast-off items to arti- Olde Pickerington Village san crafts and local crops will be Business Association will for sale in Olde Pickerington Vil- host a flea market in Pickerlage on Saturday, Aug. 6. ington’s historic downtown For the second consecutive district on Aug. 6. This year, the Olde Pickerington Vil- year’s event, which will be lage Business Association will from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. will host a flea market in Pickering- feature more than 30 venton’s historic downtown district. dors. This year’s event, which will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sat- and along Center Street. urday, will feature more than 30 Items for sale will include used vendors. Most of the action will household goods, handmade jewtake place on Columbus Street, Pickerington Plaza, Gazebo Park See OPVBA, page A3
Photos by Eric George/ThisWeek
(Above) Charles Brookover, drives Maude and Sailor to pull a horse-drawn mower to cut hay at Slate Run Living Historical Farm July 26. (Below) Brookover secures the horse-drawn mower after cutting hay.
Slate Run Farm 30th anniversary By ANDREW MILLER ThisWeek Community Newspapers Thirty years is only a drop in the bucket for the Slate Run Living Historical Farm, which was originally founded as a family farm more than 200 years ago. The farm, now owned and managed by the Franklin County Metro Parks, celebrated its 30th anniversary of educating the public the weekend of July 29-30. “We’re really happy to pass another mark in time,” program manager Ann Culek said. “This farm was originally given as a land grant in 1810,so 30 years is just a small slice of time for this piece of land. The Metro Parks bought the land around 1976 and opened it as a living history farm in 1981.” The purpose of the Metro Parks-run farm is to educate people about Ohio’s agrarian roots and to reconnect visitors with an understanding of the food system. Crops are still grown and harvested, livestock is raised and all of the buildings are maintained as they were in the 1880s, according to Culek. Visitors are invited to participate in farm chores and take part in period activities, such as arts and crafts projects, that were a part of daily life on an 1880s-era Ohio farm. “Twenty-five years ago, there were no housing developments between here and Columbus, but now that’s not the case,so we get fewer and fewer people with a background in agriculture,” Culek said. “It’s nice to get people to touch a co w or see
peas growing. We offer a chance to get people outside — and a quiet place for families. There’s no electricity and no video games here.” Franklin County Metro Parks spokeswoman Peg Hanley agreed.
“It’s a short drive from Columbus, but a long way back in time,” Hanley said. “Once you w alk through the gate and take that lane back from the parking lot you just sort of slow down and you disconnect from your technology. I’ll see people on cell phones and other devices in our other parks, but I don’t see much of that at the farm.” Hanley and Culek both said that the farm offers families a chance to reconnect with each other. “I see people come with their families and they sit on the back porch of the old farmhouse talking about when they grew up on a farm, or their grandparent’s farm, and it allows the families a chance to share that with their kids and to connect over those memories,” Hanley said. The farm is run year-round by a staff of See SLATE RUN FARM, page A2
Pickerington to host annual fishing derby Aug. 13 By NATE ELLIS
ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Experienced youth anglers, as well as those who just wish to try their luck, this month can take a shot at landing a lunker and prizes during Pickerington’s annual fishing derby. On Aug. 13, Sycamore Park will be the site of a competition to see which local youngsters can catch the largest and most fish
swimming in the park’s three-acre pond. The registration deadline for the Pickerington Parks and Recreation Department’s annual fishing derby is Aug. 10. Competitions will be held in divisions for children 8under, 9-10, 11-12, and 13-14. “We usually recommend (age) 4 be the youngest, but we have two awards in each age group,” said Don Ross, program coordinator for the city’s parks and rec
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department. “One is for the most fish caught, and one is for the biggest.” The derby will be held from 9:30 to 11 a.m.,which is about 30 minutes earlier than in past years. The time change was made, Ross said, in an effort to beat — or at least bear — the summer heat. This will mark the fifth consecutive year the city has held a youth fishing derby. It’s organized by parks and rec and BrianArnold,
a Pickerington resident and tournament fisherman. “It’s a free event, but you need to register in advance so we know how many people will be participating,” Ross said. “We can have about 90 to 100 kids.” Division winners will receive plaques, and the department is hoping to offer other prizes to participants. Anglers must bring their own fishing equipment, including fish-
ing poles and bait. “They’re allowed to use anything they want to bring for bait,” Ross said. “Most kids use dough balls or earthworms, but they can use lures. “If you get a carp,you’re probably going to win for biggest fish. Brian counts and releases all the fish that are caught.” Registration can be completed
A closer look The registration deadline for the Pickerington Parks and Recreation Department’s annual fishing derby is Aug. 10. Competitions will be held in divisions for children 8-under, 9-10, 11-12, and 13-14.
See FISHING DERBY, page A3
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