The Eastwood Swim Park in Akron’s Goodyear Heights neighborhood was a popular destination for local families for decades. Now, the family member who owns it is asking for a conditional-use permit to rezone the land for commercial use as a defense education training facility.
The 12-acre property, which is currently owned by David Walker and has been in his family since 1954, would be used by local fire and police departments, EMS and SWAT teams, individuals and community groups for fitness training and team-building activities. Walker plans to partner with Achilles Heel Tactical for the training classes.
That isn’t sitting well with many of the neighbors who live nearby — directly across Eastwood Avenue to the north is a residential neighborhood with single-family homes. To the south, the former swim park abuts Goodyear Metro Park.
The swim park shut down around 2014.
No live ammunition — non-lethal cartridges will be used
A new 3,840-square-foot structure, built with shipping containers, would be placed within the base of the existing drained concrete pool, according to documents from the city.
“When it first crossed my desk, I was very hesitant. And I said, ‘Let’s talk to the family about this,’” said Sharon Connor, the Ward 10 council member whose area includes the property. “When you talk about weaponry, you need to do your homework.”
All simulated controlled rounds of shooting will use non-lethal cartridges that leave a waxy residue on clothing, Connor said. Because the shooting will occur indoors, the discharge of weapons is expected to be inaudible to adjacent properties.
A document submitted to council stated that fire and EMS training “would not include actual or simulated fire.”
The surrounding property would include an outdoor obstacle course and a fenced archery range enclosed with 16- to 20 foot-tall netting to prevent stray arrows.
Connor and Ward 6 City Council Member Brad McKitrick met with the Walker family at the property to view schematics of the potential business.
“It seemed like a good idea,” Connor said.
/The Eastwood Swim Park in Akron’s Goodyear Heights neighborhood was a popular destination for local families for decades. Now, the family member who owns it is asking for a conditional-use permit to rezone the land for commercial use as a defense education training facility.
Public hearing brings supporters and opponents
On March 9, council listened to supporters and those in opposition to the Eastwood project during the Planning and Economic Development committee meeting and later at a public hearing.
Tallmadge attorney Mark Salerno, who represents the Walker family, shared the history of the property and the plans to build the training facility.
“They have owned the property for so long, and they are neighbors. They are conscientious of the neighborhood and don’t want to do anything to detract from that,” he said.
He explained that the project is expected to allow nearby communities to allow their fire, EMS and police officers to “engage in unique training and learning opportunities” while being filmed so they can review the scenarios to learn from them. He also stressed that the facility is not a shooting range.
Salerno introduced Ben Stasic, the deputy fire chief for the City of Tallmadge, who spoke not as a representative of his department but as a longtime fire fighter. He said the Eastwood project “provides a unique opportunity to have a controlled-environment training that is not typical in the area.”
He said city-run training facilities are rare because most communities don’t have the budget to manage them. With 32 fire departments in Summit County and one independently owned training facility in Cuyahoga Falls, Stasic said, there is a need for this kind of business.
Nearby residents speak out against the project
Six residents who live near the Eastwood project addressed the Planning and Economic Development Committee during the March 9 public hearing to share their concerns about potential noise from the facility, increased traffic in the area and the business’ proximity to the 410-acre Goodyear Heights Metro Park, a nearby church with a playground, baseball fields and residential areas.
Among them was Melissa Riley, whose back yard overlooks the Eastwood property about 100 yards away.
She told the committee she moved to her home 20 years ago because of the residential area and the family-friendly swim park. With the training facility concept being introduced to council, she is concerned about noise.
“They did not state that it would be soundproof, which I have a problem with,” she said, adding that the sounds of gunfire might affect her boyfriend, who is a veteran, and her son, who has autism.
“My home right now is worth approximately $200,000, and, from my research, the closer to the home and the perceived danger would decrease the property value between 3.7% to 30%.”
Summit Metro Parks submitted a letter to council, taking a stance that the “firing range conflicts with the relaxation of the park atmosphere and surrounding residential neighborhood” and that it did ”not want to alter the residential character of the area and hinder the ability of park users to enjoy nature.”
When addressing the committee, Salerno said the noise from the training facility and its accompanying traffic is expected to be much less than when the property was home to the swim park.
Connor recalled the pool’s heyday, when its parking lot accommodated 500 cars. “There’s no way there’s going to be 500 cars in that space now,” she said.
Project raises debate between Fusco, Garrett
During council discussions, Council Member at-large Eric Garrett said he spoke with “a lot” of constituents and that “they don’t want this in their community at all.” Garrett asked “at what point in time do we listen to our constituents and really hear what they have to say?”
At-large Council Member Jeff Fusco (who retired March 31, after the March 9 committee meeting), responded that eight binding pieces must be applied to the granting of the conditional-use variance and that council members must consider them since it’s part of the code. “We can’t just pick and choose …. Legally, we have to look at this and consider this when we look at conditional-use zoning.”
Fusco said if council doesn’t comply with the code, it will get sued and lose.
Council Member at-large Linda Omobien said the largest investment people will make in their lifetimes is purchasing their home and that they have “a right to say what you want in your neighborhood. And we listen to people when they come down and they say they don’t want it, but yet we vote in a different way.”
Connor, who voted in favor of the variance, said she was reminded of the Akron Police Department’s training facility at 800 Dan St.
Ward 2 Council Member Phil Lombardo told Connor he’s never had any concerns or complaints from residents about how the facility fits into the surrounding neighborhood.
As for the innovative use of the Eastwood property, Connor said that retail is “not happening as much as it used to.”
“These businesses become the businesses that support our Little League and our events in the neighborhood and also support our tax base,” she said. “If you don’t bring in new business, you have no choice but to make cuts or raise taxes, so I see it from that angle too.”
The proposal is currently tabled – Akron City Council will schedule a public hearing before voting on it.
