Covered by Documenter
Britt Oliver (see her notes here)
(Editor’s note: This is the first of what we intend to be regular coverage of Akron City Council ward meetings by Akron Documenters and Signal Akron. Attending these meetings allows Signal Akron to hear from residents at the earliest stage in the governance process. Our aim is to elevate news and information from ward meetings gathered by Akronites for Akronites.)
Nearly 40 people showed up for the monthly Akron Ward 9 meeting at the Kenmore Community Center on April 2. Documenter Britt Oliver attended the gathering led by Akron City Council Member Tina Boyes and heard about several neighborhood concerns at this public forum.
Akron’s Ward 9 covers the Kenmore neighborhood and parts of the Summit Lake neighborhood. To find your ward, go here.
Residents invited to suggest locations for traffic-calming initiatives
Development Engineering Manager Michelle DiFiore talked about the city’s efforts to improve safety along Akron’s roadways.
One example are speed tables that are flat, elongated and elevated parts of a roadway intended to make drivers slow down. Akron has installed speed tables since 2020, including 21 devices last year, DiFiore told Akron Ward 9 residents.
She also said the city wants to hear from residents about the best locations for speed tables and other traffic-calming devices. Residents can use this form to share feedback.
DiFiore also said that each ward will get two sets of solar-powered speed signs which show a passing vehicle’s speed in real time. These signs will be installed In Akron’s Ward 9 along 13th Street SW and Carey Avenue.
Community members asked about the efficacy of speed tables, with one person asking about a device that was placed and later removed along Clearview Avenue. Other concerns included the placement of speed tables on newly resurfaced roads and the timeline for installation of new devices.
DiFiore said that all the city’s temporary speed tables are the same size and may not always fit a roadway. This can cause drivers to simply drive around the tables. This 2022 Fox 8 News report shows drivers passing around a speed table on Crosby Street in Highland Square.
Director of Public Service Chris Ludle said 300 holes are required to install a temporary speed table. A better and more permanent solution, he said, is a raised crosswalk to slow traffic. The city is seeking grant funding for more permanent solutions.
$150,000 Akron parks grant applications open until April 22
Sean Blake of the Akron Parks Collaborative told residents about the opportunity to win funding to improve the parks in their neighborhoods.
Blake shared information about the sixth Akron Parks Challenge, which will distribute up to $150,000 in grants to two Akron parks for improvements.
Groups of residents, including Akron Ward 9 residents, are encouraged to apply here and have until April 22 to submit their ideas. Organizers want to hear residents’ vision for their park and how they will involve the community in the process.
Blake said the winning entry must have a “friends of the park” group to coordinate programs and report issues to the city.
A community member asked what makes for a good park nominee. Blake said the best nominees have a sustainable focus, have a solid friends group, and are low maintenance.
After a question about a splash pad in Kenmore, Boyes said there are discussions about installing one on the west side of Summit Lake.
Volunteers clean up Summit Lake ahead of Cowbell 7K event
An unusual 7K race coming in June is prompting residents to clean up areas around Summit Lake this month, according to race organizer Nick Korora, a 1996 graduate of Kenmore High School.
The race was formerly known as the Rock Me on the Water 7K race. The Cowbell 7K is dedicated to long-time Kenmore resident Ellen Benn, who died in 2006. “Grandma Benn” was known for ringing a cowbell for more than 60 years at Kenmore High School football games and other local sporting events.
The June 8 race will start at 8 a.m. to the sound of guitars and cowbells in front of Kenmore’s Rialto Theatre, according to organizers.
The course will take runners through Kenmore, along the Towpath Trail around Summit Lake and through area neighborhoods. It will then finish to “a bevy of Will Ferrell wannabes cheering [runners] on with more cowbells than the Blue Oyster Cult can shake a drumstick at.”
The race is the fourth in an 11-race “City Series” hosted by Akron Promise, an organization that supports students and their families. After the run, bands and food will be on hand.
The race series promotes health and exploration of Akron, according to the Akron Promise Facebook page. It lists upcoming races this year in multiple Akron neighborhoods including North Hill, Wallhaven, downtown, Middlebury, Goodyear Heights and Firestone Park.
Registration is free for students 18 and under. For more details about the Cowbell 7K, to register or to volunteer, go here.
