March 4 Ward 9 meeting
Covered by Documenter Mel Mohler (see her notes here)
With more sunlight returning and warmer days ahead, Akron leaders are encouraging residents to participate in upcoming volunteer clean-up events hosted by organizations including Keep Akron Beautiful and the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition.
At the March 4 Ward 9 meeting, City Council Member Tina Boyes encouraged residents to get out to help with scheduled events or consider organizing their own event.
While Boyes was directly discussing opportunities in Ward 9, the month of April offers many opportunities across Akron for residents to participate in a little “spring cleaning” for the community.
Clean Up Akron Month
April is Keep Akron Beautiful (KAB)’s annual “Clean Up Akron Month,” which for 2025 will focus on Copley Road in West Akron and on the North Hill neighborhood. Last year, 821 volunteers participated in KAB events in the North Hill, Middlebury and Summit Lake neighborhoods.
According to the KAB website, 2024’s clean ups removed: 1,180 pounds of trash from Middlebury, 1,520 pounds from North Hill, and an impressive 3.02 tons from Summit Lake. The group also disposed of 84 illegally dumped tires found during the clean-up.
Interested in participating in this year’s events? KAB will host a two clean-up opportunities. Both events start at 8:30 a.m.:
• April 12 in West Akron, 1303 Copley Road (the old Walgreens). This event is in partnership with Ward 4 Council Member Jan Davis.
• April 26 in North Hill, at the Patterson Park ballfields 955 Patterson Ave. This event is in partnership with Ward 2 Council Member Phil Lombardo.
If you are interested in participating, this link will provide more details and an opportunity to register for each event.
If neither day works for you or your group or if you just wish to focus on your street or neighborhood, KAB also offers an opportunity to organize a personal event using the same link.
This is good for for clubs, organizations, schools, and businesses according to Emma Segedy, KAB director of development and community outreach. She said that KAB will provide all necessary supplies, including trash bags, litter grabbers, gloves, safety vests, and hand sanitizer.
Canals, Summit Lake get Akron spring cleaning
The Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition will offer opportunities to help with the ongoing restoration of Summit Lake and the Towpath Trail with its annual “Canal Cleanups.”
Since 2000, the Canalway Coalition has picked up more than three tons of trash annually from waterways managed by the coalition in an effort to “build stewardship of our recreational and natural spaces.”
For 2025, the focus will be on Summit Lake to further improve the space and prepare it for significant investments in the coming years.
The next canal cleanup will be April 12 from 9 a.m. to noon. Register for the event here or check out the canal cleanups page for more information.
There will be additional canal cleanups on May 3, July 1, Aug. 2, Sep. 6 and Oct. 25.
Merriman Valley Gateway Cleanup
Preserve the Valley, which describes itself as a volunteer citizen action coalition, will host a Merriman Valley Gateway Cleanup on April 12 from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Follow this link to the registrar to participate or to learn how to donate snacks or other materials for the group’s efforts.