By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Money from the state capital budget will help pay to move the county highway garage, create classrooms for students with emotional issues, build a woodworking shop for seniors, and pave pickleball courts in Bowling Green.
On Wednesday, Ohio lawmakers passed a $4.2 billion capital budget, with millions going to community projects.
Being called “the largest capital budget in state history,” the package easily passed in each chamber. State Rep. Haraz Ghanbari, R-Perrysburg, and State Sen. Theresa Gavarone, R-Bowling Green, voted in favor of the biennial budget.
A total of $3.8 million coming to Wood County for capital projects in communities includes:
• $1 million for the Wood County Engineer garage and maintenance facility in Bowling Green
• $750,000 for the Wood County Educational Service Center
• $600,000 for the Positive Community Connections Center Project in Bowling Green
• $500,000 for the Wood County Committee on Aging
• $200,000 for the City of Perrysburg
• $100,000 for North Baltimore Public Library emergency repairs
• $100,000 for the Wood County Public Library heating project
• $150,000 for a pickleball complex next to the Bowling Green Community Center
• $100,000 for the Cocoon that supports survivors of domestic and sexual violence
• $300,000 for Walbridge Railway Park
Following is more detail for some of those Wood County projects:
Plowed over
When constructed at 600 E. Poe Road, the county highway garage was on a remote edge of Bowling Green. But over the decades, the open space around the highway garage, has been gobbled up for other uses – apartments, businesses and the university. So there is no land left at the current site for expansion.
The $1 million from the state will help pay for an engineering study to determine if the highway garage and salt storage can be moved to county property to the west of the Wood County Health Department at the county’s East Gypsy Lane Complex. And if so, the study could help nail down the costs of that move, said Wood County Commissioner Craig LaHote.
That location could offer more acreage and easier access to U.S. 6 and rural roads that the county engineer’s office maintains.
County officials began discussing the need to move the highway garage prior to the Covid pandemic. Sadly, LaHote said, the construction costs have “gone through the roof” since then, with a rough estimate now of $40 million to build a new site for the county garage.
Both Bowling Green State University and the City of Bowling Green have expressed some interest in the acreage currently used for the county highway department on Poe Road. Bowling Green has mentioned the site as a possible new site for its east side fire station.
Classroom space
More classroom space is required for Wood County students with emotional, mental health and behavioral needs, according to Mark North, superintendent of the Wood County Educational Service Center.
The PACE and Pathe programs work with approximately 50 kindergarten through high school students, operating during school hours. Wood County Educational Service Center currently rents classroom space at Children’s Resource Center, but more space is needed.
North said WCESC is interested in renting space in Bowling Green that can be renovated into five or six classrooms, a multi-purpose room and office space.
The $750,000 from the capital budget will help WCESC with the renovations.
The program is designed to work with students who need a non-traditional approach to education. Many of the students are able to transition back to their home schools, go to Penta Career Center, or enter the workforce.
“It’s very important that the program continue. The schools are not equipped for these students,” North said.
Making community connections
The $600,000 in capital funds will help renovate and create new space for Wood Lane Residential Services to serve area residents who have developmental and behavioral disabilities and challenges.
The services are being offered at the Positive Community Connections Center at 850 W. Poe Road, Bowling Green.
The new and updated spaces, including a library, business center and classrooms, will allow for more educational and training opportunities and programs.
Wood County woodworking
The $500,000 from the capital budget will help the Wood County Committee on Aging complete the basement in the new senior center at 140 S. Grove St., Bowling Green.
“This is the impetus for us to be able to move forward,” WCCOA Executive Director Denise Niese said.
In addition to restrooms, multi-purpose rooms and storage, the primary attraction of the basement project is the addition of a woodworking shop for seniors. Over the years, Niese has heard from many seniors that as they downsized their homes, they have had to give up their woodworking hobbies.
“They are looking forward to being able to come in and work on their projects,” Niese said. “I think it will be well used.”
Efforts are being made to partner with veterans organizations to make the space available to local veterans interested in woodworking.
Pickleball scores a win
The $150,000 to the City of Bowling Green will help fill in the funding for a pickleball complex outside the Bowling Green Community Center on Newton Road.
“I’m very happy. The pickleball players will be very happy,” said Kristin Otley, director of the BG Parks and Recreation Department.
“This is putting us in a great position to do all the project at once,” Otley said. With the American Rescue Plan Act grant, the fundraising done locally, and now the state funding, there may be enough to build eight rather than six pickleball courts, she added.
Others getting funds
The Cocoon will use its $100,000 in funding to re-do the agency’s parking lot and to create additional green space.
The Wood County District Public Library plans to use its $100,000 to pay for a heating project.
[RELATED: Library experiencing ups & downs in state funding]
North Baltimore Public Library will make emergency building repairs with its $100,000.
Bowling Green State University’s main campus will get more than $17 million. The bulk will go toward upgrading its technology infrastructure ($6 million) and the renovation and expansion of the College of Technology, Architecture and Applied Engineering’s home ($8 million).
[RELATED: Money matters dominate BGSU trustees’ agenda]
