By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Public restrooms are expected to be open in downtown Bowling Green before summer hits.
City Public Services Director Joe Fawcett announced at the City Council meeting Monday evening that a contractor had been hired to renovate the former Huntington mini bank at 119 S. Church St., into public restrooms.
The work is expected to start soon – with the goal of having the bathrooms open for business before summer, Fawcett said.
The plan calls for two unisex restrooms, with an indoor vestibule in the front of the building.
The bid accepted for the project was $83,315. City Council had already committed $75,000 of American Rescue Plan Act funds to the project located in the former drive-thru bank next to the police station and across the street from Wooster Green.
City Council voted to purchase the bank building in 2019. The former Huntington Bank Branch location has been closed for several years, but has drive-up ATM units.
The restrooms are intended to serve those using Wooster Green as well as visitors to the downtown area.
There will be cameras for security outside the restrooms, in an effort to thwart vandalism, Fawcett said. The restroom building will have automated locks, and will be locked overnight. The open hours have not yet been determined.
In addition, the location has been eyed by the city for years as property that could be used to expand the police station. While there are no immediate plans for an expansion, the addition of an improved safety dispatch center is one of the city’s long-term capital plans.
A decision was made earlier this year that the restroom project should not wait for the police station renovations, which could be several years from now.
Also at Monday’s meeting, the city’s Public Infrastructure Director Brian O’Connell reported on other upcoming projects in the city, including:
- The new entrance to Woodbridge Business Park off East Wooster Street, east of the Meijer store, plus water and sewer lines into the industrial park. Right now Woodbridge has only one entrance off Dunbridge Road, plus just single water and sewer access.
- Repaving of Newton Road between North Main Street and Brim Road.
- Roundabout construction at the intersection of East Wooster Street and Campbell Hill Road.
In other business, the city’s Community Development Administrator Martha Woelke and Housing Specialist Matt Snow talked about the work that was done last year using community development grant funding and American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Woelke shared that $343,000 in business revolving loans were made to local businesses, helping to create 11 new jobs.
With support from the Ohio Department of Transportation and Community Development Block Grants, the city transit program provided more than 29,000 rides to city residents.
Woelke said the city has received applications from four non-profit groups for the remaining $500,000 available in American Rescue Plan Act money. Applications for the funds must be submitted to the city by March 31.
Snow reported that the ARPA funds were also used to help 10 homeowners with repairs in 2022, with an average cost of $10,570 for the work. Among the repairs were roof replacements, gutter replacements, and HVAC improvements.
The city makes sure to also test all the homes in the program for lead-based paint, Snow said.
The housing program is expected to help 21 households in 2023, with the repairs to include roof work, new windows, HVAC improvements, new siding, plumbing repairs, and driveway improvements to get rid of drainage problems.
In other business at Monday’s meeting:
- Mayor Mike Aspacher told council that he again visited the city’s water treatment plant, and continues to be impressed with the work of the city employees who operate the plant.
- Council’s Finance Committee received the 2022 year-end financial update from City Finance Director Dana Pinkert, who reported the city ended the year better than expected. With inflation slowing, 2023 looks good for the city, but Pinkert noted that several economic unknowns still exist.
