CIRCLEVILLE – Long Range and Strategic Planning Committee, Chair Sheri Theis held discussions on three potential properties that they could acquire for the development. Two of them parks, one of them a possible parking lot.
Circleville currently has Ted Lewis Park, Barthelmas Park, and Mary Virginia Crites Hannan Park, the city also has a neighborhood park, Triangle Park, and a mini-park.
Chair Sheri Theis pointed out that all of the parks are on the outside of the city, something part of this discussion aimed to fix.
“All of our parks, as you look at the map, are on the outskirts of the city, which creates a little bit of a problem because they’re very difficult for children to get to and play, unless you live near Ted Lewis Park.”
The two proposed locations for parks are property on East Corwin street in the location of Everts Hill, and at the Former Atwater school playground on Atwater ave. Both properties are available to the city for possible purchase or lease.
The Atwater location came in with a price tag of 110,000 dollars for 2 acres and Councilman Tom Duvall, who brought up the property said that “people weren’t lining up” to purchase the property and he believes there is room for negotiations.
Several members brought up the homeowners around that particular area and how they have “lost” the playground after the school was closed and left an empty field.
The Corwin location was discussed as a possible long-term lease of maybe even as low as a dollar a year. Several council persons said that they liked this idea due to the cost, plus how it could impact the surrounding community in that area.
The third and final discussion was on a property in Downtown Circleville that was formerly the Circle D building before it burnt down.
Two Years ago Uptown Circleville brought in front of the Mayor and Council that downtown needed angled parking to aid in more parking spaces for the downtown area.
Service Director Jim Stanley said that “An opportunity was presented to the mayor for a lot that hasn’t been advertised for sale, but the owner is willing to sell.”
The mayor proposed that the location currently a gravel lot could be turned into a parking lot for the municipalities.
After about an hour of discussion councilwoman, Theis asked the board to number the projects in preference. The East Corwin property was picked first with the second park in Atwater, and the parking lot third.
