Drop-off Driveway?

A meeting with be held at the Library on Thursday, July 31 at 7 pm to discuss options for using funds allocated back in 2002 through the Urban Infrastructure Recovery Program. According to the city’s Website, “The Urban Infrastructure Recovery Program funds several million dollars of capital improvements per year in Central City Neighborhoods. Residents propose projects based on a premise they know their neighborhood needs. Since 1992, $36 million in public roadway and public park improvements were constructed such as street paving, alley resurfacing, street lighting upgrades, street trees, curbs and sidewalks, playground equipment, and neighborhood gateways.”

The Whetstone Renovation Initiative, Clintonville Chamber, Clintonville Incorporated, North Area Realtors Association and Clintonville Historical Society are all in favor of adding a drop-off driveway to improve both the accessibility of the center. The 2002 funds need to be committed to a project before Clintonville can apply for any additional UIRF support. We are proposing to use the currently uncommitted 2002 funds for this project. However, this will require a vote of endorsement from the Clintonville Area Commission.

Please read the memo below from the Chamber for more details. And consider writing your commissioners or attending the July 31 meeting.


FROM: Chamber Board of Directors
SUBJECT: Clintonville Projects

The Chamber Board of Directors has been joined by the Board of Clintonville Incorporated to endorse two projects that we believe are important to the community. These projects would be funded by Urban Infrastructure Recovery Funds (UIRF). These funds were allocated to Clintonville as part of the High Street Improvement project in 2002. The two projects are:

--A new semi-circular driveway in front of the Whetstone Recreation Center
--Repair and renovation of the sidewalk on the east side of High Street between Croswell Rd and Overbrook Dr. (section that currently has chain link fencing)

The Chamber Board believes these two project warrant our support for a number of reasons, and it is important you let the Clintonville Area Commission know of your support.

The New Driveway
This project would enable children, seniors and others to be dropped off and picked up at the recreation center front door, thus reducing the traffic and congestion on both Hollenback Dr, and in the library and rec center parking lot. It was designed to preserve the trees along High Street. COTA has been contacted and they feel the proposed driveway would not interfere with their existing bus stop. The driveway was originally part of the recreation center master plan, but was removed from the current improvement project because of lack of funding from traditional sources. While the final plan has not been engineered, “green” pavers and other materials to minimize the driveways environmental impact are under consideration. A number of other organizations have also endorsed the project, including the North Area Realtors Association and Clintonville Historical Society.

The Overbrook Sidewalk
The current sidewalk and fence are in disrepair and are very unsightly. The proposed renovation and repair would call for removal of the fence and widening of the sidewalk. In addition an “overlook” area along the ravine would replace the existing and unsafe steps that are currently in the area.

Approval by the Clintonville Area Commission is needed for both of these projects to move forward. As business owners and residents of Clintonville, it is important that you contact your area commissioner and express your support for these two projects. Contact information can be found at: http://www.clintonvilleareacommission.org/NewsBoard/NewsBoard.asp?StartPos=1&ne_type=board&cmid=2995