Route 224 bridge's stairway to be dedicated

POLAND -- A stairway on the west end of the U.S. Route 224 bridge is to be dedicated at a public ceremony at 6 p.m. Friday.
The Reed Memorial Stairway is a Town One Streetscapes project and is underwritten by the family of W. Brooks and Kathryn Reed. Reed was village mayor from 1944-54.
The stairway is made up of three spans of steps and allows pedestrians to walk from the Route 224 byway to the banks of Yellow Creek near the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County's Poland branch.
Foundation stones from an old barn in North Jackson were used to provide an anchor for the stairway. At the bottom of the stairway is a 30-by-30-foot patio overlooking Yellow Creek.
The patio is used for public gatherings, including this summer's Yellow Creek Theatre.
Upon completion of a short walkway by the library, the stairway will connect with a walking path that leads to the village sidewalks at the state Route 170 bridge.