Trustees discuss possibility of township park

Trustees were thanked for offering land for a third fire station.
By AMANDA C. DAVIS
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
CANFIELD -- As the township continues to grow, Dan Bienko envisions a community park that could easily rival one in neighboring Boardman Township.
Bienko, head of Canfield Township's parkland committee, said Monday that ideas being kicked around for the park include game fields, picnic pavilions, play areas and a possible band shell for concerts.
"I definitely think [a park] is something the township is lacking," Bienko said Monday after a township trustees meeting.
A time line for completion of the park is premature at this point, Bienko said, but noted architects are being solicited for drawings, and engineering of the site will be completed this year.
The 57-acre unnamed park is planned for township-owned land on both sides of Herbert Road near Old North Church. The township paid 854,520 for the land.
The city has a few smaller parks and The Green in the center of town, where many community events are held.
Bienko said further development in the township and along Herbert Road will put the township and committee "ahead of the game" in developing a public space that families and large groups can enjoy "for a broad spectrum of uses."
About 700 surveys were received from residents who provided the 15-member parkland committee with suggestions on use.
Bienko, who is an architect, said public meetings will be held once a master plan is drafted.
The parkland committee meets at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the township hall on South Broad Street.
In other news, Marie Izzo Cartwright, the trustees' representative for the Canfield Joint Fire District, thanked trustees and the committee for offering land at the Herbert Road site for a third fire station.
"We cannot enter any agreement at this time," she said, but added she hopes the offer stands while studies are done to determine the best location.
The Insurance Service Office -- which rates fire departments based on response times, population and areas' frequency of calls -- will consider criteria on the location and present it to Chief Bob Tieche, who will then make a recommendation.
The fire board will then make a decision, Izzo Cartwright said, explaining the process will take one to three years.
Trustee Chairman William D. Reese said he and Tieche will meet once the weather breaks to discuss possible locations.
The board also approved a measure to spend about 100 on two signs warning motorists on Summit Drive to be cautious of children.