Mayor touts wellness center

NILES — Mayor Ralph Infante says he’s excited about the new $4 million wellness center that should be open in Niles this time next year.

Home Savings and Loan Bank’s Eastwood Mall branch sponsored a breakfast at the Homestyle Buffet in conjunction with the Regional Chamber to hear the mayor’s annual state of the city address.

The 70,000-square-foot wellness center will include indoor soccer, a walking/running track, batting cages, basketball/tennis courts, weight training area and an aerobic area.

The city along with U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, has applied for two grants totaling $900,000 for the wellness center.

The mayor hopes that the wellness center will attract people and business to the city.

Infante also discussed the city’s 2007 capital projects. Of 30 projects, 21 are done and the rest are under way. Some of the finished jobs are: Trumbull Drive culvert removal at $50,000, and the citywide street resurfacing at $490,000.

Projects that are under way include the Niles Bikeway project and storm sewer improvements.