City might sell South Side park

YOUNGSTOWN — The city is considering selling Bancroft Park to the Youngstown Christian School, which is adjacent to the city-owned property.

Before negotiations commence, Councilwoman Janet Tarpley, D-6th, will hold a town hall meeting to obtain the opinions of the potential sale from residents in her ward — the location of the park and the school. The meeting is at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Youngstown Christian School, 4401 Southern Blvd.

A town hall meeting was held about two months ago with about 20 residents in attendance and none objected to the sale, said Tarpley and Michael Pecchia, the school’s president.

The property is appraised at $44,000 to $45,000, said Jason Whitehead, the city’s interim park and recreation director and the mayor’s chief of staff.

“We haven’t discussed a sales price,” Whitehead said.

The park on 1.24 acres on Wychwood Lane has a storage building, two basketball courts and playground equipment, Whitehead said. The city’s owned the park since 1931.

If the park is sold, the city would remove the playground equipment and place it on another city-owned lot nearby, Whitehead and Tarpley said.

For the complete story, read Tuesday’s Vindicator or Vindy.com