Businesses Adapt With Construction
BY KAREN BERGER — MIRROR REPORTER
By the Roche de Boeuf Festival in September, Waterville’s Third Street should have new sidewalks, plenty of parking, a clock tower and, business owners hope, a lot more customers.
In the meantime, their message to the community is simple: We’re open. Don’t stay away all summer!
Restaurants and shop owners who rely on foot traffic are hoping to lure more customers with increased advertising and construction sales.
Construction began on May 28 on the block of North Third Street between Farnsworth Road and Mechanic Street.
In addition to the clock tower with restrooms and pergolas for the farmers’ market, the street will have new lighting, benches and landscaping.
Many businesses will have new awnings and other storefront improvements.
The construction has made parking and walking downtown difficult for customers, said Kim Savich, owner of The Coffee Gallery.
“I’m sure it will look beautiful when it’s done, but we’re all struggling to pay our rent,” said Savitch, adding that her lunch business has suffered.
“We have a lot of older ladies who like to eat lunch,” she said. “This makes it difficult. We have loyal patrons who come in to keep us open, but we’re not getting the foot traffic from Carruth’s and the antique store.”
To draw in customers, The Coffee Gallery will advertise more and celebrate its one-year anniversary with a musician playing a mix of contemporary, Christian and country music on June 21.
Lite Delights Specialty Baker owner Julie Nowak has offered curbside service to many of her customers.
“They’ll call ahead with their orders and I’ll even meet them in the middle of the street,” Nowak said.
Lite Delights, Old House and Koral Hamburg have all cut back on their hours in response to the construction.
Old House manager Pat Peace said this is one of the slowest seasons she’s seen in a decade.
“We’re 50 percent down with the economy, and with this we’re 90 percent down,” she said. “We get a lot of the tourist trade, people coming from Napoleon and Defiance. If they can’t find a parking space, they don’t stay.”
To attract customers, Old House is offering 20 percent off all merchandise until July 4.
Other shops along Third Street don’t rely as much on foot traffic, but are destination-oriented. Business at Waterville Hardware and Joe I. Cooper Florist has remained nearly the same, with a few minor inconveniences.
“Every town has to go through this,” said John Knollman, Waterville Hard-ware owner. “Hopefully when it’s done, it will improve the look of the street. The people are working hard to stay on schedule.”
With piles of mulch moved in front of a neighbor’s back dock, his customers have learned to come in the back door for hardware needs.
Peggy Ross, owner of Peggy’s Ceramics, said she was concerned about how her older customers – including an 87-year-old man and a woman in a wheelchair – would navigate the plywood sheets and construction vehicles to get to the front door.
Casey Irvin and Caroline Smith were dodging orange barrels last Wednesday to get into Subway for a late afternoon lunch.
“I come to Subway every day. Last week all of the spots were filled so I had to park on another street,” said Smith matter-of-factly, adding that construction wouldn’t prevent her from coming downtown.
That’s an attitude that Third Street merchants hope is catching – to keep them sustained through the summer.
Cherry Festival Provides Great Fun For Everyone
The last riff from the beer tent and an extended fireworks grand finale Saturday wrapped up a nearly picture-perfect weekend for the Whitehouse Cherry Festival. Fireworks, the parade, cherry desserts and family activities drew thousands to the annual event. Above, Whitehouse American Legion members lead the Cherry Festival parade. See more photos on page 4. Below left: Destya Diaz (left) and Mikaya Gregory get help from Jentia Diaz, of Waterville, in assembling boats at the popular Make It and Take It tent. Below right: ?Donna Green gives Tanker, a 7-year-old potbellied pig, a lollipop passed out during the Whitehouse Cherry Festival parade. MIRROR PHOTOS BY KAREN BERGER
Whitehouse To Negotiate With Parks For AWYF
To Lease 69 Acres Of Land
BY KAREN BERGER — MIRROR REPORTER
Whitehouse Village Council agreed to open negotiations with the Metroparks of the Toledo Area for leasing 69 acres of Metroparks property south of Whitehouse Square for the Anthony Wayne Youth Foundation.
AWYF president Todd Frendt said the foundation would like to plant grass seed on about 30 acres in the fall to prepare the field for soccer in 2009.
Council member Michelle Tippie was investigating options for assistance with field maintenance. The village currently mows the AWYF soccer fields and would need to care for additional space.
The council also approved public works director Steve Pilcher to add one way and other signage to the Blue Creek Recreation Area.
During the June 3 and 17 meetings, council also:
• Discussed the personnel and safety services committee’s recommendation to not change the current noise and nuisance code. Several community members asked about vehicle noise. Police Chief Ed Kaplan said the department has since stepped up patrolling certain areas.
• Heard that Whitehouse could purchase a $20,000 siren for $10,000 if a grant deadline is met. The 35-year-old emergency siren is no longer supported by the county system.
• Voted to purchase a 40-foot by 100-foot portion of land on Dutch Road from Louisville Title Company for $500 to construct a water meter facility.
• Set an economic development committee meeting at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 24 to discuss a TIF, or tax-increment financing agreement. An Anthony Wayne Local Schools representative would be invited.
• Granted a variance to allow Whitehouse Square to keep a trailer on site for another six months.
• Heard that representatives from the Lucas County Soil and Water Conservation District and TMACOG gave a presentation on the Swan Creek Watershed Pilot Project. They would like a resolution of support by the end of July. Council members had questions on how such a measure would affect potential joint economic development plans.
• Approved James Forest as public works foreman.
• Learned that document shredding and electronics recycling will be offered on Saturday, July 12 at the Whitehouse Library.
• Approved the purchase of a 2008 Case 580 SM backhoe with a hydraulic hammer for $45,079.
• Heard Ed Kaplan say that citizens should dial 911 to reach an officer on evenings and weekends.
During those times, officers may be out on the road for several hours before returning to the station, he said.
Even if the situation may not seem like an emergency – such as excessive party noise or a dog on the loose – he stressed that the only way to reach officers in a timely manner is to dial 911. That call is put through to a dispatcher who will radio an officer.
Whitehouse Village Council will hold one meeting in July, on Tuesday, July 15 at 7:00 p.m. at 6925 Providence St. in Whitehouse.
These are a few articles that ran in The Mirror Newspaper.
To see what else you've been missing . . .
