CONNEAUT — The city of Conneaut, thought to have been denied the federal money needed to build a new fire station, recently learned the project may have life, after all.
City Manager Robert Schaumleffel Jr., speaking at Wednesday night’s joint meeting of City Council and the local Board of Education, indicated a glimmer of hope remains for the fire station project.
“We may be back on track for a new station,” he said.
Last year, city administrators were optimistic Conneaut would receive dollars needed to build a centralized fire station that would replace the dilapidated station inside City Hall. Officials were shocked when awards were announced and Conneaut wasn’t on the list.
Schaumleffel gave no details on the project’s second chance or when word may be received.
The school board was apprised of the situation because the city believes the best spot to place a station is at the Liberty Street Park, located in a residential area and a short distance from the downtown district. Last year, the city and school board discussed the city’s taking ownership of a portion of the park, that contains three tennis courts. The school district owned that particular parcel and believed the city stood a better chance to getting grants to repair or replace the crumbling courts used by school tennis teams. The city agreed to the plan, believing the parkland never would be home to a fire station.
Those plans now may change.
Schaumleffel wanted assurances from the school board that members wouldn’t object if the Liberty Street courts were eliminated should the station project get funding. In return for the board’s blessing, the city would try to locate funding to improve other city-owned courts in town for use by school teams.
School board members said Wednesday they would not stand in the way of any municipal project that benefits city residents.
Last year, the school board unveiled conceptual plans for a sports complex that members would like to build in the vicinity of the existing Spartans football stadium. Included in those plans are five tennis courts envisioned on the site of the former West Main Elementary School.
If the city does locate money for tennis court work, the district would prefer it donate the funds for the courts that are part of the proposed complex, rather than rebuild municipally owned courts, school officials said.
For years, officials have talked about finding a new home for firefighters housed at Station 1, located inside a portion of City Hall built in 1876. Numerous building code violations have been detected in the station, which is home to Conneaut’s full-time firefighters.
Another fire station is found on the city’s east side.
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