Park improvement project enters new phases after years of delay

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Park improvement project enters new phases after years of delay

A local municipality approved a $2.6million contract for the second phase of an urban development project. The project has been delayed for many years, but now it is moving forward.

The Piqua City Commission has recently approved a $2.6M contract with Englewood's ATCS Inc. to construct phase II of Lock Nine Park improvements. The project will involve constructing a connection between Main Street and the Lock Nine Park, terracing of the levee overlooking riverway, and creating a community lawn and performance pavilion.

It is expected that the final phase of construction will be submitted to the City Commission this year for approval. The final phase includes restoring lock walls, installing water features, planting tree groves, and other landscaping improvements. Lock Nine Park, when completed, will become a center for outdoor recreation, leisure, and community gatherings.

In the 2007 Comprehensive Plan Update, the community expressed its desire to build Lock Nine Park. In 2012, the Ohio Department of Development awarded a grant for technical assistance to the community planning the project. Citizen and stakeholder involvement continued over the next few years as the work progressed on the findings and recommended of the initial planning. The Piqua Ohio Placemaking Initiative and Riverfront Development Strategy that resulted validated the market needs and community visions for improvements.

During the planning process, the City of Piqua was able to secure over $600,000.00 in grant funding for the completion of the project's acquisition, due diligence, design, and environmental work. About $2 million was raised from private, federal and state funding sources to complement the local funding needed to complete the planned improvement.

The planned improvements are already driving private investment and job creation in the city. The completion of park improvements is expected to stimulate more entrepreneurial activity, and improve the quality of life for the Piqua community.