TOLEDO, Ohio — Over the last few years, revitalization of parks and other services has become an integral part of success in Toledo. The city's director of Parks and Youth Services, Joe Fausnaugh, says part of that includes making old things new.
"We're here tonight to share a first peek at concepts for a new splash pad at Savage Park. We worked really hard to keep the old splash pad working last summer with varying degrees of success," Fausnaugh said at a meeting Wednesday to update the community on the splash pad. "Tonight is really an exciting night because we're here to talk about what comes next."
However, he said the city didn't want to move forward without the public's opinion on the redesign of the Rev. H.V. Savage Park's splash pad.
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"We'll take that (public) feedback and we'll tweak the concepts. Then, our design firm, Brandstetter-Caroll, will take that and move it into actual construction drawings," Fausnaugh said. "We've got some good concepts to show but we really need the public to weigh in and say, 'we like this,' or 'we don't like that,' so that the end product is something they want and that they will use."
Harvey Savage Jr, a family member of Savage Park, said his father would've been proud of the improvements.
"I think where we're at right now, and where he would've been, is that the park needs to be active. It has to be an integral part of this community. If you look around the community, there's not a lot of things for the kids to do," Savage said. "So, we need to do that. We need to continue to improve and upgrade what we've got."
Local resident LeAnna Burton agreed with Savage. She said the park is a place for families and she hopes the future allows it to continue as a meeting place.
"(I want) more unity, more community, more family involvement. Just be able to share the outside with, to educate, to be able to have more resources, and again address mental health," Burton said. "It's very important that we come together as Toledo to be more of a family and help generations to come."
Fausnaugh added that Toledo is enriched through its parks and its people.
"We've put a lot of time and effort into building realtionships in this neighborhood for me, it's just so rewarding to go back to those people I've spent time with, listened to, and say, 'I've heard you, and here's what we're doing for you.," Fausnaugh said.