The Lucas County Commissioners are seeking to create a joint commission with Toledo City Council to maintain and improve the Civic Center Mall.

Photo by Patrick Timmis

The commission, which Toledo Councilman Adam Martinez will propose to council May 17, would consist of no more than 10 volunteer members “charged with providing insight and recommendations” to county commissioners, the city council and Mayor Mike Bell, according to the ordinance proposal.

Commissioner Tina Skeldon Wozniak said upkeep and improvements to the mall — the small park with war memorials behind the courthouse — have lagged in recent years, and the formation of this Toledo/Lucas County Civic Center Mall Oversight Commission would “ensure that we make progress.”

“We want it to be a place where everyone gathers,” she added.

Bell said he appreciated that the project was starting to move.

“There has been so much talk on this,” he said.

Robert Roether of Remembrance Inc., a nonprofit veterans organization, announced the group was donating the first $1,000 to the restoration of the All Wars Memorial.

“The Civic Center Mall represents us all,” said U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur. It represents to the world, she added, “who we were, who we are, and who we will be.”

The commission members would be appointed from the following groups:

• 2 members nominated from veteran groups.
• 1 member nominated by the Toledo Design Center
• 1 member from Lucas County Commissioners.
• 1 member nominated by the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo
• 1 member nominated by the General Services Administration
• 1 member nominated by the Lucas County Court of Common Appeals
• 1 landscape architect, architect or planner
• 1 member from a civic or nonprofit group
• 1 educator

At the May 17 Toledo City Council meeting, all 11 members present voted for the legislation presented by Martinez to form the commission.

Tags: Civic Center Mall, Lucas County Commissioners, Mayor Michael Bell, Toledo, Toledo City Council

This entry was posted on Monday, May 16th, 2011 at 3:06 pm and is filed under City of Toledo, Community, Lucas County.
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