Residents list their top recreational priorities

5/9/2007

Residents in Pemberville and surrounding Freedom Township would like to get better trails for hiking and bicycling, as well as improvements to Pemberville Community Pool at Memorial Park, according to results of a new survey.

They also would like to get an indoor fitness or exercise facility and an indoor swimming pool.

Those and other results were found in a five-page survey that had been authorized by the members of the Joint Parks and Recreation Department of the Village of Pemberville and Freedom Township.

It was modeled after one Bowling Green had done of its residents.

For now, the survey results are mostly a wish list because voters last fall rejected a proposed recreation levy.

So, with funds running short, officials wanted to find out some of the priorities that the community had.

"We were pretty concerned; park and recreation levies don't fail very often, especially in Pemberville," Councilman Keith Madaras said.

While only 29 surveys were filled out, Mr. Madaras said that that number probably represents the thoughts of 50 to 75 of Pemberville's 1,339 residents.

Those who responded identified Memorial Park, Harrison Park, the walking paths, and the community swimming pool among their favorite recreational facilities.

Their top activities included walking, jogging, swimming, gardening, and biking.

"We have a lot of possible projects," Mr. Madaras said.

In November, Pemberville voters rejected a proposal for a three-year, 0.6-mill levy for recreational purposes that would have superseded one that was about to expire.

The new levy would have generated nearly $16,000 a year for the communities of Pemberville and Freedom Township.

That money would have been used to help to offset costs of the community pool, which is on College Avenue, as well as park operations.

The expired levy was first passed in 1994 and generated about $11,000 annually.