Wozniak: Marina arena not best use Board focusing on economic growth

4/28/2006

Lucas County officials are "reinventing" themselves with plans for a downtown arena and an increased focus on economic development, the president of the county's board of commissioners said yesterday.

Tina Skeldon Wozniak spoke about several issues facing the county - including development, unemployment, and the collaboration of service providers - during a taping of The Editors yesterday.

"It's exactly what we are doing in general in Lucas County, we're reinventing ourselves," she said. "And we have to keep pushing ourselves to be confident in reinvention."

Ms. Wozniak said a new arena could be built downtown without leaving behind the goal of a thriving marina district in East Toledo. She added that having an enclosed building, such as an arena, located in the marina district is likely not the best use of the riverfront property.

"People don't realize how long it has taken to do the environmental cleanups on that east bank, and that hurdle now has been overcome," she said. "Our opportunities are endless now on that site."

Ms. Wozniak also spoke of the work of the Lucas County Improvement Corporation as the regional economic development entity, and The Source, the county's one-stop employment resource center.

"People are in an economic crisis mode, and when you're in some level of crisis you'll make a move," she said. "You'll move one way or another. We're moving in a positive direction."

The Editors will be broadcast at 9 tonight on WGTE-TV, Channel 30, and at 12:30 p.m. Sunday on WBGU-TV, Channel 27.