Sarantou seeking stop to Promenade Plan in exchange for more street repair money

A pothole on West Delaware Avenue in Toledo.

Toledo City Councilman George Sarantou said Tuesday he plans to ask the Bell administration to dedicate more money toward residential street repair and forgo a plan to revamp Promenade Park in downtown.

Mr. Sarantou said he wants the $750,000 slated for the park project as part of the city’s 2011 capital improvement plan to be put toward streets instead. The Bell administration has already earmarked $2.5 million for work on residential streets, but many councilmen have said this is not enough.

“I feel that with the times we’re in, a higher priority right now are the conditions of the streets in the neighborhoods we live in,” Mr. Sarantou said. “I I feel our priorities are our police and fire and our streets.”

The capital improvements fund is particularly stressed this year because of a large transfer of money to the city’s general fund to cover expenses such as police and fire salaries in order to balance the budget.

The Promenade Park plan would include widening the park and putting in terraces, although the city’s initial funding would serve only to lay an initial foundation for the proposed design.