Ohio Legislature Approves City of Akron State Capital Budget Requests

Yesterday, the Ohio General Assembly finalized and approved Senate Bill 450, which appropriates $3.7 billion in capital funding throughout the state for the next fiscal year. This year’s capital budget bill provides nearly $7.8 million for Summit County projects, including $400,000 for the City of Akron’s Dan Street Public Safety Training Facility. The funding will allow for improvements to this facility which houses the Akron Police Department’s training bureau and other state and federal agencies.

“I want to thank all of our area legislators including Representatives Jack Daniels, Derrick Hall, Bill Roemer, and Veronica Sims and Senators Kristina Roegner and Casey Weinstein for their support of this much needed investment,” said Akron Mayor Shammas Malik. “The facility where APD works and trains public safety professionals has long needed improvements. This building is not only for APD staff but brings law enforcement agencies from around Northeast Ohio to Akron for required training. With this funding, we will be able to make important improvements to ensure a better work environment for our staff and experience for our visitors.” 

Also, the City and Akron Parks Collaborative worked to obtain $100,000 in capital funding for Hardesty Park improvements. Mayor Malik continued, “Hardesty Park is located at a central meeting point of several neighborhoods, accessible by bus line, close to neighborhood businesses and eateries and the largest city-owned park with the highest number of reservations by Akron families. Hardesty Park brings in 25,000 people annually and is home to the Akron Arts Expo, summer concert series, community events and the West Akron Baseball League. I know playgrounds and public spaces are important to Akron families and am thrilled the state has chosen to support the Akron Parks Collaborative and city on making necessary upgrades for individuals of all abilities.”

“We are incredibly grateful to Rep. Veronica Sims and Rep. Derrick Hall for championing this project and recognizing the lasting impact that investing in Akron’s parks has on families and neighborhoods,” said Bridget Ambrisco, Executive Director of Akron Parks Collaborative. “Neighborhood parks bring people together, help children thrive, and strengthen community pride. By creating high-quality spaces where people live, we’re building a safer, stronger, and more vibrant Akron. Together with the City, we’ve already begun engaging residents and nearby businesses and look forward to working with the community to bring this vision to life.”

“We are grateful to the State of Ohio and our local representatives for supporting the initiative to improve the Hardesty Park play space,” said Katie Swartz, Trustee, Acme Fresh Market Foundation. “As one of Akron’s oldest businesses with its first store in West Akron, we know how important this park is to the neighborhood and we are proud to be a leading sponsor of these efforts.”

Additionally, $250,000 was secured for the Lock 2 Vision Plan, which aims to create a high-quality designed park along the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail in downtown Akron for children, parents, and visitors connected to Akron Children’s Hospital, 7 17 Credit Union Park and Lock 3 Park. The reimagined Lock 2 Park aims to include interactive play areas for children, accessible walkways, swings and benches. Located near the center of the 101-mile Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area and Towpath Trail, Lock 2 Park hopes to become a destination for the 2.5 million hikers and bicyclists utilizing this nationally significant regional resource. This investment in public space will be transformative and attract future development to this area while creating a regional asset to promote economic vitality.

“We are truly grateful for the support from State Representative Veronica Sims and State Senator Casey Weinstein, and all of our state legislators for our request for the Lock 2 Vision Plan,” stated Catherine Timko, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition. “We are proud to partner with the City of Akron, Akron Children’s Hospital and Akron RubberDucks on the redevelopment of this important public space.”