Joint entrance considered for new fire station
By Jeff Gallatin
North Olmsted
Published Jan. 11, 2006

City and Cleveland Metroparks officials are working on a plan which could lead to a path for success for the new North Olmsted Fire Station two and a trailhead for the park system.

Mayor Thomas O’Grady and Planning Director Kim Wenger met with Metroparks Executive Director Vern Hartenburg last week again to discuss a joint entrance for the Fire Station being built by the city at 29590 Lorain Rd. If ultimately approved, park officials would grant the city permission to build the entrance on  MetroParks property adjacent to the city property where the station is being built. In addition to allowing both governmental bodies better access to their respective properties, the officials said it would allow the MetroParks to have a trailhead connected to the Bradley Woods Reservation of the parks system much sooner than expected.

“It’s what you would call a win-win situation if we get an agreement concluded,” O’Grady said. “We would benefit at the city by having a better entrance for our fire vehicles and a better situation for the station. The MetroParks would have additional access to their properties and would be able to make that connection to the Bradley Woods reservation several years sooner than they anticipated. We both would have better parking and access areas to serve the general public. It’s a great example of regionalism and governmental agencies working together to benefit the general public.”

Hartenburg also thinks the project would work to the advantage of both governmental agencies.

“It’s something that is of benefit to us all and provide us all with a better situation,” Hartenburg said. “By having the city build the entrance we benefit by having the access and the ability to build a trailhead and connector to the Bradley Woods area from Lorain Road. People would be able to use the trailhead to go hiking and use the paths and the Bradley Woods area from a more accessible area.”

Wenger anticipated having Brandstetter, Carroll and Zofcin, Inc., the architectural firm designing the new fire station for the city, put together drawings of  the proposed entrance for presentation to Metroparks officials this week.

“It’s a very feasible and practical way to handle the entrance in a manner which benefits both agencies,” Wenger said. “We could have adequate parking for both the city and the Metroparks and it would be a better facility for the public as well as the station and the parks trailhead.”

With her focus on long-term planning and development for the city, Wenger sees an additional benefit.

“Green space,” Wenger said. “It gives the city more access to the parks and green space. When we work on ideas and development for the city we want to ensure that people to have adequate green space they can utilize. This is ideal for that. The fact that this will allow the Metroparks to have that trailhead and access several years in advance of what they thought is a big benefit to the parks and the city.”

O’Grady said the city would be footing the bill for building the entrance.

“We have to build one way or another somewhere for the station,” O’Grady said. “The fact that the Metroparks would give us the access to their property to build what is ultimately a better facility for us and for them is a big contribution in and of itself.”

Hartenburg said once he has the drawings of the proposed entrance he can take them to the MetroParks board of directors.

“It’s something I think can work,” Hartenburg said. “I would anticipate its something the board can look over and can take some kind of action on in February.”

O’Grady said having the entrance built on the MetroParks property would not delay construction of the Fire Station.

“We’re still looking at the spring of 2007 for an opening,” O’Grady said. “I’d love to say the fall of this year, but I just don’t think that’s realistic at this point.”