Bowling Green Mayor Mike Aspacher delivers the State of the City address Wednesday at the Veterans Building at City Park. Visit www.sent-trib.com to listen to the mayor’s address.
J.D. Pooley | Sentinel-Tribune
Bowling Green is brimming with new beginnings.
Mayor Mike Aspacher talked about the State of the City on Wednesday at the Veterans Building at City Park.
“Bowling Green is a place that knows how to get things done and I believe, working together, we can continue to move forward in a positive direction,” he said.
In 2022, the city will continue to construct a new administration building, decide how to spend $7 million in “rescue” money and launch a Heritage 3.0 committee for downtown.
The new $9 million City Administration Building included study by two separate citizen committees, support of numerous elected officials, cooperation with the Wood County Committee on Aging, and recognition of the historic significance of the building façade of the former post office — incorporating this aspect into the new building.
The city also partnered with the Wood County District Public Library to improve parking and expand green space.
Aspacher urged patience as the construction continues over the next 18 months.
“Yet, eye on the prize: This is a significant investment in our vibrant downtown and we are building an efficient and sustainable building that will serve our community today and well into the future.”
The next facilities to receive attention may be police and fire facilities.
A recent facility analysis of the Bowling Green Police Division revealed needed upgrades to protect the structure. With the acquisition of land to the south of the police division, serious evaluation and consideration of adding a dispatch and communication center needs to be examined, Aspacher said.
External public restrooms for downtown should also be considered, he said. Until that addition can be made, the city has an opportunity to utilize the small bank building located to the south of the police building for downtown public restrooms.
Plans and a budget for this will go before council soon, Aspacher said.
The electric division and Court Street fire station need a great deal of upgrades. They are also in the middle of the new city and Bowling Green State University gateway.
Not only is the fire station dated, it’s not safe, Aspacher said.
“As was done with the police station, we had an analysis of the Court Street fire station completed,” he said. “A significant area of concern to those examining the building was that firefighters are housed above the engine room, creating a significant health and safety risk to firefighters. This condition cannot be easily remedied, and this is no longer the way fire stations are designed.
“When combined with the initiative to make this area a more vibrant and connecting corridor and the potential costs to upgrade and repair the station, it is prudent to consider viable alternatives.”
A third fire station may be needed, Aspahcer said.
“If we determine that two stations will be used in the near-term, certain locations are suggested. But, if a third station were to be built, those locations should be shifted to optimize response times to all citizens and to address future growth,” Aspacher said.
There also needs to be an investment downtown, Aspacher said.
“A vibrant downtown is important to our citizens, our businesses and to our community,” he said.
He proposed Heritage 2025, a focused study to help determine the vision for the future of downtown.
Heritage 2025 will be the third iteration of partnership between the downtown and the city.
“Some in this room may remember Heritage ’76 which coincided with the nation’s bicentennial. In the 1990s, the city undertook the ambitious Heritage 2000 project which transformed many of the shared downtown spaces and invested in underground infrastructure,” he said.
A committee will study:
• Improving aesthetics such as murals and public art along with attractive and comfortable outside environments
• Improving public spaces including consideration of increasing sidewalk widths and enhancing alleys
• Promoting upgrades such as façade improvements
• Considering best uses of the right-of-way areas in and around downtown
• Analyzing parking options that could be considered in tandem with new mixed-use development
• Promoting and encouraging investment within the downtown
The city received $7.3 million in Amercan Rescue Plan Act funding. Council has committed $3 million to residential road paving. There is also a $100,000 annual allocation for housing-related grants, radio equipment purchase for police and support for an inclusive playground at Carter Park.
Aspacher said council has committed to engaging in vigorous community conversations about how to best invest the remainder of the funding, about $3 million.
“To be sure, this effort will be challenging as there are many worthy investments,” the mayor said.
The address was sponsored by the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce and its Governmental Affairs Project Team.
It was Aspacher’s first in-person State of the City address since taking office in 2020, due to the pandemic.
