An artist’s rendering of Rossford’s pocket park
ROSSFORD – The city plans to add a pocket park to its downtown.
The park, planned for an abandoned lot at 155 Superior St., should be completed this year.
The city will use funds it receives annually from TARTA to develop the project.
The park will “increase pedestrian movement downtown and ultimately increase TARTA ridership,” said city Administrator Allyson Murray at council’s Sept. 23 meeting.
The TARTA Lite Funds can be used on infrastructure projects to increase pedestrian areas near bus stops.
“They gave us this money to enhance the area around the bus stop to get more people into the downtown,” Murray said.
The lot is an awkward size and difficult to build on, she said.
Pocket parks are described as a small-scale neighborhood public park and are typically only as large as a couple of vacant house lots and can fit into tight or irregularly shaped urban lots.
The city purchased the property in July 2022 after the Rossford Convention and Visitors Bureau requested additional seating for its Stroll the Street events, Murray said.
She pointed out that it was right after COVID, when people wanted to socialize.
Council at the meeting awarded the project to the Delventhal Company of Millbury, which has the lowest and best bid of $424,717.
Large lighting fixtures, a fire pit and patio furniture were removed from the project and the number of arbor vitae may be reduced to save money.
Rossford submitted a plan to TARTA in 2022, named Downtown Rossford Renaissance, which included the pocket park, stage and improvements to Edward Ford Park, updated pedestrian crossings, new sidewalk and pathway connectivity and repairs, and addition new lighting features downtown.
In In 2023, the city purchased a new portable stage for Ford Park. The plan is to complete the pocket park this year. Next year, the intent is to upgrade existing sidewalks and install pedestrian hybrid beacons at city crosswalks next year, Murray said.
The pocket park will not be part of the city’s park system and will not be funded through levy dollars.
“This is all in an attempt to increase the excitement and amount of seating available in downtown,” Murray said.
The hope is the park will bring more businesses and jobs to the city’s downtown, she said.
