Last week, Village officials and Portage County community leaders celebrated a win on Main Street in Mantua. Thanks to months of hard work on the part of local organizations and individuals, a project is now underway to repair the 100-year-old crumbling steps in front of the stores on the West side of Main Street. A project is now underway to replace the non-ADA-complaint entry point with a new walkway that will provide accessibility for all to businesses on the block.
This project was made possible through the assistance of several key players. Initially, it was the Portage County Commissioners who approved the project and forwarded the plans for consideration by the State of Ohio Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The CDBG awarded $173,500 for the project, and the Portage County Commissioners provided an additional $12,820 in Revolving Loan Funds. The Downtown Mantua Revitalization Corporation (DMRC) provided $75,000 in community-matching funds.
Collaboration between these organizations, as well as the Portage County Regional Planning, the Village of Mantua, and building owners made this infrastructure improvement possible. Please note that access for patrons to Crooked River Flowers and R44 Butcher shops will continue to be provided during the construction project.
In similar news, State Representative Gail K. Pavliga (District 72) recently visited the Village. She met with the DMRC to announce that Mantua Village has been awarded $51,000 through the State Capital Fund Grant. This grant will be used to construct two permanent restroom facilities at the former pump house in Buchert Park.
The DMRC worked in conjunction with Mantua’s Village Administrator Ryan Klemm to apply for the State Capital Fund grant. According to DMRC President Edie Benner, this project has been a long-standing goal of the DMRC. She shared, “We were thrilled to partner with the Village, and are grateful to Representative Pavliga for her help in bringing this project to life.”
Construction will begin this summer; the new facilities will include changing tables, running water, and be spacious enough to allow for changing into uniforms for team sports. “We are all thrilled to say good-bye to the ‘port-a-johns’ and join the 21st century,” Benner noted.
The Downtown Mantua Revitalization Corporation (DMRC) has been supporting Mantua since 2007. They exist for one major reason: to reinvigorate the Village of Mantua, creating a destination people want to live in and choose to visit.
