By: Angel Steiner
West Bend News captured some community improvement projects in the works in the village of Oakwood and the village of Antwerp this past week. Spring and summer is the ideal time to get things done — the daylight hours are long and the air is sweet. Check out what’s going on below!
In the village of Antwerp, Dan Bowers, owner of Advanced Chassis, along with a band of handy people, has been the coordinator for a couple of projects in the village this spring. At the Antwerp Ball Association’s ball park on Woodcox St. (pictured above), a new parking lot is being constructed for ballpark attendees. With the assistance of Ed Meyer of Meyer Excavating, the area’s top soil was scraped away and leveled. Gravel will be added in the near future with the swing set frame & part of the fencing coming down. Drainage for the area will also be added to keep this area dry. This is a much needed addition for the ball association as presently ballpark goers need to use the parking area of Antwerp Manor and library while attending games and practices at the ballparks.
Out on Harrmann Rd at the edge of the village limits, there has been a large patch of grass that grew higher than the tallest of men. The area needed some TLC. There was a massive hole that needed to be dealt with in order to prevent any sort of accident from occurring. Drainage on both sides of this road is also an issue that is being mitigated with this project. Again Bowers’ group, spearheaded getting some dirt here (from the Ball park project!) to fill in the hole as well as creating the correct for to rectify the drainage issue along the tracks heading west into town. They will also be working on getting the fall needed around the Kroos Drive area for better drainage there.
“Many hands make light work” and these projects are a prime example of what can be accomplished with a little bit of organization, determination, cooperation and a desire to do what is best for the community.
Holly Kobee Memorial Splash Pad Project committee is well on their way to building a splash pad in memory of Holly Kobee for the community to enjoy. They recently received $125,000 grant funding from the state (see the “RIEDEL & MCCOLLEY SUPPORT CAPITAL BUDGET” article on front page of last week’s West Bend News). Soon the community of Antwerp will see construction of the splash pad in Antwerp’s Riverside Veterans Memorial Park!
Over on the eastern edge of Paulding County, Oakwood is getting a facelift! Through a TAP (Transportation Alternatives Program) Grant from the state of Ohio, new sidewalks complete with curbs and brickwork has been added along with new trash receptacles and benches all along N First St (SR 66). This project has been five years in the works — with environmental, feasibility, basement & encroachment studies — and now is set for completion by July 31st. The repaving of SR 66 should start by August 1, 2022. Mayor Brian Ripke commented about the project, “I am very pleased with the progress of this project and proud for the Village of Oakwood. I want to thank all the contractors and ODOT. They have been very easy to work with and very accommodating with everything.”
Rhees’ Market has sold and new owners took over recently at this full-service grocery store in Oakwood. It is now being called The Oakwood Store. Thank you to the many years that the Rhees family serviced the residents of Oakwood.
If your community is undergoing some improvements, let West Bend News know! Good News for Good Communities!
