The Meadville Tribune
By Jean Shanley
CONNEAUT LAKE ̶ Representatives of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation have toured downtown Conneaut Lake as work on a revitalization plan moves forward.
The Conneaut Lake Community Development Committee (CLCDC) is spearheading the more than $6 million project, which will see improvements to Water Street as well as to Fireman’s Beach.
At this week’s meeting of Conneaut Lake Borough Council, Bill Eldridge, president of CLCDC and a member of council, reported PennDOT held its first site meeting in the borough, the kickoff for a grant the borough received for work on Water Street. He said PennDOT officials toured the area of Water from First to Second streets and became familiar with the project
The next step in the revitalization plan is a meeting May 7 from 10a.m. to noon at the town hall when more work will be done.
Consultants from CTE, who are working on the project, will be there also and Eldridge encouraged anyone with questions to attend and ask them at that time.
He also said he and Dick Holabaugh, president of council, have been meeting weekly to share updates for the plans for the revitalization of the downtown area. Holabaugh later in the meeting said he believes some of the dissension between council and the CLCDC has been eliminated because of the updates.
Holabaugh said he should have made it a point of getting together with Eldridge earlier this year and added that the weekly meetings with Eldridge have been helpful and encouraged council members and others with questions about the revitalization to ask either Eldridge or himself.
In regard to the report, Holabaugh wondered about the possibility of any funding for some playground equipment for the beach.
Eldridge said the CLCDC continues to look for ways to make the improvements.
John Chuey, a council member, said any playground should be smaller than the previous playground. Holabaugh said playground equipment would probably be geared for the younger children.
In related business, council approved an amendment to a grant application from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, seeking $375,000 instead of $250,000. Eldridge said it was determined that more funds might be available and could be used for the project so it was decided to apply for the higher sum.