City of Toledo News
Message from Mayor Kapszukiewicz
It was a busy week that started off with great news about the Ottawa River. For the first time in 25 years, thanks to the hard work of a lot of people, we can swim and fish in the river again. You can read more about that below and watch the news conference we posted on the city Facebook page. I want to thank everyone who played a role in cleaning up the river. Our work making the waterways of Toledo clean is far from over, but that was a great step forward.

Also this week, I joined with Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken, Deputy Lucas County Engineer Mike Pniewski, and TMACOG officials to ask Columbus and Washington to reverse years of neglected upkeep and improvements to our roadways.

Officials from www.tripnet.org released a report this week, “Modernizing Ohio’s Transportation System: Progress and Challenges in Providing Safe, Efficient and Well-Maintained Roads, Highways, and Bridges,” which calculated Ohioans lose $12 billion a year because our roadways and bridges are poorly-maintained, too congested, or designed improperly.

It cannot be ignored that there are tens of millions of dollars that used to go to things like resurfacing residential roads in Toledo that just aren’t there any more. We live in a state that has made a conscious decision to not invest in its transportation network the way it should. We are doing our best to make up the gap and we are being creative. I am happy to say that work on roadways like the Anthony Wayne Trail and Summit Street downtown is progressing. But, everyone here, and my counterparts across the state, know there is an increasing backlog of streets that need to be resurfaced.

Finally, I want to congratulate the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority for its plans to bring an autonomous vehicle program to Toledo in 2019. The test program, which is expected to run for about three years and be funded by a $1.8 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration, is another way to move our public transit system into the future. I hope to see you on the autonomous shuttle bus soon!
Ottawa River
Mayor Kapszukiewicz, health department officials, and the Ohio EPA announced this week that it is once again safe to swim and fish in the Ottawa River.

The contact advisory for the lower eight miles of the river was lifted. The advisory had been in place for the river for more than two decades because of severe pollution concerns.

"After 25 years, we can swim in the Ottawa River, we can canoe in it, we can recreate, fish and truly do all the things we were meant to do in this beautiful space," Mayor Kapszukiewicz said.

The change was made possible in part by the success of the Toledo Waterways Initiative, along with the combined efforts of a number of groups.
Parks
The Toledo parks and recreation division is offering free programs this year. Lunch is included.

Starting Monday, June 25 through Aug. 10, seven city parks will offer activities like kickball, arts and crafts, painting, and softball. The events are 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, at Ottawa Park, Walbridge Park, the Believe Center, Savage Park, Westwood Park, and Friendship Park. The program is for children ages 6 through 15. 

Also, The Savage Park Splash Pad was set to open Saturday, June 23, but that has been delayed until Tuesday, June 26. Roosevelt Willys, Pickford, Wilson, and Jamie Farr pools are already open. Navarre Pool remains under construction. Willys and Roosevelt pools, and the Savage Park Splash Pad, are closed on Mondays. Wilson, Pickford, Jamie Farr, and Navarre pools are closed on Tuesdays. The pools have a modest entry fee of $1 for children 12 and under. The cost is $2 for those 13 and older. The splash pad is free.
Kids in Toledo participated Thursday in the "World's Largest Swimming Lesson." It was the ninth year for the global event. Events took place at hundreds of locations in more than 20 countries on five continents over the course of 24 hours.

Toledo lifeguards and The Josh Project helped teach people to swim at Roosevelt, Pickford, and Jamie Farr pools.
Mark Your Calendars
Crosby Festival of the Arts
The Crosby Festival of the Arts is 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, June 22 for the Garden Party; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday June 23 , and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 24 at the Toledo Botanical Garden, 5403 Elmer Drive. There is a free shuttle service from Meijer on Central Avenue

Saturday and Sunday costs $8 at the event; $7 discounted through Friday at Meijer stores. For tickets, go to  toledogrows.org/events/event-crosby-festival-of-the-arts .
Downtown Parking Public Meeting

Join the mayor and other officials at 5 p.m., Wednesday, June 27 at the Main Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, 325 North Michigan St. for a discussion on downtown parking.
Ottawa Park Concert Series

The Ottawa Park FREE Summer Concert Series starts 6 p.m. July 14 with the first of six performances.

The city of Toledo supports the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, please contact Joan Easler, ADA coordinator, at 419-245-1059 at least 72 hours before the start time.
Toledo Lucas County Public Library Brown Bag Summer Concert

As always, the events are Free ! Bring your lunch. They provide the music.
Join us at the Main Library, North Lawn, 12:15 - 1:15 p.m., Wednesdays.

The remaining dates and bands are:

By The Numbers
( year-to-date )
46,441 potholes filled
240 water main breaks repaired
697,334 feet of sanitary sewers cleaned
3.8 million pounds of debris removed with street sweepers.
1,257 trees trimmed
1,169 illegal signs removed
4,570 vehicles towed
2,854 fire runs
25,369 EMS runs
5,023 building inspections completed
2,609 contractor licenses issued
733 new jobs
Text Alerts

Sign up for Toledo text alerts  here .

We are now using text alerts for road work, in addition to news like leaf collection and boil water advisories.

The 2018 construction projects map can be viewed here .
Honors this week
It was amazing to have the  Greater Toledo International Youth Orchestra  in the office this week to meet the mayor before they left to perform in Germany.
Founded in 2013 by conductor Yang Kun Song, The Greater Toledo International Youth Orchestra is a string orchestra that performs a diverse repertoire, including traditional and modern Chinese music, as well as Western compositions. Mr. Song was the founder and the previous music director/conductor of the Toledo International Youth Orchestra. That orchestra achieved considerable musical notoriety over the past 13 years under Mr. Song's direction as they performed in venues throughout the Toledo area and abroad.
The Arts Commission Executive Director Marc D. Folk is the 2018 recipient of the Ray Hanley Innovation Award, given each year by the Americans for the Arts’ United States Urban Arts Federation.

Mr. Folk joined an esteemed group of previous awardees from across the nation recognized as innovators and advocates for urban arts issues. The USUAF is an alliance of arts agencies from the nation’s 60 largest cities who work together to share the impact of the arts on all segments of our society.

"It is a profound honor to be selected by my colleagues from across the country to receive the Ray Hanley Innovation Award," Mr. Folk said. "This award carries a special meaning for me and I am grateful to both my peers and the Americans for the Arts for distinguishing me with it.”

The award was presented at the annual Americans for the Arts conference in Denver. Mr. Folk traveled to the conference with ProMedica C.E.O. and President Randy Oostra to participate in a panel discussion titled "The Arts Unite Us" with leadership from Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Toledo In The News

TARTA to launch autonomous vehicle program in Toledo in 2019 The Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) announced Thursday it plans to bring an autonomous vehicle program to Toledo in 2019.
According to a news release, the test program will begin next year and is expected to run for approximately three years. TARTA says it will receive a $1.8 million grant for a pilot program to test autonomous bus technology in Toledo.

Toledo man uses past of violence and drugs to hope and inspire Toledo man is using his life story to help others. Willie Knighten was once a gang leader even convicted for murder, but now he is working with recovering addicts and their families to create a better future.

Toledo attorneys plan to again challenge red light camera law constitutionality The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled against the City of Toledo when it comes to the use of red light cameras. However, this doesn’t change the ability for local law enforcement to handout tickets to drivers from this technology. The City of Toledo was challenging a law put in place that reduced the amount of money it got from the state because of the use of these cameras.

City council approves $1,000,000 for Dorr Street interchange The Dorr Street Interchange is one step closer to becoming a reality, as Toledo City Council just approved contributing $1 million.

Art connection: Crosby Festival attracts artisans far and wide Location, location, location. It’s why many artists travel across the country, or just the county, to be a part of the Crosby Arts Festival on the 66-acre grounds of Toledo Botanical Garden.

Toledo's first medical marijuana dispensary set to open in fall As a sophomore at Bucknell, Toledo native Pete Kadens started a company for a business class, selling camping chairs emblazoned with the university’s blue and orange bison logo. Soon, he had 32 employees under him and was turning the highest profit his professor had ever seen. Two decades later, Mr. Kadens is the CEO of one of the biggest cannabis companies in the country, with a market cap of more than $1 billion. His company, Green Thumb Industries, which will soon grow, manufacture, or sell marijuana in seven states, is poised to open Toledo’s first medical marijuana dispensary on West Sylvania Avenue this fall.
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