The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
SAFETY TOWN HAS A NEW LOOK
Community celebrates opening of new facility at Lorain High School
Members of the Lorain Police Department, city officials and community members gathered June 19 to celebrate the opening of Lorain City Schools’ Safety Town.
This will be the first class to graduate from the annual safety school in their new digs at Lorain High School, 2600 Ashland Ave.
Previously, the classes were held at the old Southview High School, located at 2270 E. 42nd St.
The new facility seeks to create a miniature city that the students will explore while learning proper road safety.
More generic-looking buildings like a post office and fire department stand side-by-side with a realistic representation of the Lorain Lighthouse.
Lorain police Chief Cel Rivera said the program got its start in 1937 in Mansfield, Ohio, after a child was struck by a car and killed.
Rivera said the program then spread across
“The city of Lorain and the citizens of Lorain really benefitted, not only from the new High School, but for the Safety Town."
— Lorain police Sgt. Rick Soto
the country, and was in Lorain throughout the 1950s and 1960s.
When the city came under hard times in the 1970s, the program was suspended only to return in 1993 after a police levy was passed.
According to Lorain police Sgt. Rick Soto, the former location was built after the levy passed in 1993 and was used until 2016.
“This one should last many, many years,” Soto said.
The new facility is mainly a thanks to the effort of Lorain City Schools and Jeff Hawks, executive director of operations.
“He was able to round up all of the building trades that built the Lorain High School to donate their time and materials to the sight that you see here,” Soto explained gesturing toward the miniature city.
The new home also was made possible by the Cleveland Job Corps Center,
First Student, Girl Scout Troop 50777, Hammond Construction, Lakeland Community Foundation, Lorain High School – Career Tech, Nordson Corp., SMART Local 33, Then Design Architecture and the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, who acted as gold sponsors of the project.
Other sponsors includes Lorain County Community Action Agency, Anthony Giardini, Lorain County Community College, Bricklayers Local No. 5, Lorain Fire Department, Construction and General
Laborers Union, Local 758, Lorain Lions Club, Heat and Frost Insulators, Lorain FOP Lodge No. 3, Horizon Education Centers, Lorain Rotary Club, Key Bank, Citizens for Lorain Schools, Mercy Regional Health Facility, Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6 and Sheet Metal Workers Local 33.
According to Soto, these groups donated not only money but also supplies and manpower.
“The city of Lorain and the citizens of Lorain really benefitted, not only
from the new High School, but for the Safety Town,” Soto said.
Lorain police Officer Kyle Gelenius said the Police Department still is taking applications for three other sessions of Safety Town. The sessions will take place the weeks of July 10, 17 and 24.
Gelenius said the program isn’t exactly what many people remember from their childhoods.
The Police Department has updated several of the videos and rather than bring the Fire Department
to the children, this year, they will take the children to the station for a tour.
According to Gelenius, the sessions are good for children because it teaches them life lessons that can keep them safe.
“You instill good safety practices now, and hopefully, it carries with them throughout their lives and into adulthood so they don’t find themselves in a tragic situation,” he said.
For information or to register for Safety Town, visit www.lorainpolice. com/safety-town/