City of Westlake to elect new law director

Westlake will elect a new law director with two candidates running to replace outgoing law director John D. Wheeler.

Westlake residents will consider a renewal tax on the ballot Nov. 7 to support parks and recreation infrastructure projects.

If approved, Issue 53 will renew a 0.125-percent income tax to support a list of projects coinciding with the Westlake Parks and Recreation Master Plan. According to a release from the city, the infrastructure projects represented necessary improvements to parks, open space and recreational facilities.

The measure would support ongoing projects to replace the Peterson Pool with a new aquatics center, a senior and community services center and the proposed Bradley Road Sports Park. Additional projects include upgrades to Porter Road Fields, Recreation Center Park, Clague Park and the Bradley Nature Park, according to a release from the city.

“All of the stakeholders in our community, from the Parks and Recreation Commission, City Council, our Recreation Planning, and Service Departments to the residents, businesses, and architects have been working diligently over the years to develop a master plan that utilizes our resources to improve the overall health and well-being of our residents and visitors,” said Mayor Dennis M. Clough. “We are ready to move forward effectively and cost-efficiently with several of the new projects and to make the necessary improvements to existing facilities and properties.”

Lydia Gadd, the director of the Community Services Department spoke on the benefits of a proposed Senior and Community Services Building.

“Safe accessibility for our seniors to get to and from a building designed to meet their physical and social needs has been on the forefront of all planning,” Gadd said.

The new facility would consist of a simple layout along with being age and mobility friendly to allow for conveniently located bathrooms and community rooms.

“One of the problems of our current location is accessibility in and out of a sloped driveway on the busy five-lane intersection of Crocker Road and Center Ridge Road,” Gadd said. “The new site was chosen to allow for the center to have its own driveway and parking lot.

Bob DeMinico, director of the Parks and Recreation Department, highlighted the ongoing efforts to improve the health of the community.

“We have heard for years from doctors and public health officials that Americans are still not regularly active, resulting in obesity and the associated chronic diseases that continue to rise in every demographic, from children to seniors,” DeMinico said.

The city is prioritizing projects to replace old facilities and infrastructure which have not kept up with the needs of residents as maintenance costs continue to rise and passage of Issue 53 will allow the city to address concerns and modernize, the release said.

A new aquatics center replacing the Peterson Pool and a number of upgrades to athletic fields aims to allow the city to move forward in providing more options for residents through the Parks and Recreation Master Plan.

“With these and the other physical improvements, new programming can be added to meet the growing needs and interests of the community creating a higher quality of life,” DeMinico added.

“With these and the other physical improvements, new programming can be added to meet the growing needs and interests of the community creating a higher quality of life.” — Bob DeMinico, director of the Parks and Recreation Department