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May 3 - 10, 2006
New playground finally arrives
Stewart Traditional Elementary School Principal Sandy Trinter tries out the slide on the school's new playground during a dedication ceremony Friday.
By GARTH BISHOP
After a seemingly endless, seven-year fundraising process, Stewart Traditional Elementary School finally has its new playground.
The old equipment, which was outdated and unsafe, was removed last month, and construction of the new equipment began the week of April 17.
Construction was completed just before students returned from spring break.
"The kids came back from spring vacation, and it was like a miracle had happened," said Principal Sandy Trinter. "They're just swarming all over it."
Getting together the money to build the playground -- a process that ended in March with the sale of commemorative bricks for a walkway near the playground -- was no easy feat.
"We had no grant," Trinter said. "It was all (holding) fundraisers over these years."
A dedication ceremony for the playground was held Friday.
At the dedication, school employees and PTA members thanked some of the most important contributors to the effort, including Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Lurie, Rooster's, Joe Rader and Carol Pugh.
After the thanks, the walkway containing the commemorative bricks was unveiled, and a group of designated students went around the playground to show how all the different pieces of equipment are used.
"That was a wonderful way to end the dedication," Trinter said.
Though the long fundraising process was discouraging at times, Trinter said, the end product was well worth it.
"I think that for everyone, it's the end of a big dream and a wonderful one."
House withstands move to new home
Gazette photo by Jef Vidmar
A work crew moves the Gerhold house from its old location at 715 S. High St. to its new lot at 1070 Front St. Julia D'Elia and Faye Muncie are the owners of the house.
By GARTH BISHOP
Despite a setback, the historic Gerhold house has been successfully moved to its new location without suffering any damage.
The house, previously located at 115 S. High St., made the move to 1070 S. Front St. on Sunday after six months of planning.
Julie D'Elia of Muncie-D'Elia Development, which owns the house, said she believes it was built in the 1840's.
Though the house remains in pristine condition following the move, its trip was not entirely smooth.
"We had a significant snag in front of McDonald's," said D'Elia. "The side of the house hit a power line, and it was still electrified."
As a result, the wheels of the truck carrying the house caught fire, though the electricity was quickly grounded out on the tires.
"We lost, mainly, all of the hydraulics on the wheels, which made it hard for us to turn onto Greenlawn (Avenue) and onto High Street," D'Elia said.
Eight tires were scorched, though a fire inspector went through the house and determined it was not damaged.
"Structurally, (the house) took the move very well," said D'Elia.
The 5,000-square foot house will be converted into condominiums of about 1,200 square feet each, D'Elia said. Additions will be made to the house to make this possible.
"We've got pictures of it, so we're going to restore it exactly as it was," said D'Elia.
Grange Insurance, which owned the house previously, made a sacrifice in selling and moving the house, which D'Elia said showed the company's dedication to the community.
"They had been trying to move the house for several years and find an interested party," said D'Elia.
"I was approached by a gentlemen who works for the Ohio Historical Society and asked if we would be interested," D'Elia said. "We went over, took a look at it, and fell in love with it."
A representative from "Mega Movers," a show on the History Channel that covers the moves of large structures including historic buildings, may have been in attendance, D'Elia said.
German Village Society sets year's agenda
Thursday, January 12, 2006
By TRISTAN CROWE
ThisWeek Staff Writer
Members of the German Village Society met in special session Jan. 7 with one goal in mind: Deciding how to improve the group's operations and the neighborhood.
"Everyone, even those who are not members of the society, come together to work and make their neighborhoods better than ever," said Mary Cusik, trustee for the society. "With this time of the year, everyone is now catching up with various orders of business, and wants to begin looking toward a brighter future."
The group expects to review successes and plans from 2005 and to formulate a new agenda for 2006.
"I think one of the things we want to develop is a long-range plan for the community, and ourselves," she said. "We do have something here that is quite unique in its own right, and to continue with that process, groups like ours must take that initiative and see to it that the area continues to be a place where people want to live and shop."
While tourism remains a top draw for people taking in the ambience of German Village, Cusik said further discussions would continue for the district's successful Neighbors 4 Neighbors program.
According to www.germanvillage.com, area residents participating in the program work with the 11th precinct of the Columbus City Police Department, tracking statistics for the German Village neighborhood, identifying certain trends and educating residents on how best to keep their properties safe.
"There is always an opportunity to remind ourselves or refresh ourselves on how to best serve our neighborhood, and keep things safe," Cusik said. "This is an area that is so close to the urban areas, and some of the problems that may result. This is another opportunity for us to make our area a place where people feel safe and want to shop and visit."
Another product of the Columbus spilling over to German Village is the draw of new businesses to the area.
The society plans to continue talks on how to develop relations with companies and individuals that offer a certain niche.
"What we'd like to see is a nice mix of things that attract everyone with particular tastes," Cusik said, adding the group also plans to access the district's streetscape.
"What we mean with the streetscape is to see how it looks, and see what else we can do to improve on the image," Cusik said.
Part of the streetscape discussion could evolve into conversations of paving heavily traveled South Third Street.
The idea is merely part of a discussion, Cusik said, as the group wants what is best for the district.
"Certainly when it snows, the roads here do become more treacherous since it is impossible to use a blade to clear the way," she said. "It comes down to deciding what is best for the area, what is aesthetically pleasing or fitting. It is difficult to maintain our unique brick roads when there is snow and ice, but we as a society have to decide which is doable for us, and what is best for the residents and people that live here and visit here.
"From there, we decide what to pursue, but only after considerable amounts of feedback and discussion," she said.
The German Village Society will meet Feb. 6 at 6 p.m. in the Scheuer Room inside German Village's Meeting Haus.
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