Success on Sandusky's South Side

SANDUSKY — On Tuesday, many stakeholders — local residents, area children, city officials and the area's Congresswoman, U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur — attended a celebration for major public improvements in Sandusky's south side. This, most notably, included: • Renovating Churchwell Park • Completing the first phase of infrastructure improvements in the surrounding MacArthur Park neighborhood A ribbon-cutting ceremony occurred to mark the milestone. "When the community comes together and works with our city, we can accomplish great things," said Dora Grant, a south side resident who has spent decades advocating for the neighborhood. "We are extremely grateful to see real improvements happening here, and to know that more are on the way." The ceremony also recognized the legacy of Floyd Churchwell, Sandusky's first African American police officer and the park's namesake. Churchwell Park was named in his honor in 1995. His son, Floyd Churchwell Jr., and sister-in-law, Betty Churchwell, attended the ribbon-cutting to celebrate the occasion. Years in the making Churchwell Park is located in the heart of the MacArthur Park neighborhood, which was originally developed in the 1940s as wartime housing to support the influx of workers at the Plum Brook Ordnance Works munitions plant. Built quickly to meet an urgent need, the neighborhood's infrastructure was never intended to last for generations. Over the past decade, the city has made ongoing investments in the neighborhood, primarily through the demolition of blighted structures and land clearance in preparation for future redevelopment. "These projects represent years of planning," city manager John Orzech said. "We're proud to be making real, tangible progress in the south side by investing in parks, fixing infrastructure and preparing the neighborhood for future housing," Orzech said. "I want to thank Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur for securing federal dollars to help fund this project. We look forward to starting Phase 2 later this year." Making sense of the dollars and cents The total cost of the improvements totaled almost $5 million, which included costs for construction, design and planning. Funding came from a combination of local, state and federal sources, including the American Rescue Plan Act, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the Erie County Health Department and community project funding through the Department of the Interior, secured by Kaptur. What's done? What's next? Churchwell Park now features a brand-new playground, splash pad, basketball courts, walking paths, shaded seating and open lawn space, designed to serve as a welcoming and safe gathering place for the community: • Phase 1 of the infrastructure work in the MacArthur Park neighborhood included installing upgraded water and sewer lines and relocating them into the public right-of-way as well as building new roads and sidewalks to support future housing development. • Phase 2 of the infrastructure improvements, which will focus on the eastern side of the neighborhood, is set to begin later this year. This will come at an additional cost, possibly between $2 million and $3 million. The improvements reflect the goals of the South Side Neighborhood Plan adopted in 2023 after extensive community input. That plan identified Churchwell Park and the MacArthur Park neighborhood as top priorities for investment in housing, infrastructure, and public space. Visit cityofsandusky.com/macarthurpark for more information on the project.