Displaying items by tag: winter

Last winter the City of Akron received a lot of blowback from citizens upset with the lack of response to a January storm that left several people stuck in the snow, some for days.

Mayor Dan Horrigan issued an apology to residents of Akron, saying they were re-evaluating their snow and ice removal process. 

Fast forward to Wednesday, and it appears the City has revamped the winter-weather response, as Mayor Horrigan announced the new "aggressive snow and ice removal plan" ahead of the 2019-2020 winter season.

"We will have more plows and equipment and those trucks will have better access to the salt," the Mayor told the Jasen Sokol Show on Wednesday, shortly after rolling out the plan to the public. "There is also a route revision; we've reworked it so that it's more responsive to neighborhood needs." 

One of the biggest changes to the winter strategy is that the City has ended their contract with ODOT that previously required the city to plow 150 miles of Akron highways. That responsibility now lies solely on ODOT, freeing up more resources to focus on city streets.

See more from the City of Akron below: 

Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan was joined by City Council leadership and Public Works staff this morning as he unveiled his aggressive plan to overhaul the City’s approach to snow and ice removal for the upcoming winter season.  The new 5-point strategy includes significant improvements to equipment, technology, logistics, and training.

“Last winter we experienced a once-in-a-decade snow storm, which ended up revealing some unacceptable weaknesses in our system,” Director of Public Service John Moore said. “After that event, we immediately got to work critically evaluating every aspect of our strategy, with a commitment to being better prepared, across the board.”

“I am proud to say that today is a new day in terms of Akron’s snow and ice response,” Mayor Horrigan said. “For the 2019-2020 winter season, we will have more plow trucks, better access to salt, new routes, enhanced training, and better policies and technology to ensure we are maximizing our available resources and manpower. The singular goal is to get our streets cleared as soon as possible to reduce the dangers and hassle for residents and drivers.”  

One important change was the decision not to renew the ODOT maintenance agreement, which has been in place for over 50 years, in which the City maintained state interstates within its borders. By concluding that agreement, the City will have additional trucks, materials and manpower to dedicate to Akron streets.  The City will make up for the lost revenue from that agreement with a portion of the new, additional gas tax revenue from the State of Ohio, estimated at an additional $3.2 million annually. 

The full 5-point improvement strategy is summarized below. 

1.     More Plow Trucks and Equipment

·        Ended ODOT maintenance contract for highways, allowing 5 more 15-ton plow trucks to be available for plowing City streets

·        3 new replacement 5-ton trucks allowing additional backup equipment in major events

·        13 additional smaller 1-ton trucks outfitted with plows and/or salt spreaders which will be used for complaint-response in every City ward.

·        More aggressive maintenance schedules and opening additional City facilities (including the Copley Road facility) for maintenance work to reduce plows being out of service when they’re needed most

2.     Better Access to Salt

·        Market is recovering from extreme salt supply shortage last winter with more materials available nationwide

·        Already secured commitment on our full quantity of salt at approx. 25,000 tons

·        More salt available for City streets without ODOT maintenance agreement.

3.     Route Revisions

·        Recrafting of routes on City street allowing quicker completion, and minimize travel times between routes, materials and service locations.

·        Continuing work with logistics experts to maximize effectiveness and efficiency

·        Outside contractors will have access to pre-assigned areas for emergency assistance

4.     Enhanced Training

·        Providing additional in-truck training of new plow drivers by experienced operators

·        Working with simulator vendors and partners to provide enhanced classroom training

5.     Improved Policies & Technology

·        Working with City Council to adopt improvements to the Parking Ban procedure including earlier notification

·        Supervisors in the field will have better access to Automated Vehicle Location (AVL) system, 3-1-1 service requests, work order management in real time. 

·        Internal Constant Improvement Team established to review responses to events and make changes and improvements before the next event. 

“While we do still live in Northeast Ohio where Mother Nature ultimately wins—this is about delivering the services that residents expect and deserve—effectively and efficiently,” Mayor Horrigan remarked, “I want to thank City Council, our residents who shared their thoughts and input, and especially the hardworking City crews that work long, challenging shifts during major storms.  With these important enhancements, I’m confident we are appropriately prepared for the coming winter season.” 

“This is truly an aggressive new strategy, and I am pleased with the investment and dedication it demonstrates,” Council President Margo Sommerville said.  “I want to thank the citizens of the Snow and Ice Task Force for their assistance.  City Council looks forward to partnering with the administration to deploy these new policies and strategies to improve our ability to effectively clear city streets of snow and ice this winter.” 

Additional information about the new and improved strategy, along with a detailed “Snow and Ice FAQ” is available on the City’s website and also on the City Council website.  As always, residents with concerns or complaints should contact the Mayor’s Action Center by dialing 3-1-1 or (330) 375-2311 or submitting online at www.akronohio.gov/311.

Akron is in store for more bitter cold temps as we make are way toward the New Year, with overnight lows in the single, even negative digits Saturday and Sunday. In response, the City of Akron has extended cold shelter hours at various community centers throughout the city.. Mayor Horrigan said, in a press release, "The City of Akron would like to do our part in making sure we provide a warm place to drop in and escape the cold." 

Meanwhile, Haven of Rest Ministries is under a "Code Zero", reminding Akron area residents who may be looking for a break from the cold, that their doors are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Haven is located at 175 E. Market Street in Downtown Akron. 

See the full press release and list of community centers below: 

(CITY OF AKRON) Akron, Ohio, December 28, 2017 –

Effective Saturday, December 30, 2017 and continuing through Monday, January 1, the City of Akron will be extending hours in three community centers to double as warming centers for those residents who are in need.

“As temperatures are slated to drop significantly, and some citizens may not have adequate access to a properly heated facility throughout the day, the City of Akron would like to do our part in making sure we provide a warm place to drop in and escape the cold,” Mayor Dan Horrigan said. “Specific centers will now be open on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, when many other public spaces may be closed.”

The following centers will be open Saturday, Dec 30 – Monday, Jan 1, 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.:

Mason Park Community Center 700 E. Exchange Street Akron, OH 44306 330-375-2821

Patterson Park Community Center 800 Patterson Avenue Akron, OH 44310 330-375-2819

Summit Lake Community Center 380 W. Crosier Street Akron, OH 44311 330-375-2826

The City will continue to monitor for continuous frigid temperatures. Unless otherwise specified, the centers will return to their normal business hours starting January 2, 2018. 

Winter appears to be far from over as we in Northeast Ohio were brutally reminded this week. 

One hopeful sign that perhaps the worst is behind us: the National Weather Service's Winter Weather Advisory expiration was moved up from 8 p.m. Wednesday to 4 p.m. and forecasters call for the snow to taper off by mid-afternoon. 

But that doesn't mean the cold is going anywhere. The high temperature for Wednesday is only 27* and was already reached by noon. Factor in the wind chill and some areas could be hit with what feels like -2*, according to the National Weather Service. 

Road conditions progressively got better throughout the morning commute Wednesday, but Brent Kovacs with ODOT tells the Ray Horner Morning Show that trucks will continue to treat the roadways overnight into early Thursday morning to prevent any freezing when temperatures continue to drop. 

For those who may not have anywhere to go when the cold bites as it has this week, Haven of Rest Ministries reminds all residents that their doors are open. They have enacted "Code Zero" and are accomodating their facility at 175 E. Market Street. 

Ohio Residents unexpectedly are experiencing warmer weather in the months of November and December, but the people at Boston Mills Brandywine are thanking mother nature for the recent drop in temperatures.

Boston Mills Brandywine product manager Ricky McMullen said with the recent cold front; crews have been able to get to work.

"We've made really good progress with the temperatures. We've counted some high humidity. We've been able to work through it and put down some good amount of snow."

McMullen said with the recent cold temperatures, this coming week's warm weather won't affect the business's plan to open soon.

"With the amount of snow that we've been able to produce and what the forecast looks like we are going to be able to produce over the next couple of days, once we get open, we should be able to stay open with the amount of snow that we've created."

McMullen said because of the warmer temperatures the business has had a hard time staying open, opening for only one day. He said customers have still been supportive.

"People were actually pretty positive even though it didn't look like it was going to stick around very long."

Boston Mills Brandywine will make an announcement in a couple of days on when they'll be open, McMullen said.

The winter season officially begins tonight, but the freezing temperatures and snowflakes are nowhere in sight.

"If you like mild temperatures and lots of rain, you're going to like the forecast, " said Meteorologist Richard Lewelling with the Weather Channel.

Temperatures are expected to reach near the 60s on Wednesday and stay above average through the rest of the year.

"In fact, the coolest temperature I see, anywhere in the next 16 days, is a 40 degree low at night," said Lewelling. "So, pretty much, everyday between now and the end of the year we're going to be looking at 40s, 50s and even 60s in the forecast."

Lewelling predicts record-breaking temperatures across the country as the year comes to a close.

"We're going to see a lot of records fall by the wayside. I think you have to go way back in the record books to some of the strongest El Ninos to actually see weather like this, anywhere in the country. In fact, there's really nothing that compares to it."

The ice skating rink at Lock 3 opens today (Friday) -- a week before the official grand opening of this year's winter lineup in Downtown Akron. 

New to the winter lineup this year is an indoor/outdoor skating rink, sponsored by the University of Akron, with a polymer surface for beginners 14 and under. 

That will open next Friday, November 27, along with many of the traditional events schedule, including the annual Holiday Tree Lighting Festival. 

Below is a list of events/activities scheduled this year, provided by Lock 3:

THE ICE RINK: The Lock 3 ice rink opens Friday, November 20, 2015 through Presidents Day, February 15, 2016. Admission to the ice rink is free to everyone. Skates can be rented for $3. Skate rental closes 1⁄2 hour before rink closes.

ZIPPY'S LITTLE ROO RINK: Presented by The University of Akron, Ohio's Polytechnic University. The 28' x 48' rink designed for beginner skaters, age 14 and under, is an all weather, indoor/outdoor synthetic skating surface and is one of our newest attractions to Lock 3! Zippy's Little Roo Rink will operate during the same hours as the Ice Rink.

AKRON CHILDREN'S MUSEUM POP-UP SITE: Explore the emerging Akron Children's Museum Pop-Up Site, presented by PNC at Lock 3 this winter! Families can explore, create, build, and move through our interactive exhibits designed to inspire the imagination. Admission is $3.Open Wednesday-Saturday 11 am – 7 pm and Sunday 11 am –5 pm. Check Akronkids.org for more information.

POLAR PUTT-PUTT: 9 holes of indoor putt-putt golf that winds through festive holiday decor. Fun for all ages. $3 for 9 holes.

THE HOLIDAY TREE LIGHTING FESTIVAL: On Friday November 27th at 7 p.m. the City of Akron and Downtown Akron Partnership will light up the night sky over Lock 3. The half hour program hosted by WONE's Jeff Kinzbach will feature North East Ohio native, The Voice's Jacob Rummel and end with the lighting of spectacular displays throughout Lock 3 & a must see pyrotechnics show. It is also tradition for guests to stay after the show and ice skate into the night.

THE WELCOME SANTA PARADE: Saturday November 28th at 11am. This annual family tradition features over 75 units including marching bands, floats, costumed characters, dance groups and area organizations. The parade will end with Santa coming to town! Santa will stop at the main stage for the end of the parade entertainment and then come to Lock 3 to meet everyone. All Lock 3 attractions will be open.

REINDEER RUN: Enjoy 150 feet of downhill fun on our all-season polymer coated slide designed for children 14 and under. Adults may accompany children on the slide. Only sleds provided by Lock 3 may be used and are rented for $3 for 30 minutes. The number of sleds available each half-hour will be limited to ensure maximum fun. Purchase wristband and time slot at Skate Rental Desk.

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA: Enjoy Breakfast with Santa on December 12, 13, 19 and 20 from 9:30-11am. Breakfast is $10 and includes pancakes with lots of yummy toppings, sausage, hot chocolate and orange juice. A ticket to ride the Magical Train, access to the Akron Children's Museum Pop-Up location, and your choice of a skate rental, Reindeer Run wristband, or a game of polar putt-putt. Bring your camera for plenty of photos with Santa! Reservations recommended by calling Lock 3 at 330-375-2877.

COUNTOWN TO FIRST NIGHT: A celebration in diversity and the largest community visual arts display in Northeast Ohio is Lock 3's "Countdown to First Night," featuring 40, hand-painted banners from schools, churches, community centers, ethnic organizations and civic groups - each one illustrating an expression of the winter holiday season. Lock 3 unveils a new banner on the State Street Parking Deck façade each evening, between Nov. 27 and First Night.

THE MAGICAL TRAIN: Enjoy a drive through Lock 3 on this trackless train that holds both adults and children. Fare is $3 for adults and children.

THE VINTAGE ONEIL'S WINDOW DISPLAYS: The famous classic department store animated window displays that Akronites remember from the 1960's through the 1980's will be displayed in the windows of the O'neil's and Polsky buildings on Main St. Displays include The 3 Little Pigs, The Wizard of Oz, 3 Men in a Tub, Alice In Wonderland, The Cabbage Patch Kids, Raggedy Ann and more.

CRAFT IN SANTA'S WORKSHOP: December 3, 10, 17 from 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. in Santa's Workshop (located inside Polar Putt Putt). Children 3-12 years old. FREE. Looking for a fun evening out with the kiddies? Join Santa and his helpers making crafts inside Santa's workshop! Lots of fun craft projects to choose from. You make it and then take it home with you! Enjoy photo opportunities with Santa and complimentary cookies and punch. Lots of holiday fun!

CRAFTY MART PRESENTS COTTAGE MART: For the first time, Crafty Mart is hosting a holiday pop-up market with a curated collection of our area's finest artists and makers in the outdoor wooden cottages. Enjoy ice skating, the new Children's Museum space, have a cup of hot chocolate, and stroll through the outdoor marketplace. Do your holiday gift shopping for locally-made items by small business makers for one weekend only. Saturday December 5th 11 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sunday, December 6th 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

AKRON2AKRON HOLIDAY WALKING TOUR: Join us for the Akron2Akron Downtown Christmas History Walking Tour and After Party on Saturday December 12th. The Walking Tour starts at 4pm and is free to the public and is led by Joanna Wilson the author of The Story of Archie the Talking Snowman and Akron's History of Christmas Attractions.

FIRST LOCK 3 JINGLE BELL BASH: To benefit Ronald McDonald House of Akron. December 12th at 6pm inside Lock 3. Admission is $10 and each party goer will receive 2 tickets to a raffle, one drink ticket, and food. There will be coffee, hot chocolate, Thirsty Dog's Christmas Ale, soda, holiday cookies and hor d'oeuvres available. Guests will also have free access to ice skate and play putt putt golf during the event.

SPECIAL EVENTS: Need something to make your winter weekends a little warmer? Stay tuned to the website for more events and activities throughout January and February.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE: The concession stand at Lock 3 offers chili, soups and other hot items to warm skating and sledding enthusiasts. Akron's own Thirsty Dog brews are offered, including Lock 3 Lager. Coca Cola soft drinks and hot chocolate are also available.