Land bank hears plans for youth activities at old Newman Park
Kids who live near the old Newman Park may soon have a place to play basketball and enjoy youth programs right in their own backyard.
Wednesday, Tara Klebowski, the director of the Richland Outreach Center, asked the the Richland County Land Bank to consider allowing the nonprofit group that serves youth to purchase the city's former Newman Park, now property of the land bank, on Newman Street.
In other news at Wednesday's meeting, Amy Hamrick, the land bank manager, said she has been contacted by a potential community partner who may have interest in preserving the Daisy Barker house, the first Black-owned home in Richland County.
Richland Outreach Center wants to purchase the Newman Street lot, and also a private residential property at 415 Wayne St., both for a deed restriction of $3,000.
Office building and pavilion planned
Klebowski said the plan is to place an office building and pavilion at the site and resurface the existing basketball court, all for kids on the northeast end of town to have something to do at what would become a community center.
Richland Outreach Center was operating at Ocie Hill and most recently for about the past two years at the former Toy Time building on North Main Street, but sold the old building this week after being unable to keep up with the costs of repairing the building.
The nonprofit group would like to get a building up by winter at the old Newman Park site and begin serving kids by spring.
The Richland Outreach Center has provided 1,000 kids with a Christmas program, along with sports activities, movies and crafts, all for free.
Klebowski told the land bank board members that funding for the youths has been provided by companies including Warren Rupp Co., Park National, BP Electric, Southern Title and Directions Credit Union. She said all she has to do is ask and the generous companies have provided for the youth projects.
Klebowski has been working with the city's codes and permits office.
Community partner interested in saving Barker house
The land bank board will put the matter back on October's agenda after discussion by the executive committee.
Regarding the historic Daisy Barker house, Hamrick asked the land bank members if it would be possible to hold off on the demolition of the house vote while the community partner pursues the idea of preserving it.
She said she was not at liberty to name any organizations interested in saving the historic structure, but said Adena Corp. employees checked out the house at 89 Wood St. on Wednesday.
The reed brick house, the first home in Richland County built and owned by African Americans, was condemned in April and is in imminent danger of falling down.
After a tour of the house in August by a group of concerned officials, Hamrick said, "I don't know there is any way to save it."
Fuel-related project possible on North Main Street
Most recently members of the Mansfield chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People expressed interest in saving the building.
Also coming before the land bank board on Wednesday was Drew Meyers, who said he was representing a client interested in purchasing two parcels of land near the Directions Credit Union on North Main Street near U.S. 30 for a fuel-related project.
Investment property owner MLB Ltd. owns property in the area but needs two forfeited parcels. MLB is in contract with a third party developer who intends to develop a project for a national owner/operator of gasoline stations and related service, according to land bank agenda and additional handouts provided to everyone attending the meeting. The transfer of land to MLB Ltd. for $1,200 was approved by the board.
The next meeting at 1 p.m. Oct. 5.
lwhitmir@gannett.com
419-521-7223
Twitter: @LWhitmir
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Land bank asked to hold off on demolition of Daisy Barker house
