Officials celebrate new I-90 welcome center

Jul. 2—CONNEAUT — Gov. Mike DeWine was in town on Monday afternoon to celebrate the completion of the Interstate 90 Welcome Center.

DeWine started the event by joking about greeting people who entered the welcome center, which was open during the ceremony.

DeWine said the ceremony was overdue.

"We had a few minor tweaks that had to be done, but now we're officially opening it," he said. "The idea of kind of re-doing our rest areas around the state of Ohio goes back many, many years. Fran and I have eight children, and as we would travel around Ohio, or as we would travel around other states, rest areas are pretty important."

DeWine said he thought it would be great to focus on rest areas. He said the most important part was to give people a safe, clean place to rest.

"We also thought it was a great idea to brag about Ohio, and to let people see what might be coming up along the road," he said.

The welcome center has pictures of a number of areas in Ashtabula County, along with other northeast Ohio landmarks. The welcome center also has a model covered bridge, made by area resident Walter Gunter.

DeWine said the state is conducting a four-year project to build new rest areas, and renovate others.

Ashtabula County Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Stephanie Siegel told a story about when she was young.

"When I was a little girl, I had a dream I wanted to visit Florida," she said. "I knew three things about Florida: I knew it was sunny and warm, I knew Minnie Mouse lived there, and I knew that if I went to their welcome center, they would give me fresh-pressed orange juice. So that made list of soliciting my family, we need to go to Florida. They created an experience."

Siegel said one of the biggest challenges in marketing is to stand out, and the welcome center offers an experience for visitors.

"We've done here in Ohio what little, 7-year-old Stephanie thought was really important from Florida back in the day," she said.

Siegel thanked the state for paying attention to the details at the center.

"I especially want to thank the Department of Development staff, who graciously tolerated our unsolicited feedback, we have a lot of opinions in this space," she said. She also thanked the staff who work at the center for taking such good care of it.

Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of Development, said the welcome center is beautiful.

"In fact, I was about to say it's Ashta-beautiful," she said.

Mihalik said Ashtabula County is one of the most beautiful counties in the state, and it makes sense the welcome center would be just as beautiful.

"It's the perfect first impression that you could get when you visit this beautiful region," she said.

She thanked everyone who had a hand in making the center what it is.

"You've created so much more than just a place where you have brochures and vending machines," Mihalik said. "Just like a front door to a home, this rest area welcomes travelers into our state, offering them the chance to relax and unwind before starting their next Ohio adventure."

She said the center does a good job of showing how the state is the heart of it all.

"We have the natural beauty of Geneva State Park, and the agricultural heritage of the Grand River Valley," Mihalik said. "We're home to historical destinations like the Hubbard House and attractions like the Lake Erie lighthouses."

ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks said the center is a realization of DeWine's vision.

"We are really so excited about this upgraded welcome center," he said. "The custom furniture, the new graphics, the handmade covered bridge, truly capture the history and the natural beauty of northeast Ohio."

Marchbanks spoke about several partnerships ODOT has with organizations that help provide opportunities for people with disabilities.

"These types of partnerships and contracts embody our core values, to ensure all Ohioans have the opportunity to strive," he said.

The welcome center also has a Storybook Trail, which has book pages spread along a section of trail.

DeWine said the trails are an opportunity for kids to get out of a car on a long trip, walk, and read.

"The one that's out there, in case you haven't gone to see it, is The Very Hungry Caterpillar," he said. "That's one of our family favorites."