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An Unmatched Destination!
Before she got involved in local government as a councilwoman in 1998, Wadsworth Mayor Robin Laubaugh didn’t know how unique the city’s services were. “I didn’t realize that not every community provides all the things that we provide,” she said. “I thought everybody treated their own water. I thought everybody had their own sanitation department. I didn’t know how unique it was for a city to have its own electric utility. The services we provide truly bring great pride — not only because we provide them, but also because of the quality of the services we provide.”
Those services are a big reason why Wadsworth boasts the tagline, “A Community Unmatched,” Laubaugh said. “Wadsworth offers a safe, small-town atmosphere and a convenient location with highway access to anywhere,” she said. “We have this wonderful quaint downtown and we have a lot of nice retail and other amenities. But we’re also nicely situated in Northeast Ohio where we have even more opportunities available.”
These are “exciting times” for the community that is held together in large part by “Grizzly pride,” the mayor said. “We have some really wonderful projects and initiatives that are starting to happen,” she said. Among those projects are a new fire station on College Street and an adjacent new permanent Safety Town for preschoolers. The new 22,000-square-foot fire station, which was dedicated in November 2023, is a replacement for the previous Station No. 1. “We have two beautiful, very utilitarian fire stations,” Laubaugh said. “The new facility includes increased apparatus bay capacity and a design that is focused on safer work space and living accommodations for the staff.”
The new station includes a large technology-enriched meeting room, a workout facility, a community paramedicine examination room and a new emergency communications dispatch center. “The dispatch center was moved from a small basement location in City Hall,” Laubaugh said. “Over the years demand for emergency services has increased and our dispatch unit is the heart of those services. This past year, two new dispatch positions were created in an effort to have two dispatchers on duty at all times.” Along with the new fire station, the city also recently took delivery of a new ladder truck to replace a 30-year-old vehicle. “Additionally, EMS took delivery of Medic One, a new advanced lifesaving ambulance,” Laubaugh said.
The new Safety Town and a 9/11 Memorial are tucked behind the new station. The Safety Town Village features miniature buildings that businesses and individuals can sponsor. The Rotary Club of Wadsworth is the major sponsor, in celebration of the club’s 100th anniversary. Along with buildings, the public is also able to purchase engraved pavers as a donations. The 911 Memorial includes a piece of World Trade Center steel from the New York City Fire Department’s cache of remaining steel, Laubaugh said.
Other new projects include improvements in the city’s ample parks and recreation areas. Those projects include tennis and pickleball courts at Durling and Memorial parks. “One of the needs that became quite apparent through the development of the new parks master plan was the need for improved courts — and the inclusion of pickleball courts in particular,” Laubaugh said.
Durling Park will have two new tennis courts, four pickleball courts and a half basketball court. Memorial Park will have two new tennis courts and two pickleball courts. All of these courts are scheduled to be constructed this spring with completion anticipated by late summer.
Meanwhile, Kaleidoscope Playground is being replaced with new equipment that includes accessible features for children with disabilities. A splash pad, pavilion and new restroom facility are scheduled to be installed next to the playground. “That whole area is truly going to become a destination,” Laubaugh said.
Downtown, a new “pocket park” will be constructed on the west side of Main Street. “There’s an empty lot there now,” Laubaugh said. “The city has been fortunate to benefit from a state capital appropriations grant for this improvement. The park will include beautification features and casual seating in the area closest to the sidewalk. A small stage to host concerts and other events will be constructed at the westernmost area of the lot.” Also Downtown, the city plans to create a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area where adult beverages can be consumed outdoors.
Another project in progress would convert the historic Wadsworth Brick and Tile Co. property into the Brickyard Athletic Complex and Fixler Reservation — a 204 acre parcel on Route 94.“It’s anticipated that the northern portion of the property would be developed as a new athletic complex that will serve a variety of athletic needs,” Laubaugh said. “The southern half could be developed with a more natural setting with fishing and biking and walking trails. We’re excited to be able to reuse this unused property and make it vibrant again.” It is anticipated this park would be phased and developed over multiple years.
Another widely anticipated project is the Fiber to the Home upgrade of Wadsworth’s CityLink service, which provides cable TV, internet and phone service to residents and businesses. The project will include the placement of more than 100 miles of fiber. “This ambitious project will provide a fiber connection to every residential address and business within the city [by 2026], with installation expected to start by June [2024]” Laubaugh said.
“We have been planning for these important upgrades and projects for many years. We are in excellent financial shape,” she said. “We enjoy a very low tax rate of 1.4%, which includes a 0.1% income tax that is specifically earmarked for street maintenance.”
The mayor noted the recent growth of local manufacturers like Soprema USA, ECS Tuning and Celebrate Vitamins as examples of Wadsworth’s vibrant business sector. “When our businesses grow, they’re growing jobs and they’re growing the tax base here in the community,” she said.
Soprema recently completed a $13 million, 16,000 square-foot addition to its corporate headquarters. ECS invested about $24 million on a 110,000 square-foot expansion and renovation project that will result in almost 100 new jobs. Celebrate built an additional 15,000 square-foot facility. “Wadsworth has been enjoying the addition of multiple new businesses throughout the past year, each of which is finding its own niche in the community,” she said.