Akron officials are holding a meeting Monday to find out how residents want to use a $5 million grant to improve public spaces.
The grant comes from the Knight Foundation's Reimagining the Civic Commons project, which awarded the grant to Akron, as well as Memphis, Chicago, Detroit and Philadelphia earlier this month.
The project will allow residents to decide how the money will be spent to improve three civic areas around the city.
Those areas are Park East, Summit Lake and the Civic gateway, which is defined as the area between Cascade Plaza and Lock 3.
Katelyn Freil is a spokesperson for the Ohio and Erie Canalway Coalition, which has been appointed as the organizer for the project.
“I think what we want to stress to the public is that this project is really about them. We can’t do this project with them and so their support, their engagement is critical. So anyway they are interested in getting involved, we would love to have their support.”
The first meeting will take place tonight at 6 p.m. in the Akron Civic Theatre.
Another meeting is scheduled for Wednesday night.
Ideas can also be submitted by contacting the Ohio and Erie Canalway Coalition.
