The City of Akron is hosting its annual Blue Heron homecoming tomorrow, which this year will also include tours of its $1.4 billion sewer project.
The third annual Blue Heron Homecoming starts at 10 a.m. at the Mustill Store, just north of downtown. The event has been moved there this year so visitors can learn more about the sewer project; tours will be available starting at the store.
Akron Waterways Renewed Spokeswoman Heather Bolestridge says there will be free lunch, as well as a chance to learn more about rain barrels.
“We’re going to teach people about rain barrels and how they work and why they’re important. We’re going to be teaching people about different programs we have available through Akron. We’ll have the [Cuyahoga Valley] National Park here, the [Summit] MetroParks, the [Akron] Zoo. We’ll also have a free lunch and just a lot of fun.”
“We’re going to have availability for people to sign up to potentially go through a class, and then at that class they’ll be able to take rain barrels home. Limited spots so that’s a big reason to come, so you can get that rain barrel.”
There will also be an opportunity to see where a massive tunnel-boring machine will be fired-up in July at a site near the Mustill Store.
The Blue Heron homecoming was started as a way to appreciate the four-foot-tall bird that is native to Northeast Ohio. The species experienced declining population before efforts were made to clean up the Cuyahoga River.
City officials have said drivers can expect heavy construction this summer due to both the sewer and the Innerbelt projects happening simultaneously. Parking maps for the Blue Heron homecoming are available here.
