Holidays in Pickerington
A look at what the City has planned for December
Pickerington is a magical place to live, especially during the holidays.
The season begins with the Olde Pickerington Village Holiday Gathering on Friday, Dec. 1 in the Olde Pickerington Village from 5-8:30 p.m.
Festivities include horse-drawn carriage rides, carolers strolling through the City, free activities for children, holiday gift ideas for family and friends, and even a visit from Santa Claus. This year, Santa’s reindeer will visit the City on Dec. 1 for the very first time. They will await their sleigh driver in the parking lot between the Hair Boutique and City Building Department.
The annual tree lighting ceremony at 7 p.m. officially brightens and begins the holiday season. The Holiday Gathering, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by the Pickerington Village Association and the City of Pickerington Parks and Recreation Department.
“It’s a great opportunity to bring many organizations together to put on a cheerful event for the community,” said City Parks and Recreation Director Rebecca Medinger.
Pickerington residents can also provide the gift of warmth to area children by stopping by City
Hall, located at 100 Lockville Rd., Dec. 1-15 to place mittens, gloves, hats and other warm clothing items on the Dorothy Steiger Memorial Mitten Tree.
Santa will be coming to town for breakfast with all of his friends on Saturday, Dec. 2 at the Pickerington Senior Center, located at 150 Hereford Dr. There are three opportunities to dine with Jolly Old St. Nick: 8, 9:30 and 11 a.m.
Tickets for the merry morning were sold Nov. 1-30 and can be purchased at the Pickerington Parks and Recreation Department. No tickets are available at the door.
Santa’s special menu of activities include breakfast, a craft, holiday music, bake sale and special secret Santa gift shop. All proceeds benefit the Pickerington Senior Center.
For children who have their wish list of toys ready to be mailed, the North Pole Express mailbox in front of City Hall will be delivering letters to Santa. Children can drop a note in Santa’s special mailbox through Friday, Dec. 15 and receive a letter back from him or one of his helpers.
Since Santa is extra busy at this time of year, please include the child’s name and return address so that Santa has all the important information he needs at his fingertips.
Work to Do
Pickerington’s Capital Improvement Project plans
Infrastructure improvements that benefit residents of Pickerington are on the City’s list of priorities.
Annually, the City’s budget includes Capital Improvement Project (CIP) funds earmarked to enhance or improve roadways, paths, water or sewer lines, park facilities, and much more.
Last year, City staff and the City Council placed on its “radar” more than 150 projects. City Engineer Scott Tourville said those projects were reviewed and prioritized based on the needs of the City and project costs.
“We use that as a guide with any additions based on
what we know, and then propose those projects and funding amounts to council for its approval,” Tourville said.
While some of the projects can be completed in a single year, other improvements take many years to plan and require funding from outside sources to make them possible. In 2017, the City set aside $4.93 million in its CIP budget line item for 10 projects.
“Some of the projects – including $1.3 million for paving maintenance and curb repairs, work on the covered bridge, and West Church Street concrete improvements – were single-year projects,” Tourville said. “Others are multiyear projects that had phases this year, such as the design of Windmiller Dam removal, the right-of-way acquisition for Refugee Road widening and paving project, and a study of the water plant to make sure it has the capacity to meet future needs.”
For 2018, City departments have asked City Council to review a total of 17 projects, totaling more than $14.2 million.
“Refugee Road is the biggest project. Construction alone is expected to be more than $8 million and take almost two years,” Tourville said. “The majority of the funding for Refugee Road is from grants, plus the OhioHealth Tax Increment Financing. We have to budget all the money next year for that project, plus we’ll spend another $1.2 to $1.3 million on pavement maintenance in 2018.”
If the items are approved by Council, the City anticipates also using CIP funds to remove the Windmiller Dam and to improve a number of Pickerington’s park facilities. Tourville said the projects are designed to provide the community with first-rate transportation roadways, utility services and park amenities to meet the needs of a growing community.
“The projects are aimed at protecting and improving the health, safety and welfare of the community and enhancing the quality of life for the area,” Tourville said.
