July-August goings on in the Westerville community

4th of July

Fireworks, Friends and Freedom

The Rotary Club of Westerville presents “Fireworks, Friends and Freedom” as the theme of the 2016 Independence Day Celebration on Sunday, July 4.

Due to construction on South State Street, the route for the Parade is changing. Please review the map of this year’s Parade so that you don’t miss a minute of the fun!

Start the day with a patriotic 5K

Alum Creek Park North

6:30 a.m. │ Registration for Rotary Run/Walk & Children’s Run

8 a.m. │ Rotary 5K Run & Walk

9:15 a. m. │ Rotary Children’s Fun Run

9:25 a.m. │ Awards Ceremony

Route Change Announcement: 4th of July Parade

St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church (313 N. State St) to Electric Avenue

Noon │ Staging and drop-off deadline at St. Paul

1 p.m. │ Parade begins, moving south on State Street through Uptown Westerville and ending at Electric Avenue

Bring canned and boxed food items for the Westerville Area Resource Ministry Community Food Drive, which will be collected along the route. Visit www.warmwesterville.org for a list of needed items.

Food, fun and music

Westerville South High School

3-10 p.m. │ Food Trucks and Food Carts

3:30 p.m. │ Westerville Symphony

5 p.m. | Musician John Reichle

6:15 p.m. | Hurricane Jerry & The Stormfront

8 p.m. │ McGuffey Lane

Please note posted parking restrictions in the area surrounding the school for emergency vehicle and neighborhood access.

Going out with a bang

Dusk (~10 p.m.) │ Fireworks

Fireworks will simulcast with 104.9 The River. Scheduled for dusk, with the start time being approximately 10 p.m. depending on weather conditions. For timing updates, follow the City of Westerville Twitter account: @tellwesterville.

All events are sponsored by the Rotary Club of Westerville. For more information, visit www.westervillerotary.com.

By the Numbers

1,000,000,000

The Westerville Water Treatment Plant pumps almost three million gallons of water each day. The daily average is nearly 2.9 million gallons. That’s a lot of water, and each one of us is impacted, because we each use about 84 of those gallons a day. On Thursday, May 26, the ribbon cutting for the newly upgraded Water Treatment Plant took place. Tours of the facility can be arranged. Call 614-901-6770 for more information.

Super July

July is National Parks & Recreation Month

This month, join the City of Westerville in celebrating its award-winning parks system during National Park and Recreation Month, an annual event sponsored by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) that brings together communities across the country to promote the benefits of a strong and well-rounded parks department.

Whether you enjoy relaxing at the park, riding your bike or visiting Highlands Park Aquatic Center, Westerville Parks and Recreation encourages you to get outside and discover what makes Westerville a “City with a Park.”

The 2016 theme is #SuperJuly: “When Our Powers Combine, We Change Lives.” It is premised on the belief that when we work together to advance health and wellness, conservation and social equity, we can achieve great outcomes. Children can learn about these three values from park superheroes Captain Community, Green Guardian and the Fit Twins.

Here is how you can get involved:

  • Wear your favorite superhero outfit to the Family Concert on Wednesday, July 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the Alum Creek Amphitheater, 221 W. Main St. All those dressed in costume will receive special prizes.
  • Bring the whole family to SummerFest at Highlands Park Aquatic Center, 245 S. Spring Rd., on Saturday, July 16 from noon-8 p.m. Kids will get a chance to decorate their very own park superhero masks and take them home.
  • If you’re out in the parks enjoying a super-powered activity, be sure to tag Westerville Parks and Recreation using #acitywithinapark and #SuperJuly. 

In addition to National Park and Recreation Month, the NRPA National Accreditation Program recognizes communities for their commitment to quality and improvement in parks and recreational programming. Westerville Parks and Recreation has held this prestigious mark of excellence from the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies since 2005.

NRPA also awards the Excellence in Parks and Recreation Management National Gold Medal Award, honoring cities that demonstrate excellence in long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and agency recognition. The Westerville Parks and Recreation Department has received this honor four times: 1974, 2001, 2007 and, most recently, 2013.

To learn more about upcoming Westerville Parks and Recreation events and programs this summer, visit  www.westerville.org/parks or connect with us on Twitter @westervillepark.

Calling All Photographers

Westerville residents and visitors are again invited to participate in the 2017 Community Calendar Photo Contest.

Selected entries will be used in the 2017 Community Calendar, with photo credit attributed to each photographer. The invitation is open to all City of Westerville residents and visitors who are amateur or professional photographers. Submissions will be accepted until Friday, Sept. 9.

Contestants may submit up to three (3) submissions for each of the following categories:

  • Environment: Skylines, parks and open spaces in Westerville.
  • Architecture: Building designs, cityscapes and notable landmarks in Westerville.
  • People: Family, friends at home or at Westerville community events and gatherings.
  • Community Life in Westerville: Education, volunteerism, celebrations, arts and culture.

This is not a contest, and no cash or other value rewards are offered. Selected photographers will be notified in October. The calendar will be mailed to homes in Westerville with the Winter Community Recreation Guide in November.

Image Requirements

Eligible images from a digital camera or scanned copy must be in either JPEG or PNG digital format at a file size of between 3 megabytes (minimum) and 9 megabytes (maximum) at 300 dpi (dots per inch).

Submit Your Photos by Email

Attach only one (1) image file per email and send to: communityaffairs@westerville.org.

For each email, contestants must supply all the following information:

  1. On the email subject line: Calendar Photo Contest [your name]
  2. In the body of the email, also include:
  1. First and last name
  2. Phone number
  3. Street address
  4. Date and location of photo

Entry Agreement

  • Only digital, full-color images submitted in JPEG or PNG formats at 300 dpi (dots per inch) will be accepted.
  • As many as twelve (12) photos per entrant may be submitted.
  • All entries must be the original work of the submitting photographer.
  • Submissions must be subjects in the City of Westerville.
  • All submissions become the property of the City of Westerville for use in the annual Community Calendar and associated promotions.
  • All photos may be used in City publications, advertising and marketing materials.
  • Photos shall not be more than two years old and must not have been altered in any way, other than cropping.
  • Entries with watermarks or writing on the photo will not be accepted.

Imagine Westerville Presented for Public Review

More than two years of planning and thousands of hours of citizen engagement later, the Planning & Development Department has presented a final draft for Westerville’s long-range plan, “Imagine Westerville,” to the Planning Commission and Westerville City Council. This community plan considers Westerville’s most preferred future state, including housing options as well as job growth and transportation development.

This extensive planning project has shaped a series of recommendations under the topics of community, development, mobility and economic development (detailed below).

Imagine Westerville has asked for and proposed solutions for the questions of the community’s future. Is Westerville innovative and ready for the future? Will 10,000 jobs and 4,000 more housing units become a reality as our share of what’s predicted for the region? Will we have a variety of transportation options to help get us where we need to go? Read the full plan online at www.westerville.org/compplan and learn more about these and other plans for Westerville’s future.

Community

  • Increased collaboration among City and community partners.
  • Effective and efficient public safety services.
  • Year-round outdoor and indoor recreational and cultural activities.
  • Public park or trail within one-half mile of every resident.
  • Protect historic places and promote historic preservation.

Development

  • Clear zoning standards compatible with character area types.
  • Redevelop underutilized or underperforming areas.
  • Well-maintained buildings.
  • Complete neighborhoods.
  • Diverse housing choices.
  • Walkable neighborhoods with multi-family developments.
  • Adequate, efficient and effective public utilities.

Mobility

  • A transportation system that respects and complements its context.
  • Accessible, safe and convenient bicycle and pedestrian system.
  • Increase public transit as a transportation choice.
  • Create “smart” parking policies throughout the City.

Economic Vitality

  • Desirable physical qualities, attracting employees to Westerville.
  • Targeted industry sectors are thriving, and innovation is rewarded.
  • Leverage assets to attract new investments and generate returns on investment.

Find Your Neighbors “Nextdoor”

For more than two years, the Westerville Division of Police (WPD) has partnered with Nextdoor (www.nextdoor.com) – a free, private online resource for communities – to pair social networking and crime prevention at the neighborhood level. Through this partnership, WPD utilizes the Nextdoor app to communicate online with more than 42 neighborhoods and existing watch groups, using technology to build stronger and safer neighborhoods.

“Participation has been the key to making Nextdoor worthwhile for residents while having an impact on public safety,” said Westerville Crime Prevention Specialist Preston Tartt. “Our goal has been to open and maintain lines of communications with the community. Nextdoor has helped us do that, bringing neighbors together to discuss their concerns and share ideas, tips and feedback.”

Communities around the nation use Nextdoor in a number of ways, including spreading the word about neighborhood crime, organizing block watch activities and finding trustworthy resources, such as housesitters and babysitters. In Westerville, it’s not unusual to see neighbors discussing home and personal safety issues while sharing information on trustworthy contractors and a range of service providers. Community events and activities and crime alerts are posted as news items from WPD staff. Residents join their specific neighborhood, but often see information from neighborhoods across the City (default setting).

Nextdoor is free for residents. Visit www.nextdoor.com and enter an address to get started. Or visit the Apple App Store or Google Play store to download the app.

For more information on the Westerville Division of Police, please visit www.westerville.org/police.

Mark Your Calendar

Annual Maintenance, Westerville Community Center

Aug. 22-Sept. 5; open to close

Each year, the Community Center is closed for a two-week period for maintenance and repairs. This maintenance program affects the Watering Hole (indoor pool), which is drained and cleaned, as well as limited closure of the gym, fitness room and indoor playground for cleaning. This year, the gym and Maple Room floors will be refinished. Watering Hole passholders may use Highlands Park Aquatic Center free of charge during this time. For more information or questions about planning your activities in advance, please contact Westerville Parks & Recreation at 614-901-6500.

National Night Out

Thursday, Aug. 2; 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Known as “America’s Night Out Against Crime,” National Night Out will see the Westerville Division of Police host and participate in several neighborhood events. The national event brings local public safety agencies and communities together for the evening to heighten awareness about and participation in crime prevention. The event is also targeted at sending a message to criminals that neighborhoods are organized and ready to combat crime. For more information or to visit specific sites, please visit www.westerville.org/police.

Odd/Even Lawn Watering Program

In effect all summer

Remember that lawn watering in Westerville is on an odd-even system. If your house number ends in an odd number, water on an odd-numbered day of the week. Vice versa for even numbers. Please contact the Westerville Water Division for more information or questions at 614-901-6770.