Grove City Messenger - December 11th, 2022

PAGE 6 - GROVE CITY MESSENGER - December 11, 2022
By Andrea Cordle
Grove City Editor
Last month, Grove City Council
approved legislation to install a permanent
performing arts stage at the old library
site, along Park Street. Now, the city is
purchasing additional property in that
area for public use.
At a recent meeting, the council
approved a purchase agreement with the
Virginia S. Cotton Trust and set aside
$588,500 for the structures at 4107
Arbutus Ave. and 3378 Voeller Ave. The
city is buying the properties for less than
the appraised value, which is listed as
$597,500, per the Horner Appraisal Group.
According to Stephen Smith, the city’s
law director, these two parcels border city
properties in the Town Center.
“This is a key purchase for how the city
is compiling land in the Town Center,” said
Smith.
City Administrator Chuck Boso said the
city, as well as other entities, have been
hosting events and programs in that area
because they are not having as many
events on Broadway. He said buying the
two parcels of land gives the city opportunity.
“The need for increased space has
become evident,” said Boso.
The city just received a $200,000 state
capital grant that will be used to construct
a performing arts stage. A temporary stage
has been at the old library location for the
past two years.
According to Kim Conrad, the city’s
parks and recreation director, there are
already plans to host events at that location
in 2023. Some of those events include
Friday night concerts, Arts in the Alley,
and the Wine and Arts Festival.
It remains to be seen what the city will
do with the two parcels it purchased.
Councilman Roby Schottke suggested a
skating rink.
“I would gladly support that,” said
Schottke.
Council has asked the city’s administration
to prepare an overall plan for the Town
Center Park area.
Council also approved a purchase and
donation agreement with Berkley and
Joanne Roach. The city has been negotiating
with the Roach family to acquire public
park land on Holton Road. As part of the
agreement, the city will buy just over four
acres on Holton Road for $400,000 and the
Roach family will donate an additional 4.9
acres to the city. Based on the city’s
appraisal, the value of the purchased land
and the donated land total $1.4 million.
The city will appropriate the $400,000
purchase from the Pinnacle Tax Increment
Financing Fund.
City leaders thanked the family for the
land donation and suggested building a
water feature in the Roach’s name.
In other news, the council approved a
development plan for an addition at the
Buckeye Ranch, located at 5665 Hoover
Road. The plan is to construct a new
administration and residence building at
the site.
The facility, formerly called the Buckeye
Boys Ranch, opened in 1961 as a treatment
center for 10 young men. Over the years, it
has transitioned into a provider of emotional,
behavioral, and mental health services
for children and their families.
Councilman Randy Holt asked if there
were any safety concerns about the
Buckeye Ranch or its patients. Kevin
Teaford, the city’s safety director, said they
www.columbusmessenger.com
City purchases property to expand Town Center Park
Grove City Police News
On November 22, 2022, Grove City
Police were dispatched to the 1900
block of Sunny Creek Ct. on a report
of a Burglary. The victim stated a
male suspect entered his home
through his unlocked front door. The
homeowner confronted the suspect
who left. Police located the suspect
trying to get into a neighbor’s home,
he was arrested for the Burglary.
#50918
In other police news:
On November 23, 2022, Grove City
Police were dispatched to the 5100
block of Collins Way on a report of a
stolen package. The victim stated
she received an alert from UPS that
their package was delivered at 12:30
pm. When they went to the porch to
retrieve the package at 1:00 pm it
was no longer there. #51208
On November 25, 2022, Grove City
Police were notified of a Burglary in
the 4700 block of Dunmann Way.
The homeowner left the house
around noon and when they returned
around 1pm they discovered
the back window screen had been cut
out and the window was open. The
family dog was inside the house,
nothing was identified as missing at
time of report. #51454
On November 26, 2022, Grove City
Police were dispatched to the 2600
block of Woods Crescent on a report
of a Burglary. The homeowner reported
their checks and some cash
had been stolen from the kitchen
area. Officers discovered a cut window
screen and an open window at
the rear of the house. #51609
On November 28, 2022, Grove City
Police were dispatched to the 3000
block of Broadway on a report of a
robbery. Officers were told that a
customer had ordered food and after
eating started to walk out. The employee
asked if the suspect was going
to pay for his food. The male suspect
pulled a knife and told the employee
to get back. The male was latter located
and arrested by Grove City
Police. #51993
CITIZEN HERO
Continued from page 5
ing from somewhere in the condominium.
“It was like a glass shattering kind of
pop,” she said. “I wasn’t really sure where
it had come from, I wasn’t sure what it was
that had made that noise, but I was really
scared because the sound was just so violent.”
She said she went around the kitchen
island and asked Arley if he knew what
had happened. He did not, but the realization
that something serious, something
dangerous, had occurred had started to
reach their senses.
“I started to smell that awful acrid smell
and then before I knew it a bunch of smoke,
really thick, black smoke was everywhere.”
Spotting the flames licking through the
bedroom, she quickly shut the door to buy
some time as she alerted 911 of the situation
and worked to get her patient out of
his home. She ran over to Arley to set up
the Hurley lift so he could be safely
removed from the area, but the electrical
lift-system decided it would be a good time
to stop working.
“It just died right there, half-way inbetween
lifting him, and then I had to
make a choice.”
Knowing that she could not leave Arley
there to fend for himself as the smoke grew
heavier — “I never would have been able to
live with myself if I had,” she said — she
started dragging him and that Hoyer lift
through the condominium to the front door.
As smoke “as thick as water” filled her
lungs, she ran out of the front door to get a
breath of fresh air so she did not pass out.
She then returned to the smoke-filled living
room and continued to drag Arley to
safety. When they reached the outdoors,
she took another deep breath to go back
inside for the Nelson’s puppy and his
wheelchair.
“And that’s when I saw (Jackson
Township firefighter) Greg Tussing and I
have had no issues and have a great relationship
with the ranch.
“We have no concerns from a safety
standpoint,” said Teaford.
Council members also heard a preliminary
development plan for the Harris
Property, located north of State Route 665
and west or Borror Road. The concept was
to build more than 100 free-standing condominiums,
76 town homes, and nearly 150
ranch-style apartments on the land over
several phases.
The city’s planning commission voted
against this plan due to traffic and density
concerns.
The developer has come up with a new
plan that will be resubmitted to the planning
commission before coming back before
city council.
thought he was just an angel sent from
heaven,” she said. “He honestly could not
have come at a better time and I knew that
by seeing them here that everything would
be OK.”
The fire department personnel and the
board of trustees were quick to point out
that it was her swift actions that led to
“things turning out OK” for all of the people
involved.
“This lady is a hero,” said Little. “She
saved someone’s life and she didn’t have to
— and that’s the part that I think is so
amazing.
“It is hard enough to do the job these
gentlemen do here with an air bottle and
gear on because of the heat and the smoke.
But she didn’t have an air bottle on or any
gear and for her to go in and do that and
then enter again is nothing short of amazing.”
During their meeting last month, the
board of trustees presented Dirosario-
Holmes with a proclamation of gratitude
for her actions that saved the life of Arley
Nelson and those within the surrounding
units. They decreed Nov. 22, 2022 as
“Stacey Dirosario Holmes Day” in the
township. The fire department also presented
Dirosario-Holmes with its Citizen
Heroism Award for her life-saving efforts.
She said she was overwhelmed by the
recognition of her actions that day but
believes that “anyone would have done
what I did.” She added that she was just
glad that she was there to be able to help
out when someone was in need — and that
she was able to put her newfound knowledge
on how to contain the spread of fire to
use.
“Knowing what to do definitely helped
with that aspect,” she said, “but I think I
have had enough fire experiences to last a
lifetime.”