MEDINA, Ohio – Over the last four years, multiple pieces of city equipment have been scattered across Medina due to a lack of storage space.
“We used to have a pole barn on the Bennett Lumber property that we used for cold storage, but it was hit by a tornado in April of 2020,” Parks and Recreation Director Jansen Wehrley said. “A good portion of the building was damaged and while we were working through the insurance claim, the building caught fire and burned down. It was a total loss including all of the content. So since then, we have had equipment scattered all around, jammed in different buildings or just being left outside.”
Wehrley said the city looked at different options including an addition to an existing pole barn, but architects pointed out that the addition would be cost prohibitive, so the city is looking to raze the existing pole barn at Reagan Park and build a 40 foot by 80 foot pole barn in its place.
“The budget for the pole barn construction is $165,000 and that includes an interior mezzanine that will help us to optimize storage since a lot of our smaller equipment doesn’t need the full height of the building,” Wehrley said. “This is just cold storage so we don’t need a building with insulation, just electrical and a concrete floor.”
Wehrley said a portion of the project will be paid through the insurance settlement which is north of $119,000. He said he hopes to bid out the project and begin construction by late winter.