Wagar Park Renovation Begins Search For Contractor

LAKEWOOD, OH — The search for a contractor to handle the renovation and updating of Wagar Park took a step forward Monday. The city opened bidding to contractors on Jan. 27 and will begin reviewing submissions this week.

Residents may also notice portions of Wagar's old playground equipment being carted off. The city auctioned the equipment in early December and some of the purchasers will now be claiming their prizes.

Wagar Park is scheduled to undergo a $1 million transformation starting in March, according to Lakewood City Planner Michelle Nochta. Demolition and construction will begin in March. Portions of the park will be closed throughout the summer and Wagar should be fully re-opened in the fall.

"The whole goal is to make the park more of a green oasis," Nochta told Patch.

The park's playground will be moved so that it is adjacent to Rosewood Road. The playground will have a north-south orientation, with a small-fence to delineate the area for small children. There will also be a green playing field in the north side of the park, a viewing area for parents to watch their children play, a half-basketball court, a central plaza and small gazebo.

There will also be an interactive seating element, which Nochta called "social seating." Details on that portion of the project have not yet been revealed, though a request for proposals has been issued.

Wagar Park will also have a new entrance, near the Rosewood-Hilliard Road intersection. There will also be plantings in the park by the Lakewood Garden Club.

Nochta said crews will try to preserve as many trees as possible during the renovation. She also said that while parts of Wagar will be shuttered over the summer, other Lakewood parks have been updated. Residents could use this as an opportunity to see what the city has been up to at other parks.

Due to the construction at Wagar, the city is also instituting a traffic pattern change on Park Place. Cars will have to park on the opposite side of the street, and can make use of a south side cutout. "We really think that will help the flow of traffic," Nochta told Patch.

To help pay for the $1 million project, Lakewood applied for and received a $330,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The grant is similar to a grant received by the city for work on Lakewood Park, Nochta said.