Some changes are coming to downtown Kenton. A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the first phase of a water and sewer renovation project, which will involve replacing those lines from the Detroit State Bridge to Ohio Street.
This project is one that has been a long time coming for the city: "We have very aged infrastructure in Kenton; we have not had an undertaking for a project like this in decades, pushing a century," said Joel Althauser, City of Kenton Council President.
The Ohio EPA mandated the project because of the current state of the water and sewer lines, and to separate storm and sanitary sewer lines. The Ohio EPA and the Ohio Public Works Commission are funding 75% of the project through grants awarded to the city. Those that are heading the project are hopeful that this phase and the phases to follow will have a positive impact on Kenton as they move toward the future.
"Our downtown will look totally different in about five to seven years, and we’re really looking forward to the progress and new investors that are starting to come in and purchase these buildings," said Jacqueline Fitzgerald, Community Development Director for the Hardin County Chamber & Business Alliance. "We're really building the foundation [for the future] to be solid."
"I think this is that piece of the future that we have all been looking forward to, it makes a statement of where we want to go as a community and what our citizens and community members and business people deserve," said Lynn Jones Webb, Mayor-elect of the City of Kenton.
Construction for phase one is currently planned to continue until June of 2020.
