Ravenna City Council on Jan. 6 made good on its pledge to financially back Serenity House, a soon-to-be-established warming center/residential facility on Lovers Lane.
Council is initially providing Neighborhood Development Services with $125,000 for building renovations and $35,000 annually for operating costs for 10 years. City leaders have also agreed to discuss providing continued support at the end of the decade.
NDS is partnering with Townhall II Integrated Health Network to open Serenity House, an eight-bed residential facility that will serve as a new option for people struggling with mental health issues and homelessness. Service providers will help residents address their complex mental health needs without the fear of impending homelessness.
Ravenna’s cash infusion will join dollars from Portage County’s Board of Commissioners, which has committed $225,000 for operations and renovations and another $35,000 annually for 10 years. NDS has also secured a $700,000 state grant and hopes to seek additional funding to rehab and retrofit the building.
The local funds may allow NDS to open the building at 3761 Lovers Lane as a warming center in the coming months, NDS Executive Director Stacy Brown said. Otherwise, renovations are expected to begin in the spring. No opening date has yet been set.
2025 road paving program
Also on Jan. 6, council agreed to seek bids for its 2025 paving program. No price is projected at this time, but Assistant City Engineer Dominic DiSalvo said work is expected to begin in the spring.
Slated for asphalt resurfacing are:
Avon Court – Main to End
North Avenue – Chestnut to End
Lincoln Avenue – Cleveland to Chestnut
East Central – Walnut to End
West Locust – Meridian to Chestnut
East Locust – Prospect to Walnut
Sapp – Freedom to End
Walton – Mill to Hazen
Meridian – Riddle to Harris
Pratt – Riddle to Bennett
Lawrence – Main to Riddle
Sanford – Main to End
State Route 14 (asphalt patching only)
Concrete Repairs will be carried out on:
Yorkshire – Canterbury to Brittingham
Shrewsbury – All
Susan – All
Lawrence and Murray intersection, final phase
Crack sealing work will be completed on:
West Lynn – Sycamore to Meridian
South Cherry – Spruce to Riddle
Hill – All
Mulberry – All
Plum – Main to Prospect
East Maple – Prospect to Walnut
West Riddle – Scranton to Rawson
Van Buren – Chestnut to Prospect
South Hickory – All
Bacon – All
North Walnut – Locust to End
Eagle – All
Second – All
Third – All
Baldwin – All
Fourth – All
Park Avenue – Hillcrest to End
Beech – All
Mechanic – All
Brush – All
Louise Street – All
Williams Avenue – All
North Scranton Street – Mechanic to End
De Wolf Street – Chestnut to End
Washington Avenue – Bryn Mawr to East City Limit
Timberlane – Woodbend to End
Wendy DiAlesandro is a former Record Publishing Co. reporter and contributing writer for The Portager.