BOARDMAN TWP., Ohio -

Residents of some Boardman neighborhoods could have an end in sight to chronic flooding during heavy rainfall.

On Tuesday evening, ABC Water and Stormwater District revealed it's final plans to place a stormwater detention park on the site of the former Market Street Elementary School which closed in 2019.
 

The project is designed to ease flooding in the Forest Park neighborhood.

"Me working with the fire department, we are very sympathetic to that part of town," said Nickie Davis, President of the Boardman School Board. "We know what that neighborhood has been through."

The 14.60 acre park will be able to hold about 4 million gallons of water. The park will span 1/3 miles, 10 feet wide and will be lighted, paved and have security cameras. 
 
A piped in steam will be 'day-lighted' to allow for stormwater detention and improved water quality. 
 
"It's a unique site because of the location of the stream," said Jason Loree, ABC Water and Stormwater District Board member and Boardman Township Administrator. "There's a stream that's piped in underground with two 60 inch pipes. By day-lighting that, you add this massive amount of capacity and now you have this public asset."
 
Through the help of State Representative Al Cutrona and the late Don Manning, half a million dollars from the state capital budget will go towards this $3 million dollar project.
 
"We are plagued with flooding in our Boardman community," Cutrona said to 21 News. "We see it on both the business and residential side. This is going to help alleviate a lot of that concern." Cutrona added this could also be a bonus for job retention. 
 
The project includes creating a natural habitat that will feature meadows, pollinator fields and a reforestation of the site. 
 

Davis told 21 News this the stormwater detention park even a useful tool for Boardman students.

"It's going to be great working for the ecosystems for our science students," Davis said. "It'll be fantastic for our art students to be able to see colors and textures and shadows and it's going to inspire our English students for poems and stories. We're looking forward to see what our kids can do in this magical place."

The project will be financed through the ABC Water and Stormwater District with support from Boardman Township and the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund. 

The project is expected to be completed in 2023.