Digging in

Council turns dirt for two projects

By Donnita Fisher

Managing Editor

In a symbolic but historic jester May 8, the Canton Council gathered at the corner of Buffalo and Terrell streets to symbolically turn the first shovels of dirt to begin the building of the new city hall and then caravanned to City Lake Park to break ground for the Mill Creek Trail.

“This is a historic moment,” Mayor Rick Lawrence said at the new city hall site. “We started talking about a new city hall in 1991. This council made a decision no other council had been able to do since 191. Thank you for getting the job done.”

The 8,500 square feet, 62 x 1388 building will be built on land around the historic water tower downtown.  The building will have a brick facade and a metal roof.

Projections put the cost of the building project around $1.2 million.

Offices expected to move into the building include the city manager, city secretary, finance director, utility billing office and building inspector and permitting.

“It’s going to be a great building with lots of room,” Lawrence said. “It will be a place that gives dignity to city workers and dignity to the work that they do as well.”

Most of those gathered for the city hall groundbreaking traveled the few miles down 64 to 243 and made the turn on Arnold Paul Road for the official start of the Mill Creek Trail project.

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