Weirton officials continue safety facility discussion
WEIRTON -- Weirton Council is continuing to look into the possibilities of the development of a new public safety facility in the city, with officials turning their attention toward financial details of the project while also finalizing a location and design.
"We've heard from a lot of people," Ward 7 Councilman Terry Weigel said during Monday's council meeting.
Council has held a series of work sessions to discuss the project, which would develop a new facility for the Weirton Police Department. A town hall also was held in November, with residents invited to address council with any comments or concerns.
"We're doing our due diligence," Weigel said.
During the last workshop, held Dec. 20, council focused primarily on two proposals, labeled as Option C-1 and Option E-2.
Option C-1 would see the safety facility built on land located north of the Cove Road and Weir Avenue intersection along the east end of Lee Avenue.
Option E-2 would build the facility on the site of an existing parking lot just north of the Edwin J. Bowman Baseball Field.
Originally, a different option, Option E-3, which proposed constructing the facility partially on the baseball field and partially on the nearby parking lot, was set for consideration by council Monday, sponsored by Weigel. The proposal, however, was pulled from the agenda last week.
Graphics, provided by Weigel Monday night, have Option E-3 showcasing a one-story police and court facility, parking for 20 police cruisers and 18 staff, as well as public parking spaces. The lower portion of Bowman Field would be converted into an open field/greenspace area, with the possibility of picnic tables, playgrounds, a bocce court and a pickle ball court.
In addition, a parking area located between the Weirton Municipal Building and the Millsop Community Center, near Cove Presbyterian Church, would be converted into a greenspace and a parking lot behind the Mary H. Weir Public Library would be expanded to include 60 spaces.
City Manager Mike Adams explained he has been looking into the financial obligation for the construction of the proposed facility, as well as the city's options to cover those costs before moving forward.
"We've started down that path," Adams said. "It's going to take some time."
Adams also is reaching out to state officials concerning the status of the Land Water Conservation Grant awarded to the Weirton Board of Parks and Recreation to support investments and improvements into the Edwin J. Bowman Baseball Field.
Previous statements from some officials have indicated legal action could be taken against the city if council would opt to build on the baseball field.
The city has been working with representatives of Horne and King Architects, reviewing 16 previously identified site possibilities for the facility. Horne and King had projected a 17,660-square-foot main building with a cost of just over $7 million, with a proposed carport and firearms range adding approximately $3 million, along with other construction alternatives.