BLR2036 takes its next big step

BUCKEYE LAKE - With the approval of four key task forces, the Buckeye Lake Region 2036 group prepared for its next big steps.

Led by Yaromir Steiner of Steiner + Associates, residents and business owners from around the lake met Saturday at Lakewood High School to sign the Vision Statement and approve task forces to generate capital and plan improvements to the area to promote tourism.

The group held its first community meeting in January to survey the community and draft plans for the future in order to help direct the economic future of the region during and after the completion of the Buckeye Lake Dam Project. With the community's approval Saturday, Steiner said they can begin their next step in the process.

"We've been doing this as a democracy and we've been keeping it true to the community's vision," he said. "We've been documenting everything to make sure there is no slippage between the task forces."

The groups are assigned roles ranging from administrative to planning and will direct the flow of work as more task forces are formed.

Jeff Ritter, co-chairman of the Lake, Land and Leisure Uses task force, explained that his committee would be focusing on activities for both visitors and residents around the lake, from biking, boating and even horseback riding.

"There's no safe routes for families to ride around the lake," he said. "We're trying to make this a destination place, an attraction for people everywhere."

Ritter's committee was the only one to receive a concern from the crowd

Someone asked if members of the task force worried that with all these attractions, would there be enough space for anyone on the lake.

Steiner said while they couldn't comment on what exactly the task force would decide, it would work to strike a balance for residents and visitors.

"Our vision for this lake is to have what I had with my grandfather: a place to come out and fish and have a good time," Ritter said. "That's the atmosphere we're looking to create."

With the task forces approved, Steiner said they will begin having regular meetings, the next of which is in June. At this meeting, other task forces will be up for approval and the group as a whole will be start to structure communication as a whole.

Dave Levacy, a Fairfield County commissioner, said this was the first time he's seen every municipality surrounding the lake working towards one common goal.

"When we applied for projects in the capital bill, we might not have gotten everything we asked for, but we did get a few projects in each county," he said. "That was through the work of our task force."

blawlis@gannett.com

740-328-8822

Twitter: @BarrettLawlis