NILES — Mayor Steve Mientkiewicz provided updates on the Riverside Park and Niles square projects at Wednesday’s city council meeting.

Riverside Park on the city’s south side is about 70% complete, with a new canoe and kayak launch installed at First and Brown streets and all concrete work finished.

Mientkiewicz said the parking lot is slated for paving by week’s end, weather permitting, while construction continues on a pavilion, staging area and walkways. Lighting installation is underway, landscaping is largely done, and the park is on track for completion by year’s end, with minor touch-ups planned for spring.

The downtown Public Square redevelopment, a $3.5 million effort funded by the state’s Appalachian Community Grant Program, stands at roughly 30% complete. Concrete seating walls are in place, with walkways and curbs being added. Crews are burying overhead power lines underground, and new lighting will follow. Landscaping may be deferred until spring. The grant program targets transformations in downtown areas along the Mahoning River.

In related action, council passed 10 routine items, including a resolution to pursue a federal grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) for up to $402,500 to upgrade the power grid serving BRT Extrusions, a local manufacturing firm. The city would contribute $172,500 if approved.

Mientkiewicz said the upgrade would support BRT’s expansion with minimal impact on surrounding areas, noting that utility costs would be covered entirely by the company. He clarified that a separate street receiver center project is independently funded and unrelated.

The ARC grant, part of a program aiding communities affected by coal industry declines, focuses on job creation in advanced manufacturing and workforce training. The nonprofit BEL will submit the application on the city’s behalf, with awards expected in spring 2026 and construction potentially starting May 1 if funded.