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WARREN -- Two Warren City Council members are calling for renewed focus on the city's smaller neighborhood parks.
Councilwoman Tina Milner, D-2nd Ward, and Councilman Michael Shrodek, D-5th Ward, said they want to see investments extend beyond major downtown projects to give equitable attention to parks across all wards.
The city maintains nine parks, including larger ones like Perkins Park and Packard Park near downtown, which have drawn significant attention and funding through projects such as the Peninsula Project.
The project is a major mixed-use redevelopment expected to exceed $150 million in public and private investment to transform riverfront areas with new amenities, pedestrian bridges, pathways and connections to Perkins Park.
A $2.4 million pedestrian bridge component, for instance, is funded through a $4.3 million Appalachian Regional Commission grant.
Milner and Shrodek praised those efforts to revitalize the city's core, but stressed the need for balanced attention to neighborhood parks that serve residents daily, particularly those who may not travel to central locations.
At North End Park in the 2nd Ward, Milner pointed to a pavilion installed as part of the Greenway Bike Trail project years ago under former Councilman Al Novak.
The site features trail connections, but suffers from what she said are long-standing issues like a locked bathroom that Milner said is non-functioning while being the only accessible restroom on a multi-mile stretch of the trail within Warren; non-operational lighting and electrical systems at the pavilion; broken picnic tables; and absent features like playground equipment, basketball hoops and baseball fields that once existed there.
"Neighborhood parks are essential," Milner said as she's advocating for a network of north, south, east and west neighborhood parks complemented by central ones.
She said residents might prefer short walks to a local park for exercise and community activities rather than traveling farther.
She also said it could influence more picnics and family gatherings once basic amenities like restrooms, water access and lighting were restored.
Milner said she only wants fairness in resource allocation for smaller parks.
She discussed revisiting past proposals from the Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership (TNP), which conducted a parks assessment and offered to fund a parks director position for one year.
Milner and Shrodek said they plan to continue pushing for practical steps, from immediate repairs like lighting and plumbing to longer-term planning to deliver equitable park access citywide.
Shrodek, speaking at Central Circle Park, shared concerns about aging equipment but said the city has been responsive. Shrodek watched in real-time as a city crew removed a large piece of playground equipment while talking about the park.
The park has other issues, and Shrodek said he plans to push for replacing benches in disrepair and fixing a persistent sinkhole. He stressed addressing the sinkhole before new installations and suggested repositioning benches for better parental supervision while kids play, adding picnic tables and grills, and seeking grant opportunities through community organizations.
Both council members pointed to successful models in nearby communities like Niles, which maintains a dedicated parks director, maintenance staff and a voter-approved park levy supporting well-kept facilities with regular restroom access.
Milner said she's fielded inquiries from state representatives about beautification projects beyond the riverfront focus.
Shrodek said in the end he wants to come up with a solution to make Warren a more walkable community not just in the downtown area but "everywhere."