STRUTHERS — If Josh Miely has his way, many of the city’s dog lovers will have another reason to celebrate next year.

“We are in full fundraising mode this summer,” said Miely, president of a new nonprofit organization called Struthers Unleashed, following Wednesday’s city council meeting.

A primary goal is to raise $50,000 to build a 150-foot-by-40-foot off-leash dog park in Grimm-Nebo Field near East Haywood Avenue that should be open by spring 2024, he noted.

About 75 percent of the space will be reserved for large dogs and the rest for small ones, Miely said in his presentation before council.

Miely said a large portion of the price tag will be spent on 6-foot fencing that will include a double-gated entry, which will be the project’s first phase. Other plans for the park include agility equipment, water fountains, benches and shade options, according to the organization’s website.

In addition, the dog park will have consistent waste-removal and lawn care services, as well as protocols for inclement weather, Miely said, adding that the city will have liability insurance for the facility.

After the first meeting Struthers Unleashed held in July 2022, a CitizenLab engagement initiative and platform was launched that showed a dog park was the No. 1 recommendation from people of all ages who had responded, Miely recalled.

Before settling on Grimm-Nebo Park, the organization looked at several sites throughout the city on which to construct the dog park, such as Mauthe Park on Smithfield Street, but that was turned down because of its high usage. A few other possible locations presented likely problems that included excessive noise from train traffic; one area off Fifth Street was rejected because it is prone to flooding, Miely continued.

Struthers Unleashed is asking for donations of fencing and other materials. To make a contribution, go to www.struthersunleashed.org, or email struthersunleashed@gmail.com.

HEALTH TREATMENT OPTIONS

Also at the session, Christopher M. Broderick, medication-assisted treatment director for OneHealth Ohio, gave a presentation outlining the services his agency is offering. It was part of an ongoing effort to reach out to Struthers and other local communities to ensure people are more aware of a variety of available treatment options, he explained.

Offerings include primary care, medically-assisted treatment for addictions, psychiatric and dental services, behavioral health counseling and a fit program for weight loss, said Broderick, who’s also a nurse practitioner. In addition, One Health Ohio, with several locations in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties, provides specialized mental health counseling for women who are experiencing depression, anxiety and other emotional difficulties during and after pregnancy.

In addition, the agency can assist people in receiving insulin and other medications at reduced costs, Broderick noted.

“It’s really about health care accessibility,” he said, adding, “We are based on quality care.”

In her report, Mayor Catherine Cercone Miller announced that Christ Our Savior Parish, 764 Fifth St., will be hosting its annual Family Summer Fest at the Great Hall. The event is 5 to 9 p.m. July 7 and 8.

She also congratulated Selah Restaurant on South Bridge Street for having recently received a $5,000 Backing Small Businesses grant from Main Street America, which, in 2021, helped to create the grant to assist economically vulnerable small business owners recover from the COVID-19 pandemic to grow their businesses.

Selah was among the handful of businesses in Ohio to receive the funding, Cercone Miller noted.

Summer Recess

Struthers city council is taking a summer recess. The next regular meeting is 7 p.m. Sept. 6 at city hall, 6 Elm St.

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