Latest news with #TaylorClark
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Johnstown city council informs public of park renovation project
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (WTAJ) — Members of the Johnstown City Council helped inform the public about the approved renovation project of Central Park. Councilman Taylor Clark set up a stand at the gazebo in the park to lay out the project plans, design and other features for the residents to learn about the upcoming park renovations that cost $8 million. Members of the public came to the stand to hear what the councilman had to say. 'We got a design for the park that's going to be not just something that's going to modernize it, but it's going to be something that will be more inclusive for everyone, especially people with disabilities,' Clark said. 'ADA compliance is a huge deal, and modernization is a huge deal, while remembering the history of the park itself.' Plans included a patio place for people to sit down at, a new pavilion for entertainment and a new water feature. The prominent feature, the water fountain in the center of the park, will move over to Sandyvale Park. 'When we put the park back together, there will be new sidewalks, there'll be new benches,' Clark added. 'There'll be a lot of new features of the park that will be more communal for everyone to be able to use.' However, the session did come with a counter protest across the way from the gazebo. Republican nominee for city mayor John DeBarcola and Republican nominee for city council Joe Tartano set up a table to share their perspective as to why the project should not happen. 'They've tried this before,' Tartano said. 'They told everybody when they reduce Main Street and Central Park, it's going to bring people downtown. It's not. It didn't before. It's history. Look into it. After the flood, they redid everything, and it hasn't.' Residents flocked to the park to hear from both sides of the issue. While some picked at bits and pieces of the design, others took strong stances on one side or the other. 'If you had a home, you'd redo your kitchen,' resident Sandy Grodziski said. 'You don't wait 60 years to remodel your house.' 'The park is a great place to meet people. The plans are just incredibly stupid,' resident Catherine-Anne McCluskey said. A main point for those who are against the park renovations is the amount of money going into it. At a price tag of $8 million, they feel the money could have gone elsewhere. 'The money could go to the public safety building,' DeBarcola said. 'The money can go into blight removal. They had so many options on how they could spend this money, and they failed to do that.' Clark has expressed his displeasure with the invoice for the renovations, also saying that the money granted to them by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) during the COVID-19 pandemic could have been allocated elsewhere. The deadline to move the money elsewhere passed in December 2024, which means that the city has to use it before giving it back to the federal government. 'Not only would that be an embarrassment for the city if we were able to do that, it would be very difficult then to move forward, trying to get targeted federal and state funding,' Clark said. 'They're living in the past, and I'm living in the future, so I keep moving up,' Grodziski added. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'Show them the designs': Plans for downtown Johnstown's Central Park shared with public at informational session
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – After reviewing improvement designs for downtown Johnstown's Central Park, Jonathan Silwones can envision what its future will look like. "My wife and I are relatively new to the area and we love the history of the park, but we were a little surprised at the shape it's in," the Johnstown resident said. "We always thought it would be wonderful to spend more time down here because there's so much potential, so I wanted to see what the plans look like and give my support for them." On Saturday, Johnstown City Councilman Taylor Clark held an informational session in Central Park for the public to see the designs and ask questions. "I wanted to come to the park and just talk to people and show them the designs," Clark said. "I don't agree with everything, but there has been a lot of compromise, so I wanted to bring these final designs down to people so they could see what's going to be happening here." The plans for the park were approved by city council in a 6-1 vote that was held at the end of May. Funding for the project is coming from federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. Some of that funding needs to be used by the end of 2026. "We can't reallocate this money anywhere else," Clark said. "It's going toward the park whether we like it or not." Silwones said anything Johnstown can do to improve the park is a step in the right direction. "We travel a lot and the first thing we do is head to downtown to see what the central core of the city looks like because that's where you find the interesting shops and people," Silwones said. "It's lacking that here. You have a great park location, so anchor that in and make it a feature for people to come to." Krysta Riley, of Johnstown, said change is good and is looking forward to something new downtown. "I think it'll be a good thing, but there also should be respect paid to its legacy," Riley said. Riley said she's an avid bicyclist and her group meets in downtown weekly and it's great to see activity in the park. "Making it a more beautiful space is needed," Riley said. "With this update, it's giving kids things to do in downtown because that's a major lack in the area. I'm excited for the water feature and to have something that interactive." Richland Township resident Carol Keppel said as a member of Daughters of the American Revolution, Joseph Schantz chapter, she was glad to have reassurance that the statue honoring Johnstown's founder will be staying in the park. "It honors town people who cared," Keppel said. "I take great pride that people reflect their history here. The gazebo is a reflection of that and built by volunteers and iconic to the area, so I really hope they will rework their design and find a place for something that is that important." Keppel said she hopes the redesigned park will have the same ambiance and character. "I hope it isn't altered to the point where people don't find it a magnet anymore," Keppel said. Clark said the goal of the session is to give people clarity. "There's so much nonsense out there and I want to give people the truth of what's really going to happen," Clark said. "There will be a new event space, a new pavilion and a new Walk of Honor, and all of that is going to modernize Central Park. The park is beautiful, but it's dated, so let's do it the right way." The project is set to begin after Labor Day and projected to be completed in September 2026, Clark said.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Johnstown City Council approves designs for Central Park project
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (WTAJ)– After changes and years of discussion, the Johnstown City Council voted Wednesday evening to approve the designs for major upgrades to the city's Central Park. The plans from CJL Engineering and UpStreet Architects passed in a six-to-one vote. Since the original designer stepped away from the project, a few changes were made to the plan, including the addition of a platform in the center where the Christmas Tree will sit. WTAJ News spoke with Councilman Taylor Clark, who has been on the council for almost three months of this years long process. Clark said that he disagreed with the former council's decision to use funds from the American Rescue Plan Act for the project, as he believes they could have been better utilized elsewhere in the city. Clark said that he voted yes because of all of the good that he and some fellow council members feel it will bring to the city. 'At the end of the day I'm not willing to give up all of the good about the Central Park project because of the aspects that I disagreed with,' Clark said. 'We can not potentially lose a brand new park with three phase electricity, seven new water outlets, a brand new extension on to gazebo park place, a new walk of honor, a new irrigation system and a new park that will be ADA compliant and more inclusive for all to use. I'm not willing to give up all of that just because of what I disagree with.'Clark said that for the city to back out now would be bad due to the amount of money that has already been invested into the planning process. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Coney Island, Miller's co-owner Clark chosen to fill Johnstown City Council vacancy
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Downtown business owner Taylor Clark was unanimously picked Monday to become the newest member of Johnstown City Council. The Roxbury resident was selected by the six current council members to fill the vacancy created when former Deputy Mayor Michael Capriotti resigned from the council to become the assistant city manager. Clark will serve for the remainder of this year. Meanwhile, a special election will determine who will fill the position for the following two years, beginning in January 2026. Clark, 31, co-owns two of the oldest businesses in downtown Johnstown – Coney Island Lunch and high-end men's clothing store Miller's of Johnstown. He is a member of the Johnstown Police Advisory Board and the Johnstown Oldtimers Baseball Association, which operates the annual All American Amateur Baseball Association Tournament. 'Here's the thing: I don't know how much it says about me other than what it says about the work that my family's put in over a long period of time – not just in the city of Johnstown, but the surrounding regions – including my grandfather and my dad,' Clark said. 'I'm just lucky enough to have had a great example from them, to have been able to follow in their footsteps, as far as running now two businesses in the city and always being civically involved some way, shape or form.' One of his main goals is to help develop the central business district, where 'retail used to be rampant,' he said. 'I think that business perspective specifically to retail, wanting to bring that back to downtown Johnstown, is important, learning that from literally age 8 up,' Clark said. Clark plans to take his oath of office before council's next regular monthly meeting March 12. He will join a council that consists of Mayor Frank Janakovic, Deputy Mayor the Rev. Sylvia King, Ricky Britt, Marie Mock, Laura Huchel and Charles Arnone. Clark was selected from among four applicants for the vacancy, including Gregory Brown, Nicholas Graham and Mike Hamacek. Clark is also running for a seat on council this year. There are six openings being contested, including a race for mayor. There are also four regular four-year positions and a two-year seat to complete Capriotti's term. 'He shows the brightest future,' Arnone said. 'I was impressed with all candidates who came before us. He shows the optimism in what we all would hope to see the next election brings to City Council. 'For too many years, it's been my age or older. Now to have Laura (Huchel) and Taylor, that's a great start for the future of this city, that we're finally having people that are under 40 that care about the city and want to move forward with it. That's truly exciting for me.'
