Summa saved a Barberton park by not putting up a parking lot.
Summa Barberton Hospital has withdrawn its proposal to lease and pave about 5 acres of Barberton’s Tuscora Park for use as a surface lot as it replaces an old parking deck. Summa’s decision was announced at Barberton City Council’s meeting Tuesday night.
The city and the hospital are exploring other parking options, Fred Maurer, city council president, said Wednesday.
Summa withdrew its Tuscora Park proposal in a letter from Dr. Michael Hughes, Summa Barberton senior vice president, that Mauer received late December while the council was on break. That letter was read at Tuesday’s council meeting.
Using Tuscora Park for a surface lot is off the table, Maurer said. “I did talk with Dr. Hughes. They are going to try to make things work,” he said.
Mayor William Judge and Summa will review other parking options at the hospital, including “creative options,” Maurer said. The mayor will then present recommendations to council, he said.
The council may receive — as soon as its next regular Monday meeting — proposed legislation to repeal the ordinance that approved leasing part of the park to Summa, Mayor Judge said.
“Summa wants to work with the public, work with the city,” Judge said. “At this point, [using the park] is not on the table.”
The mayor said he is talking with Summa about other parking options when the hospital starts tearing down its parking deck and building a replacement.
For the community and the hospital, “the worst thing is to not have enough parking,” Judge said.
Summa is still doing its due diligence on the parking issue, he said.
“We continue to work with the city of Barberton to determine a parking solution,” Summa said in a statement.
“The biggest thing on their mind is how to fill their needs without stepping on the toes of residents. They are very concerned with that,” Judge said. “I have the same goal they do.”
The hospital — the city’s largest private employer with about 1,100 employees — is in the midst of a $30 million update and renovation program.
The hospital sought to use part of Tuscora Park as a surface lot while it replaces the old parking deck.
But the proposal drew the fire of some Barberton residents, who petitioned the City Council last year to put the matter to a vote of city residents. City officials argued that an election ballot vote was not needed because the park site was going to be temporarily leased, not sold, to Summa.
Jim Mackinnon can be reached at 330-996-3544 or jmackinnon@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him @JimMackinnonABJ on Twitter or www.facebook.com/JimMackinnonABJ.