The City of St. Marys is a recipient of one of this year’s Governor’s Awards for Local Government Excellence. City leaders were recognized Wednesday during a ceremony in the state capitol.
The state’s Department of Community & Economic Development gives awards every year to local officials who undertake innovative initiatives to improve their communities.
Lyle Garner, the mayor of St. Marys, said they finished the Benzinger Park Pedestrian Pathway last year. He said they got the idea for the path when they saw students trying to get to the park from the nearby Catholic school.
“Those kids had to walk along the side of the road, which was kind of dangerous because the truck traffic out there has been increasing because of our industrial park increasing out at the airport," Garner said.
City leaders bought an unused blighted structure between the school and the park, tore it down and added an ADA-accessible sidewalk.
“So now the kids can walk in there, ride their bikes through there or whatever, and get in," Garner said.
Because of this project, city leaders received the governor’s award for innovative planning and sound land use practices.
