North Canton Weighs Land Swap With School District as Dogwood Pool’s Future Hangs in the Balance

America 250 Celebration North Canton’s Fourth of July weekend is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious civic events the city has hosted in years. Tricia Ostertag, the city’s community and economic development specialist, presented a detailed overview of events planned under the America 250 banner. On July 3, a movie screening of “Hamilton” will take place on the street in front of City Hall at 9 p.m., sponsored by the North Canton Public Library. Food trucks and children’s activities will accompany the outdoor screening, with a rain backup plan in place at the Civic Center ballroom. July 4 kicks off with the YMCA race at 8 a.m., followed by the Jaycees parade at 10:30 a.m. Community members who wish to participate in the parade can register at starkjcs.org. At noon, a community picnic sponsored by the North Canton Rotary Club will feature a five-piece Canton Symphony Orchestra brass quintet performing from noon to 1 p.m. At 1 p.m., local art historian M.J. Albacete will present “Lady Liberty: The Story Behind America’s Icon” inside City Hall, described as a preview of a longer presentation planned for later in the summer at the Civic Center. Evening Festival The evening festival runs from 5 to 9:30 p.m. along Main Street, closed from Charlotte to Backler Street. The event will feature 20 food trucks, five packaged food tents, seven nonprofits, and 26 maker spaces, all required to carry at least one Americana item. A kids zone on the Hoover lawn will include a bounce house, video game truck, and children’s activities hosted by nonprofits including Mission View. Cover band Walk of Fame will headline the main stage, which is sponsored by the Patriot Project. The Canton Cars and Coffee Group will host a car show from 5 to 9:30 p.m. A 17-minute drone show, sponsored by Diebold Nixdorf, will launch at 9:30 p.m. over the Hoover plant. Ostertag recommended viewing from Main Street facing east. The show is timed to music from the main stage. A rain date will be set for the following week if needed. Chalk artists sponsored by Walsh University and a Revolutionary War encampment display by Marlboro volunteers, sponsored by the North Canton Lions, round out the festivities. Additional America 250 Events The North Canton Heritage Society will host a Revolutionary War encampment on June 27 at Price Park from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., including a cannon demonstration. On July 8 at 6 p.m., a live reading of the Declaration of Independence will take place at the Civic Center gazebo, added by the National Commission for America 250. Ostertag also noted that veteran banners placed along city streets are drawing interest. Anyone wishing to purchase one should contact the Community and Economic Development office. The Herbert W. Cooper Foundation is serving as the title sponsor for the full America 250 year. Land Swap and Dogwood Pool First Reading Advances on Controversial Proposal The longest and most emotionally charged discussion of the evening centered on Ordinance 25-2026, which would authorize Mayor Matthew Stroia to enter into a land exchange agreement with the North Canton City School District. Council voted unanimously to adopt the first reading, with two additional meetings scheduled before a final vote. Under the proposal, the city would transfer approximately 4.6 acres of property, including the Dogwood Pool site, to the school district. In exchange, the city would receive more than 20 acres of school-owned land, including the former Orchard Hill School property and the former middle school site. No money would change hands. A provision in the agreement would allow the city to lease back the pool for $1 per year through at least 2029, preserving summer operations while a long-term plan is developed. The Pool’s Condition Parks Operations Manager Steve Schenck offered the most detailed public accounting to date of Dogwood Pool’s deteriorating infrastructure. The pool, built in 1971 and converted from concrete to a liner system in 2016, has required more than 30 liner repairs since 2020. Schenck said the current season began with no tears, but four new seams had opened within two weeks of opening. The underground pump house presents additional concerns. A single 18-inch concrete column supporting the structure has four significant cracks. Equipment including recirculation pumps dates to the pool’s original construction, and replacement parts can be difficult to source. A primary recirculation pump recently had to be ordered from Germany at a cost exceeding $10,000. The city estimates the pool loses roughly 80,000 gallons of water per day, compared to a normal evaporation rate of 5,000 to 8,000 gallons. City administration said the seasonal financial impact of that water loss and associated treatment and heating costs is approximately $150,000. The pool holds approximately 700,000 gallons. Schenck said that pulling the liner and re-coating the concret