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Toledo Mayor-Elect Wade Kapszukiewicz addresses a roundtable forum at Shumaker Loop & Kendrick on December 6. Kapszukiewicz held his fourth and final roundtable discussion Monday at the United Way of Greater Toledo.
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Mayor-elect's roundtable discusses quality of life in Toledo

The Blade

Mayor-elect's roundtable discusses quality of life in Toledo

The topic of the fourth and final roundtable discussion hosted by Mayor-elect Wade Kapszukiewicz was arguably the broadest.

"Arts, culture, water, quality of life — things that all work toward the goal of making our community the sort of place people want to live," Mr. Kapszukiewicz said during his introduction to describe the subject of Monday's transition gathering at the United Way of Greater Toledo.

About 50 people ranging from citizens and business owners to elected officials and agency directors spoke informally about parks, recreation, green space, urban agriculture, connecting communities, neighborhood engagement, water quality and Lake Erie, recycling, composting, and collaboration with private sector, nonprofits, and neighborhoods.

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Mr. Kapszukiewicz said art and culture will be among priorities during his adminstration, in part because of the $3.8 million economic impact it has on the region.

"Art is not something that makes you feel good and enriches our lives. It is actually something that helps grow our economy. We have to think about it in those terms also," he said.

The roundtables are part of Mr. Kapszukiewicz's effort to get his administration ready for when he takes office Jan. 2, succeeding Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson whom he defeated at the Nov. 7 polls.

The mayor-elect said the Metroparks Toledo are important to attracting and retaining young people, especially millennials and young professionals, and key to growing the city.

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"I think parks can be the soul of the community. I don't think we have enough green space," he said.

Sarah Skow, an attorney with Spengler Nathanson, suggested Toledo do more to promote its history and natives who have gone on to national fame, such as Art Tatum and Gloria Steinem.

"We have cultural and arts icons who have their roots in Toledo. We don't educate people on the importance of Gloria Steinem as a cultural leader," she said.

Previous roundtable talks for the community addressed violence, collaboration, the opioid epidemic, communication with residents, business and economic development, neighborhoods and safety, education, children and families, and the criminal justice system.

"We are sending a signal to Toledoans that we are listening to you, we need you, and an in fact we can't do this without you," Mr. Kapszukiewicz said. "We need the constant feedback of people of the sorts who have attended these sessions."

Mr. Kapszukiewicz said a report summarizing all the issues that were discussed will be prepared into a report that will be made available in January.

"That will enable us to take the real good ideas that came out of this and implement it," he said. "We are going to make sure there are tangible results that come out of this."

Contact Mark Reiter at markreiter@theblade.com or 419-724-6199.

First Published December 19, 2017, 2:00 a.m.

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Toledo Mayor-Elect Wade Kapszukiewicz addresses a roundtable forum at Shumaker Loop & Kendrick on December 6. Kapszukiewicz held his fourth and final roundtable discussion Monday at the United Way of Greater Toledo.  (The Blade)  Buy Image
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