MEDINA – A Local Planning Committee has a difficult task of trying to prioritize and pick $4.5 million in projects to recommend to state for funding through the NY Forward program.

Medina has $8.7 million in 22 potential projects and the committee needs to determine which ones are most deserving of funding.

The planning group is asking the public to weigh in through an on-line survey (click here). People are asked to do it once. As they pick projects and assign funding to them, the $4.5 million pot will get whittled down. The survey will close on Friday.

“This will help identify the most desirable project for the local committee to consider,” Mayor Mike Sidari posted on the “Medina, This Village Matters” Facebook page. “Please only do the survey once. This is for both resident and non-residents.”

Sidari is one of the members of the committee that is reviewing the projects to submit to the state for its review. The committee meets again at 6 p.m. on Sept. 26 at the Medina school district office.

Evaluating the Projects – Several criteria have been established to help evaluate the projects including how well the project supports Main Street, enhances the waterfront, promote tourism, improves “liveability,” catalyzes investment and benefits the community.

The more criteria a project meets, the more likely that project is to create positive change in downtown Medina, officials said.

Here are the 22 projects in the survey, with the amount requested from NY Forward in parentheses.

Canal Basin Park (Multiple Options)

• ALTERNATIVE A ($2 million) – This alternative is the most transformative, with significantly expanded green space, pedestrian pathways, and gathering areas. This alternative includes 53 parking spaces.
• ALTERNATIVE B ($1.5 million) – This alternative expands the green space area along the canal and enhances pedestrian connections to the waterfront. This alternative includes 71 parking spaces.
• ALTERNATIVE C ($1 million) – This creates a multi-functional pedestrian promenade space at the rear of the Main Street buildings that can be used for seating, outdoor dining, and temporary events. This space can also accommodate loading and deliveries. This alternative includes 45 parking spaces.
• ALTERNATIVE D ($500,000) – This alternative creates a small pedestrian plaza area at the north end of the East Center Street alleyway which can accommodate gathering and outdoor dining. The rest of the basin is kept as is. This alternative includes 83 parking spaces.

• Canal Village Farmers Market at 127 West Center St. ($300,000) – This project will renovate the existing building at 127 West Center Street to create a year-round space for the Canal Village Farmers Market. Expanded vendor space, public restrooms, a visitor center, and green space will also be included on the site.
• Canal View Bar/Tasting Area at 135 East Center St. ($100,000) – This project will create a bar/serving area with an exterior patio overlooking the Canal Basin in the rear of the Modern Mercantile building.
• 409-413 Main St. ($200,000) – This project will renovate the second floor of the building at 409-413 Main Street into 3 new one-bedroom apartments and 1 new two-bedroom apartment.
• Knights of Columbus Building Accessible Community Space ($150,000) – This project will make facade improvements to the Knights of Columbus building and install a lift at the rear entrance to make the 200-person community event space on the second floor ADA accessible for public use.
• 424 Main Street ($250,000) – This project will create 4 new apartments on the upper floors of the building at 424 Main Street. The commercial units on the ground floor will also be renovated.

The parking lot at the southeast corner of Main and Center streets could see $1 million in upgrades to improve circulation, add trees and better connect to Main Street businesses and the Canal Basin.

• 433 Main Street ($300,000) – This project will create a new two-bedroom apartment on the upper floors of the building at 433 Main Street.
• Community Arts Workshop and Gift Store at 509 Main St. ($150,000) – This project will renovate the second floor of the building at 509 Main St. to create a community arts and crafts workshop and gift store.
• Bunkhaus Apartments at 511 West Ave. ($100,000) – This project will renovate the Bunkhaus Hostel to create 4 one-bedroom apartments targeted for short- and long-term rental housing for professionals, snowboards, and/or tourists.
• Author’s Note Bookstore at 519 Main St. ($200,000) – This project will create a two-bedroom apartment unit on the second floor for short- or medium-term rental, targeted at artists. The basement of the building will also be renovated to create an event space to be used for book clubs, workshops, etc., or by other community groups.
• 521 Main Street ($150,000) – This project will renovate the second floor of the building at 521 Main Street into a new one-bedroom apartment and two Airbnb units.
• Walsh Hotel Redevelopment at 525 West Ave. ($550,000) – This project will complete renovations to the upper floors of the Walsh Hotel as part of a larger project to create 22 studio and one-bedroom apartments.
• Arenite Brewing Company at 339 Main St. ($400,000) – This project will create a microbrewery and tasting room with outdoor seating overlooking the canal at 339 Main Street.
• Avanti Pizza Upper Floors Renovation at 500 Main St. ($600,000) – This project will renovate the upper floors of the Avanti Pizza building into a mix of residential and office space.
• Hart House Hotel Renovations at 113 West Center St. ($500,000) – This project is the last phase of a larger project to upgrade the Hart House Hotel with a formal lobby, café, spa, outdoor event space and gastropub.
• Lee-Whedon Memorial Library at 620 West Ave. ($500,000) – This project will create an addition on the library with new tutoring rooms, meeting rooms, and quiet rooms for community use. The existing library building will also be renovated to create an expanded children’s area and new entry.
• Medina Theatre Renovations at 601-611 Main St. ($150,000) – This project is the first phase of a larger project to upgrade the Medina Theatre. This project will renovate the existing marquee and facade, make cosmetic improvements to the theatre, and prep the building for a future restaurant and conference space.
• Downtown Wayfinding Signage ($250,000) – This project will install a system of directional, informational, and interpretive signage at key locations and destinations to guide visitors throughout downtown.
• Public Lot Connectivity Improvements Description ($1 million) – This project will improve the public parking lot at the southeast corner of Main and Center Streets with better circulation, shade trees, and improved connectivity to the Canal Basin and Main Street businesses.
• East Center Street Alleyway Improvements ($400,000) –This project will enhance the alleyway that connects the Canal Basin across East Center Street to the public parking lot. The alley will have landscaping, lighting, seating and signage.
• Canal Basin Park Gateway Signage ($150,000) – This project will install two large, gateway signs at the Mill Street entrance to the Canal Basin (off Main Street) and at the East Center Street alleyway entrance to the basin.
• Small Project Grant Fund ($300,000) – The Small Project Grant Fund would provide support to downtown business and property owners to implement smaller-scale projects like façade improvements, window replacement and other repairs.

MEDINA – Medina High School’s Class of 1963 celebrated their 60th class reunion Saturday night at the Walsh Hotel.

Georgia Thomas of Medina was organizer of the event, attended by 21 class members and their guests.

Two classmates who came the farthest were Ian Clark of Florida and Emee Richelson of New York City.

The Class of 1963 graduated 103, in addition to two foreign exchange students. Class officers were Bob Winters, president, who attended with his wife and classmate Marsha Page Winters; Ray Kozloski, vice president; Janis Warren, treasurer; and Helen Slack, secretary. Only Winters attended the 60th reunion.

The Winters dated all throughout high school, Thomas said.

The evening was special for two graduates, Bob Sanderson and Bill Blount, who have been best friends since fourth grade.

“When I moved to Medina, Bob was the first kid I met and we’ve been friends ever since,” Blount said. “We attended college together, opened a restaurant together, double dated and had cottages at the lake together.”

Photos by Ginny Kropf: (Left) Dawn Meland wears her late husband Harry Flatt’s class T-shirt at the Class of 1963 reunion Saturday night. On the back are the names of all the classmates. Flatt died in July. (Right) Bill Blount, left, and Bob Sanderson have been best friends since fourth grade. They enjoy each other’s company here at their 60th class reunion.

One guest who “crashed” the reunion was Dawn Meland of Medina. Meland, who graduated in 1966, was married to 1960 class member Harry Flatt.

“Harry died July 22 and I thought I’d stop in to just say hello and have a drink,” Meland said. “They asked me to stay, so I did.”

Meland was wearing Flatt’s class T-shirt with the names of all the graduates printed on the back.

Emee Richelson, who brought her brother John of Fairport said she’s been to the 25th and the 50th reunions and thought she’d attend this one because it was 60 years.

Sandy Howell Meade and Carole Schrader Watson had a great time sharing old memories of growing up in Millville.

Thomas announced that classmate Donna Green Grabowski had suggested they nominate deceased classmate Warren Blount to Medina High School’s Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame. She urged all the classmates to join her in the nomination to honor Blount, who had a distinguished career in the military and medical field.

Blount served in Vietnam and received a Purple Heart, Navy Cross, Bronze Star and Naval Commendation Medal. He received a degree as a physician assistant and became a vascular surgeon’s assistant, helping with 6,000 open heart and transplant surgeries. He was an emergency physician at the Capitol Region Medical Center. Thomas said Blount went to work on a scooter, as he had lost a leg due to his injuries in Vietnam. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Thomas also informed the class she had collected enough donations to have a tree planted in the village in honor of the class, and possibly two.

While the class never had a reunion until its 25th, and then two since, they decided because they are all aging, they wanted to get together again next year. Sanderson volunteered to organize a get-together next summer.

The class has lost 45 members that they know of. Thomas said there were some for whom she had no contact information.

Jim Punch, left, is commended by Lions Club President Jim Hancock for Punch’s service to the Medical Loan Closet.

MEDINA – The Medina Lions Club on Tuesday presented the Robert J. Uplinger Distinguished Service Award to Roger Hungerford, who has spearheaded several businesses and community projects during his career.

Hungerford was joined by his wife Heather Farnsworth and their daughter Isabell in accepting the recognition from the club.

The Robert J. Uplinger Distinguished Service Award, established in 1993, honors an outstanding Lion, non-Lion, or organization who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to service to the community and embodies the ideals of the Lions Motto, “We serve.”

Hungerford was given this distinguished service award for outstanding service to the Medina community and surrounding areas, the club said.

He is known for quietly and unassumingly assisting many projects in our ever-improving community. He shared some of his coming plans for housing, technology and community service with our group at the meeting, which was attended by 46 club members.

In addition, past President James Punch received recognition for his service to the Medina Lions and our community as past president and co-chair of the Medina Lions Medical Loan Closet.

We are honored to have these men in our community, along with the outstanding work of the Medina Lions Club. If you want more information about the Medina Lions Club, check out our Facebook page or our new website, www.medinalionsny.org.

MEDINA – The Village Board voted on Monday evening to authorize a bond for up to $5,758,000 for an addition to the fire hall, as well as work on the current building.

The board is hopeful Medina won’t need to borrow that much money. The scope of the fire hall project is to be determined. The village may not do the full gamut of work identified in an engineer’s report to upgrade the site.

Medina also will be seeking grants and other government assistance at the local, state and federal for the project.

“This is just so we can secure the funds,” said Village Trustee Marguerite Sherman. “We don’t have to use all of them.”

The board on Monday also approved a SEQR (State Environmental Quality Review Act) declaration, determining addition and construction project won’t have a negative environmental impact.

Medina village officials want to have the fire hall addition built in time for a new ladder truck that is expected in late 2025. The new truck is too big for the current fire hall.

That building barely has enough room for the current truck.

The new ladder truck won’t be delivered for at least two more years. That gives Medina time to expand the fire hall on Park Avenue. The board voted on June 26 to spend $1.7 million to buy the new truck from Pierce Manufacturing in Appleton, Wisc., with a delivery time expected to take 2 ½ years.

The new truck will have a 100-foot-long ladder, compared to the current truck with a 75-foot ladder. It will be a taller and longer truck. The current fire hall only has 2 inches of clearance in the truck bays.

The Barton & Loguidice firm has proposed an addition to the fire hall that would be approximately 62 feet, 8 inches by 88 feet, 8 inches. That expansion, plus repairs to the existing fire hall, would be about $4.5 million, according to a report from the Barton & Loguidice from last September.

Construction costs are up about 15 percent since then or another $685,500 to $5,255,500.

Medina officials still need to settle on how much work the project will encompass. The village was told to expect about 14 months for contractors to complete the construction.

The bond resolution on Monday is subject to a permissive referendum, where residents are allowed up to 30 days to file a petition about the borrowing plan. If the Village Board makes the final decision to borrow the money, it will seek bids from banks on the interest rate and other terms for the financing.

MEDINA – Two groups of tourists from across the country spent part of their day in Medina on Wednesday, touring the Medina Railroad Museum.

The first to arrive were Seabees with the MCB53 Alumni Association who are having their semi-annual reunion in Lockport. Organizers of the reunion, Art “Day” McCollum and his wife Irene both have relatives in Medina and wanted to show off the canal town to the visiting Seabees and their guests.

Shortly before lunch a dozen cyclists with Wilderness Voyagers, based in Ohiopyla, Pa., stopped at the museum on their four-day ride from Lockport to Newark. Their own caterer who travels with them set up an elegant lunch in the museum.

The cyclists, who came from Pennsylvania, Maryland, Massachusetts, California and New Jersey, will ride to Newark and then load their cycles on a van for the trip back to Lockport.

Art McCollum of Lockport and Dennis Kiebach of Sinking Springs, Pa. look at the scale model of Royalton Airport named A.J. Kropf International Airport on the layout in honor of Allan Kropf of Medina.

Jim and Wendy Donahue of Lancaster, Pa., a member of the Seabees, were amazed at the train layout in the museum.

“It’s so fascinating with the modern things they have included on the layout,” Wendy said, pointing to a wind turbine.

“I can’t believe the stuff they’ve got in here,” said Linda Scheer, with her husband John from Leavenworth, Kan.

Most couldn’t believe the detail of the scenes on the layout.

The Railroad Museum was one of many sites the McCollums had arranged for the Seabees to do, including a visit to the Seabees Memorial in Veterans’ Park on River Road in North Tonawanda. Art and his brother George were both instrumental in raising funds for the memorial when it was built.

The group of Seabees visiting the area are members of a Mobile Construction Battalion, who served in Vietnam. The government sought out enlistees who were construction workers, including the McCollums, although Art went to work at Harrison Radiator, retiring after 37 years and then driving bus for Ridge Road Express/Grand Tours. Many of his trips were with seniors from the Medina Senior Center.

(Left) Art and Irene McCollum of Lockport stand by a picture of the former Union Station in Lockport before it burned several years ago. A developer is currently trying to raise money to restore it. The picture hangs in the Medina Railroad Museum. (Right) John and Linda Scheer of Leavenworth, Kan. gaze at the train layout during their visit to Medina Railroad Museum on Wednesday.

Several in the Seabees group expressed a desire to walk down Medina’s Main Street and visit the shops.

Several of the excursions Art and Irene planned this week involve the Erie Canal. While in Medina, they visited the canal basin and drove through the culvert on Culvert Road, the only spot where a road goes under a canal. Back in Lockport they are visiting the Erie Canal Discovery Museum and taking a cruise through the locks on the canal.

A catered dinner Friday night at the McCollum’s will feature a presentation by Bill Dickman, a combat photographer in Vietnam.

While the Seabees have a meeting on Saturday, Irene will take the wives to Lockport’s Farmer’s Market and Olcott.

Their week will wrap up on Saturday with dinner at Cammarata’s and featured speaker, Glenn Foley of Lockport, a combat infantryman in the Seabees, who also served in Antarctica.

The Seabees alumni members came from Pennsylvania, Michigan, Colorado, the Carolinas, Kentucky, Tennessee and Kansas.