A Stark County agency is on the move — thanks to repeated flooding in 2011.
Pathway Caring for Children at 6370 Wise Ave. NW in Plain Township was flooded three times, displacing 70 staffers and 600 clients.
Even 20 tons of sandbags around the 21,132-square-foot building could not protect it July 19 from floodwaters from the Zimber Ditch east of Whipple Avenue Northwest, near the spot where North Canton and Plain and Jackson townships intersect.
The nonprofit agency, which serves 10 counties in Northeast Ohio, lost everything in the July floods, which left 4 feet of water in the building, said Executive Director Eric Belden.
“Frankly, we just got hammered,” he said.
The building also was flooded with 3 feet of water in February and 1.5 feet of water in May, he said. It also flooded once in 2003, he said.
The agency has watched floodwaters rise within inches of the building six more times since July and that made everyone very nervous, Belden said.
During heavy rains in 2011, agency officials would wake up at 3 a.m. and dash to the building to check on flooding, he said.
Belden said the agency’s federal flood insurance provided about $1.5 million for the 2011 flooding.
The agency — which provides children with foster care, adoption and mental health services — moved to temporary headquarters at 4895 Dressler Road NW, Jackson Township.
Now Pathway and the Stark County Park District are seeking federal or state money to demolish the building.
“It would be a big win-win for everyone,” Belden said.
The one-acre property would then be transferred to the park district, to be used in the future as a trailhead for a proposed trail between North Canton and Jackson Township.
Removing the building is expected to reduce flooding downstream and protect the health and safety of Pathway clients and staff plus residents along Zimber Ditch.
Such a request must be approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Ohio Emergency Management Agency.
After the July flooding, Pathway was put on the National Flood Insurance Program’s repetitive flood claim list. The move makes Pathway eligible for hazardous mitigation grants to pay for the demolition.
Stark County also revised its flood insurance rate maps. The revision showed that the entire Pathway building was in the Zimber Ditch flood plain.
Elevating or moving the one-story building was deemed too expensive. County officials pushed to raze the now-empty building.
The project is eligible for $1.7 million in federal money, Belden said. No local match would be required.
If the agency is rejected for federal funds, it would still be eligible for state funds, although a local match of 12.5 percent would be required, he said.
FEMA is accepting public comment about the Stark County proposal through Wednesday.
Comments should be sent to Amanda Ratliff, Regional Environmental Officer, FEMA Region 5, 536 S. Clark St., Sixth Floor, Chicago, IL 60605 or amanda.ratliff@dhs.gov.
Bob Downing can be reached at 330-996-3745 or bdowning@thebeaconjournal.com.