Monday, March 4, 2013
It was announced this past week when the Sheraton and Samira dams will be demolished
It won't be long now until crews start demolishing the dams behind the Sheraton Suites and former Samira restaurant in Cuyahoga Falls. In fact, it was announced this past week that demolition for the Sheraton dam will be June 17-30 and July 1-19 for the Samira dam, according to the Falls News-Press. City officials as well as residents and kayaking entusiasts attended the second of two meetings Feb. 27 to discuss the future of the dams. In December, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has issued a nationwide permit, which will allow for the removal of the dams. The project will cost just under $1 million and will be paid for by the Environmental Protection Agency. Read more about last week's meeting on the Falls News-Press. Why does the city …
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
A second session to inform the public of the importance of the dam removal will take place at 7 p.m. Feb. 27 Lion's Lodge, 641 Silver Lake Ave.
Plans for the city's dams demolition is on track, and officials want to make sure the public is on board when the Sheraton and Samira dams are demolished this coming summer. Cuyahoga Falls residents are encouraged to attend a meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday to learn more about the importance of the dam removal as well as what it means to the future of the Cuyahoga Falls River. The meeting takes place at the Lion's Lodge, 641 Silver Lake Ave. "Cuyahoga Falls is excited to have this long awaited project begin to move forward," said Cuyahoga Falls Service Director Valerie Wax Carr in a prepared statement in December. Benefits to the removal of the low-head dams are two-fold. First, the removal means Cuyahoga Falls’ segment of the river would …
Saturday, December 22, 2012
The Sheraton and Samira dams will be demolished this summer, according to Cuyahoga Falls officials.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has issued a nationwide permit, which will allow for the removal of the low-head dams adjacent to the Sheraton Suites and defunct Samira restaurant, Cuyahoga Falls officials announced Friday. Federal approval came Dec. 12, and officials have been working since then to get the project back on track. "Cuyahoga Falls is excited to have this long awaited project begin to move forward," said Cuyahoga Falls Service Director Valerie Wax Carr in a prepared statement. "The city and its project team, RiverWorks, and the Ohio EPA are finalizing demolition plans. Demolition will begin early summer of 2013, dependent upon weather conditions and water levels." The project will cost just under $1 million, and will be paid…
Monday, October 8, 2012
Cuyahoga River project may be postponed until 2013 if permission isn't granted soon by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Two Cuyahoga River low-head dams set for removal this year may still be around in 2013 if city officials don’t soon receive a federal permit that was applied for in mid-March. The concrete dams – located near the Sheraton Suites and Samira restaurant – cannot be taken out without a permit issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which has jurisdiction over navigable waterways. Cuyahoga Falls Engineer Tony Demasi said he doesn’t know how much longer it will take for the city’s permit to work its way through the approval process. “We hope it’s soon,” Demasi said. “We’re getting close to the date – not a specific one set on a calendar – that the contractor is likely to be unable to do work this year (due to temperatures).” The dams are …
Friday, April 6, 2012
Following last Friday's lawsuit settlement with the Beaver Excavating Company, city engineer Tony Demasi discusses the next steps to get the project back on track.
In light of the recent settlement between Cuyahoga Falls and the Beaver Excavating Company, the completion of the dam removal project has been pushed back past the proposed late-July deadline. Right now, the city is preparing the proper documents for the rebid of the dam removal, said city engineer Tony Demasi. The initial paperwork should be sent out to potential bidders by late April. By mid-May, the city will receive statements of qualifications from the various contractors that will be vying for the lucrative six-figure contract. From there, the city will choose the top three candidate teams which will pitch the city on why they should be selected for the job. Teams will most likely consist of architects, engineers, contractors and …
Friday, March 30, 2012
The settlement will prevent Cuyahoga Falls from awarding a $1 million contract to RiverReach Construction for the removal of the LeFever and Sheraton Dams. City officials will have to re-bid the project.
Cuyahoga Falls officials settled with Beaver Excavating on Friday, just two days after the Canton-based construction company filed suit against the city. Per the settlement, the city has agreed to "redo the procurement process," said Cuyahoga Falls Law Director, Paul Janis in a phone interview with Patch on Friday evening. Regarding the process, the "City of Cuyahoga Falls did not have the authority to release this as a design-build project, and the (Ohio Revised Code, Section 153.65) they're relying on does not go into effect until June, said Beaver Excavating contract administrator, Matt Sterling, in an interview last week. Legally, they shouldn’t be selling a design-build and they should be rebidding it as a design-bid-build project…
41.13266
-81.48342
Sheraton Suites
1989 Front St, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
/articles/breaking-news-city-settles-lawsuit-with-beaver-excavating-over-dam-removal
1083356
/locations/6702254
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Deconstruction will begin this June and should be wrapped up by mid to late July.
It's official. On Monday night during its regular meeting at the Natatorium, the Cuyahoga Falls City Council voted 11-0 to approve an ordinance that will bring down the LeFever and Sheraton Dams. The plan will cost $1 million (paid for by the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District), potentially create category four or five white water rapids in sections of the Cuyahoga River and restore aquatic ecosystems that have long been impaired and deoxygenated by the dams, said Valerie Wax Carr, the Cuyahoga Falls Director of Public Service last week. Deconstruction is set for June with a completion date of mid to late July, which means the river should be ready for August’s bicentennial celebration, said city engineer Tony Demasi. The city has …
Monday, March 26, 2012
The City Council will meet tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the Natatorium for its regular meeting and will decide whether or not to approve the widely touted dam removal project.
Ready for white water rapids? Last Monday, the Public and Industrial Improvements Committee -- chaired by ward 7 councilman Jerry James -- unanimously approved a motion to finalize plans for the deconstruction of the Sheraton and LeFever Dams. The last step will come tonight when Cuyahga Falls City Council members vote on whether or not to approve the dam removal ordinance. The plan will cost $1 million (paid for by the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District), potentially create category four or five white water rapids in sections of the Cuyahoga River and restore aquatic ecosystems that have long been impaired and deoxygenated by the dams, said Valerie Wax Carr, the Cuyahoga Falls Director of Public Service last week. Deconstruction is …
41.139237
-81.486446
Natatorium Health and Fitness Center
2345 4th St, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
/articles/ready-for-rapids-in-cuyahoga-falls-dam-removal-decision-slated-for-tonight
1083258
/locations/6666419
41.13266
-81.48342
Sheraton Suites
1989 Front St, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
/articles/ready-for-rapids-in-cuyahoga-falls-dam-removal-decision-slated-for-tonight
1083356
/locations/6666420
41.13769
-81.4814
Samira
2291 Riverfront Pky, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
/articles/ready-for-rapids-in-cuyahoga-falls-dam-removal-decision-slated-for-tonight
1870688
/locations/6666421
Monday, July 18, 2011
City and EPA prepare to revive the river’s original rapids.
The removal of two dams in the Cuyahoga River could happen as early as next year. Once the dams are out of the way, Cuyahoga Falls Mayor Don Robart says that could create a new opportunity for the city to become a whitewater rafting destination. Without the dams in place, Robart said the river will be considered a Class IV or Class V for whitewater rafting. The Falls News Press reports the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the city are working on a plan to remove the two dams in Cuyahoga Falls. The removal of the dam behind Samira’s restaurant and the dam near the Sheraton Suites Hotel is funded by a grant from the North East Ohio Regional Sewer District’s CSO Elimination Program. Cit Engineer Tony Demasi told the newspaper it would…
41.13769
-81.4814
Samira
2291 Riverfront Pky, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
/articles/hopes-to-bring-whitewater-rafting-to-cuyahoga-falls-still-afloat
1870688
/locations/4865209
41.13266
-81.48342
Sheraton Suites
1989 Front St, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
/articles/hopes-to-bring-whitewater-rafting-to-cuyahoga-falls-still-afloat
1083356
/locations/4865210
crazyriver
4:54 pm on Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Let me start by saying that I am one of "those kayakers" and these dams are NOT coming down on our behalf. IF "those kayakers" had that kind of clout, the dams would have been out years ago! The driving force behind the dam removal is improved water quality and I will let the EPA, biologists and fishermen (and women) argue who is right on that point. Paddlers (kayakers, canoeists, SUPs, etc) all … more ›