Sunday, September 12
12:30 p.m.
Part road
race, part scavenger hunt, cyclists will take to the streets of University Park
in two groups for a rousing good time while they compete to win exceptional
prizes. A long race will be
offered for more adventurous cyclists, while those who prefer a more leisurely
ride can choose a shorter race.
Both races start at The University of Akron Student
Union, 303 Carroll St.,
Akron, Ohio 44325. A mandatory safety session begins at 12:30 p.m. with both
races kicking off at 1 p.m.
To participate, a $5 donation is
suggested with race proceeds going to the bicycle programs at University Park
elementary schools. Helmets are
required and participants must be 18 years of age or older. Please bring a driver's license. Send an email to info@upakron.com to indicate your participation.
For more information go to the University Park website.
New Leggett CLC Open
for Business
On September 1, 2010, approximately 260 students began the school year in the newly-constructed Leggett Community Learning Center.
Akron Public Schools, in a partnership with the the City
of Akron and the Ohio School Facilities Commission will dedicate the 56,000 sq.ft. elementary school and community learning center on September 23, 2010.
Zipnic Helps Build Community in
University Park
On the evening of September 1, UA's Associated Student Government along with University Park Alliance,
UA's Student Affairs and UA's Dining Services, teamed up to hold "Zipnic 2010,"
a neighborhood picnic designed to provide University Park residents,
including UA students and permanent residents who live in the area south of Exchange Street, an opportunity to interact
with each other and to build a stronger community.
The
event
featured free hot dogs, music from 91.3 the Summit,
inflatable jumpers, kickball, cornhole and ultimate Frisbee. Neighborhood businesses and nonprofit organizations provided displays
with lots of giveaways. Let's Grow Akron was on hand to recruit
residents to participate in the University Park community gardens
program, and ASIA, Inc. recruited volunteers for the University Park
street light monitoring program. More than 60o people attended
Zipnic 2010.
Studio 526 Offers Unique
Party and Event Space in
University Park Studio
526 on Grant St. in University Park offers the coolest new space in
town for parties, weddings, concerts,
corporate events, art shows and
more. Check out this link to see more photos of the space in action and call
800-238-9050 for more details. Find Out More About
University Park at the Neighborhood Website
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Our Partners
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With Major Funding By:
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University
Park Alliance Welcomes
Eric Anthony Johnson As
New Executive Director
Dr. Eric Anthony Johnson has
joined University Park Alliance (UPA) as executive director. In
his new position, Johnson will lead UPA's efforts to revitalize the University
Park neighborhood, the 50-block area that surrounds The University of
Akron. University Park is Akron's
most strategically located neighborhood as the city center of education,
medicine, technology and culture.
Johnson will work closely with local and regional developers,
financiers, builders, community groups, and the UPA board and staff to continue
the transformation of the residential and commercial areas within the
neighborhood. "In a time where opportunity comes
to places that are prepared to compete for talent, business and resources, it's safe
to say that anchored by the support of the Knight Foundation and the partners
of UPA, we are poised to compete aggressively in the years ahead. The key to
long-term success will be to strategically align the direction of the
organization and accelerate our efforts toward implementing the vision of the
organization," says
Johnson. "It's a
great time to be in Akron."
"Eric comes to the University Park neighborhood at
an opportune time, a good foundation has been built, and now it is time to
fully implement an overall plan. He has the right skills and experience to do this," says UPA Board President Tony O'Leary. "We
are very fortunate to find a proven leader in the field of economic and
community development for this important job." Johnson is a New Orleans native and has recently relocated to Akron, leasing a
unit at Spicer Village Townhomes in the University Park neighborhood. He has more than 18 years of urban
revitalization and economic development experience. Prior to coming to UPA, he served as real estate director
for the Cleveland Port Authority. Additional prior positions include real estate manager for the City of
Charlotte, North Carolina, and director of housing and urban development for
the City of Pompano Beach, Florida. Johnson has also participated in numerous leadership development programs
through Harvard University and other institutes of higher education, the Urban
Land Institute, and the Brookings Institution.
He
has a bachelor's degree in political science from Washburn University, a
master's degree in public administration from Minnesota State University at
Mankato and a doctor of philosophy degree in urban affairs and public policy
from the
University of Delaware.
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Agencies Collaborate to Host
Back-To-School Outreach Event
LINKS Community & Family Services, in conjunction with Asian Service in Action, Inc., the City of Akron Neighborhood Partnership Project, and the Akron Canton Regional Food Bank, organized a back-to-school outreach event on August 14, 2010 near the UPA Community Garden located on Adolph St. in University Park.
Free items given to neighborhood residents included vegetables, fruits, and other food, children's clothing, toys, shoes, small appliances, bedding and 200 totes full of school supplies. More than 200 neighborhood residents benefited.
Special thanks to the many individuals and organizations that contributed time and materials including: Building Hope in the City, Asian Service In Action, Inc., University Park Alliance, Open Door Assembly of God Church, LINKS Community & Family Services, South Akron Awning Co. and Paul Davis Restoration. This successful gathering of volunteers from many different backgrounds, agencies, and cultures confirms that collaboration can truly create greatness in a community.
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5th Annual University Park Art Fair
Was a Great Success!
More than 5,000 people attended this one-day fine art, fine craft, and music
festival on August 15 held at the beautiful and historic Grace Park in the heart of the University Park neighborhood. View a video of the Art Fair here and plan to attend the 2011 University Park Art Fair on August 20: |
Saturday, October 9, 6-10 p.m.
Mark Your Calendar for the
2nd Annual Light-UP Lantern Festival
in University Park
 The streets of the University Park neighborhood will come to life for the second annual Light-UP Lantern Festival in University Park with a magical display of lantern lights, music, dance, performance art, food and fun. Presented by the University Park Business Association (UPBA) in cooperation with Leandra Drumm Designs Inc., this family-friendly event is free and open to the public. The festival will feature a lantern parade and extraordinary performance art, music and culture. Last year's festival was attended by more than 500 including many young children and their families, and this year's festival is being planned to attract more than twice that amount with more pre-event promotional activity, more lantern-making workshops, and more artists and performers participating. Where: The University Park neighborhood in "Spicertown", an area that includes Don Drumm Studios, Kirn and Crouse Streets and Spicer Village Townhomes.
When: The festival is scheduled for Saturday, October 9 from 6 to 10 p.m. preceded by a series of lantern making workshops to be held throughout University Park and on The University of Akron campus. Performance Sponsors    Contributing Sponsors |
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About University Park Alliance
The
mission of University Park Alliance (UPA) is to revitalize and
transform the diverse University Park neighborhood, a 50-block area immediately
surrounding The University of Akron, through engaging the community and
leveraging real estate & business investment. UPA was established
through a major grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
and is comprised of partners including The University of Akron, City of
Akron, Summa Health System, Akron Beacon Journal, Akron Children's Hospital, Akron General
Health System, Akron Metropolitan Housing
Authority, Greater Akron Chamber and Akron Public Schools, and
and the University Park
residential and business community.
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