Dayton City Council finally committed to a site for the Love Locks project, an art installation being spearheaded by the Dayton Enhancement Committee. After months of considering various sites, City Council on Monday, July 18, voted to install the art project on the north side of the Dayton Community Center, 801 S. Cleveland St., on a triangular-shaped section of the property between the walking trail and the front parking lot.
The Love Locks project is a 6-foot-tall by 26-foot-long metal structure that should one day be adorned with padlocks placed on the structure as a sign of a committed union between two lovers. It will be a place for people to take photos, propose marriage and visit.
As the project gains momentum and interest in the local community, it may also draw visitors from outside the community. The DEC and Mayor Caroline Wadzeck are hoping that people visiting the city will use the hashtag #DaytripDayton to connect points of interest in Dayton on social media.
DEC volunteers Susan Simmons and Kimmie Woods explained to Council that the Love Locks wall is constructed of heavy carbon, galvanized steel with heavy plate steel feet for bolting it into a concrete foundation. The framing is one continuous segment that is not bolted together, which should make it durable to withstand at least 20 years of use.
“Each letter has hog wire that is all enclosed. There are no sharp edges on anything. We hand-rubbed it to make sure there are no sharp edges on anything,” said Wood.
Council members also pondered the merits of placing a bench or fountain near the Love Locks project, but made no decisions about adding other features.
In other business, Council approved a recommendation from City Manager Steve Floyd to purchase a new $377,113,28 fuel storage system for the City, to be paid, in part, by grant funding. Currently, the City can only purchase fuel in small increments, requiring weekly deliveries. The new system of two 12,000-gallon tanks – one for diesel and one for unleaded – will require quarterly deliveries.
“In the event we got into a storm situation and could not get a delivery, we would be without fuel after a few days. We would be at the mercy of whoever could provide fuel,” Floyd said.
Another added benefit of the tanks is reduced costs for transportation and bulk fuel.
Once the new tanks are ordered, it will still take until January 2023 before they arrive and are installed. The location for the tanks must still be determined, though Floyd said one possible site is behind Dayton Fire Department on SH 321.
Council also approved a contract with CobbFendley for broadband consulting and network management support for the City’s DayNet fiber Internet system on an as-needed basis. By having CobbFendley manage these tasks, the City can eliminate positions for the DayNet staff. Their last day with the City is July 28.
Floyd told Council that the DayNet system has not gained a lot of users since the project began. Currently there are less than a hundred people signed up for the service.
“Unfortunately we are not getting much cooperation from people wanting to get hooked up,” Floyd said.