By Marty Trese, KnoxPages.com Editor
MOUNT VERNON – The hot and humid weather this past summer meant more swimmers headed to the pool than last year. Mount Vernon Mayor Dick Mavis told KnoxPages.com in his media briefing this morning that 65,890 people came through the gate of Hiawatha Water Park/Pool this year. That figure compares with about 58,000 in 2015.
Mavis also reminded citizens that South Main Street continues to be a construction zone with building projects underway at several locations. The Woodward, the Alcove Restaurant, the new site of Knox Community Hospital offices in the old Y-Not Cycling location and the Buckeye Candy building, owned now by Kenyon College, all feature crews working to complete remodeling projects. A dumpster was scheduled to be put in place in front of The Alcove today.
Mavis also relayed that a number of citizens have met a few times to continue discussions on an idea brought up more than a year ago to turn Rian Hall at the Mount Vernon Developmental Center into an in-patient drug rehabilitation facility. The idea can’t get started until $10,000 is raised for a feasibility study. After that the price tag just to operate the building – turn on the lights – will be at least $450,000 a year. Mavis says while the idea is one we all can embrace, the big hurdle is the price tag.