The township came to us, and it was determined Oakwood Square was the best location for that,” Glitz said. “ needed a center of town, where the community can come together and recognize this is where the activity is. Along with it a myriad of other businesses came including Tlaquepaque, Royal Docks Brewing Company, John’s Bar, Ace Hardware and more. The investment worked, as the new anchor store Drug Mart moved in. “We put a facelift on the building, new parking lot, new roofing, etc.” So we came up with a plan of what Oakwood is going to look like,” Glitz said. “Before we bought the shopping center it was dilapidated and run down. That all changed in 2017, when property developer Grant Giltz bought the square. Former tenants, most notably Giant Eagle, had left Oakwood Square long ago, leaving the plaza a lifeless, hollow shell of what it once was. This was unexpected because a few short years ago the property was mostly vacant. It seemed like the geographical disadvantages that exist in Plain would never allow this to change.Įven with the challenges, a community hub of sorts has recently formed in an unlikely place, Oakwood Square. The division in Plain has prevented a town center from forming, leaving the township with few discerning landmarks and little identity. Today Jackson’s map is an untouched square, with a clear downtown area and arguably more identity. This is a sharp contrast to Jackson Township, which has historically fought annexation. Random sections of land are connected spanning from Meyer’s Lake to Middlebranch to route 62, with no clear sense of belonging. This has left Plain with a map that looks hastily drawn. Plain was once a square, but over time cities began enticing landowners to leave, chipping away at the once unified township. Plain Township is largely broken up due to annexation from cities. Looking at a map of Stark County it is easy to see why this is. “I never really felt a sense of community living in Plain Township,” Nakoul said. While most GlenOak students live in Plain, many do not feel a sense of community or identity as a township.Ĭhristina Nakoul is a senior at the high school and a Plain Township resident. Now entering Plain Township, a sign that most of us drive past every day without thinking much about it.
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