Archery Encounters set for new location at Millcreek Mall with grand opening Monday

Josh Reilly
Erie Times-News | January 31, 2021

The sport of archery did not come easily to Erie native Tim Case when he decided to try the activity.
Case, 53, purchased a used bow for $50 and struggled immediately. The bow was a poor fit. Its draw weight was uncomfortable.

“I had a bad experience getting going,” he said. “The bow was not right for me. It was way too long. I was given arrows that were not proper for the setup I was shooting. I didn’t know anything.”


Case, then 28, chose to stick with his new activity. Today, the Air Force veteran is a USA Archery Level III instructor. He has taught archery for 15 years and, in 2016, opened Archery Encounters, LLC, in Erie.

Archery Encounters LLC will change venues on Monday with the grand opening of its new location at the Millcreek Mall Plaza. The indoor range is tucked away beneath Ollie’s Bargain Outlet.
“I entered the ‘free space at the mall’ contest last year, which I did not win,” Case said. “But, (mall owner Cafaro Company) liked the business plan and they liked what I was doing.”

Case said that despite choosing a different winner for its contest, Millcreek Mall management eventually notified him that it had made space available for Archery Encounters LLC.


The original archery range opened in 2016. It was stationed on the fourth floor of the Performing Artists Collective Alliance, 1505 State St.

Case has spent about 10 months preparing for Monday’s opening. He began setting the new facility up in early January.

The range features 16 lanes and targets at distances of 20, 30, 40 and 50 yards. Indoor ranges that stretch out to 40 and 50 are uncommon, Case noted. The targets at Archery Encounters LLC topped out in the 20-30 range.

“It’s coming together beautifully,” he said.

As a Level III instructor, Case ranks only behind Level IV and Level V coaches that typically coach Olympic athletes. Case’s archery roots are those of someone who could have walked away from failure in the beginning.

“When you have a poor experience right from the get-go, you have two options,” he said. “You can either hunker down and figure it out on your own or you give up.”

Case figured it out and, through his own learning experience, found that he could relate to future novices.


Although Archery Encounters LLC offers lessons, group events, leagues and open-range archery, the foundation of the business aims to hook the newcomers.

“Our primary focus is getting people involved,” Case said. “We don’t emphasize the hunting side or the target side. We emphasize learning the process and learning to execute it to the best of your ability.”

In order to grow the sport, Case offers an outlet to those people who might want to give archery a shot without paying an arm and a leg.

“The cost of archery equipment is astronomical,” he said. “We have several bows that are usable by the public, children or adults. You don’t need your own equipment to start.”

Case was an instructor at archery ranges at Discover Presque Isle from 2007 until 2010, where he reached about 5,000 people, and provided training for Hallmark Channel’s “Home and Family” in 2015.

Case founded Archery Encounters LLC on two main principles: belief that archery should be accessible, available and affordable to all people, and acknowledgement that archery has touched, and can bond, every culture on earth.

“It’s universally appealing,” Case said. “Every culture on earth has a history with archery. Every human being has an intuitive level of understanding of the process. All I do is help them develop the process and make it more fun.”

Contact Josh Reilly at jreilly@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNreilly.

Spotsylvania supervisors approve rezoning to allow apartments at mall

Scott Shenk January 28, 2021

Apartments will be built on the site of the former Sears store at Spotsylvania Towne Centre.

Allen Schmidt / The Free Lance–Star

The Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors approved a rezoning for the Spotsylvania Towne Centre, paving the way for an apartment complex to be built on the site once occupied by Sears.

Towne Centre owner Anthony Cafaro said the mall must evolve to survive, and sees the addition of the apartment complex as a way to keep the mall viable.

“We don’t think the mall needs saving,” Cafaro told supervisors before the board voted 4–2 to approve the rezoning Tuesday night. “It needs to continue to evolve.”

He believes the apartments will provide an on-site customer base for the nearby retailers, and will draw in other businesses. Cafaro said the apartments will put the mall ahead of traditional retail centers by creating a new model with a “better shopping experience.”

Charlie Payne, a local attorney representing Cafaro and project developer Bonaventure Investments, said the mall has long been a key revenue source for the county and the rezoning is an attempt to keep it that way.

Payne asked the county to change 4.82 acres from commercial to mixed-use zoning, allowing the construction of two four-story apartment buildings. The project could include up to 271 apartments and a “commercial suite” of 500 square feet on the old Sears footprint and its adjacent parking lot.

The monthly rent for the apartments is expected to range from $1,300 for a one-bedroom apartment to $2,000 for three bedrooms. Most of the apartments would have one or two bedrooms.

The proposal includes 352 parking spaces, pedestrian crosswalks, sidewalks and a pool.

During the public hearing, four people sent in comments and three people spoke in person. All but one of the commenters live near the mall and raised concerns about traffic and the apartments becoming low-rent housing.

Spotsylvania resident Al King told the board the apartment project is “a fantastic economic proposal,” but warned the supervisors they may see more “bite-sized requests” for apartments on the mall property.

Supervisor Barry Jett also raised a concern about more residential rezoning requests from the mall owners. He criticized the traffic study, conducted by the applicants, that found the apartments would create less traffic than a retail store the size of the old Sears.

Jett and several speakers said the study was flawed and didn’t present a realistic view of the traffic impacts by the apartments. Payne said the study followed the standard model.

Payne said the apartments should draw younger people and empty nesters, creating a customer base on site.

“We have more to lose than just about anyone,” Cafaro said. “We’re putting our money where our mouth is.”

In December, he told the Planning Commission that plans could include a “high-end grocery” chain, such as Trader Joe’s, and new restaurants.

Supervisor Gary Skinner said Cafaro has been a “good partner” with the county and he believes the plan will help the mall.

Supervisor David Ross said he isn’t a fan of apartments and that some county developments with apartments are disappointing. But he added that Cafaro owns the property and should be trusted to do know what is best.

Ross, Skinner, Kevin Marshall and Deborah Frazier voted in favor the rezoning. Jett and Chris Yakabouski voted against the measure.

Scott Shenk: 540/374-5436

sshenk@freelancestar.com

 

Sandusky Register | Perkins poised for growth in 2021

 

Perkins Township trustees Tim Coleman, Jeff Ferrell and Jim Lang and administrator Gary Boyle

Jan 15, 2021 9:00 AM

Like all local governments in 2020, Perkins Township faced many extraordinary challenges this year, including the daunting task of dealing with the first global pandemic in a century.

The township workforce has had to adapt its methods of service delivery to ensure the safety of staff in all departments as well as the general public.

As we all know, COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on many residents in our community, has negatively affected our businesses, and our school district has faced unprecedented challenges in continuing to address the educational needs of over 2,000 students.

Due to COVID-19, the township was faced with making changes to our priorities:

  • Our previously planned capital improvement projects and the acquisition of some needed equipment and vehicles were delayed as a result of the uncertainty related to anticipated revenue losses associated with state-mandated business closures that were aimed at reducing the spread of the virus.
  • The board of trustees and the administrator in consultation with department heads reviewed all scheduled capital projects and equipment purchases for 2020 and determined whether they could be delayed in order to exercise a fiscally prudent approach to control expenses, given expected shortfalls in revenue and uncertainty about the overall state of the economy.
  • Unfortunately, that meant that certain planned road improvement projects were not undertaken, some planned park improvements could not be made, some hiring decisions were deferred, and vehicle and equipment purchases were delayed.
  • Notwithstanding those decisions, ongoing improvements to our road system were still made in many instances, while other roads planned for improvements in 2020 will now be scheduled for 2021.
  • Since our park system significantly enhances the community’s quality of life, decisions to delay additional park updates and enhancements to another year were difficult but necessary to make.
  • Some equipment expenditures could not, however, be deferred such as ordering some new police department vehicles as those vehicles are crucial to our delivery of emergency services.

Keeping staff, and the public, safe

As briefly mentioned, the pandemic has significantly affected the operation of the township in a number of different ways.

At the onset of this pandemic, every department identified and made operational changes to protect staff from the spread of COVID-19 and to continue to remain available to address community needs even with the offices being closed to the public for periods of time.

For example, residents and businesses can arrange meetings with staff as may be necessary by email or telephone, and permits and other approvals continue to be processed quickly and efficiently by staff even when working remotely.

While following safety protocols recommended by the state and the local health department guidelines, our various boards and commissions still conduct business in meetings open to the public as does the board of township trustees, subject to masks being required, distancing being exercised and limits on the number of persons at a meeting.

Those efforts ensure that we can continue to be open and transparent in our operations.

A deeper dive into each department

  • Building: The township also updated various aspects of our building facilities to provide for public access to service facility building through an intercom system, for the touch-free operation of bathroom fixtures, improvements to the building’s HVAC system in an effort to reduce virus transmission, etc. by using federal CARES Act funding.
  • Recreation: The township’s ability to pursue recreational offerings, such as our large youth baseball program, had to be put on hold last spring in an effort to comply with state and local health and safety guidelines intended to slow the spread of COVID-19.

— Events: In addition, a number of important and very well-attended community events, such as Founders Day and the Christmas tree lighting ceremony, had to be canceled for the same reason. The township looks forward to continuing recreational programming, including youth sports and the introduction of several new community events, in 2021.

  • Safety services: The police and fire departments modified their procedural and operational responses to calls for service in order to protect staff and the community. In-service training and other educational programs continued in those departments while following safety guidelines.

— Equipment: Necessary safety equipment and personal protective equipment have been provided as well as the purchase of new turnout gear and self-contained breathing apparatus for the fire department. New personal protective equipment and other equipment, including new protective vests, has been acquired for the police department as well as the purchase of new cruisers scheduled for delivery in early 2021.

— Community policing: Despite the pandemic, our community policing efforts continue and are considered to be more important than ever. The township trustees and the administrator appreciate the professionalism and integrity by which our police department operates.

— Fire force: Similarly, we have great respect and appreciation for the outstanding commitment and services provided by our fire department in the face of this pandemic.

— Looking ahead: Challenges, however, remain in both safety departments related to the hiring of additional staff due to budget issues, which we hope to be able to address in 2021.

  • Public works: The public works department has continued to meet its important responsibilities related to road maintenance with 13 road improvement projects being completed in 2020 as well as crack-sealing on 10 miles of additional roads to help extend the life of those roads. The department also continued to maintain and improve the township’s cemetery as well maintaining our many parks. The department also assisted with the implementation of significant updates to Abernathy Park in conjunction with the community development department.
  • Community development: Our community development department saw new leadership this year, and that department continues to provide great service to the township through its expertise in planning, building and economic development. As a state-certified building department, the administration of the Ohio Building Code and residential code occurred in 2020 and will continue in 2021. The department also continued its code enforcement efforts to address and abate nuisance properties, and that will continue to be a priority in 2021.

— Planning: The community development department’s most significant planning activity in 2020 involved finalizing the township’s comprehensive plan update. That plan will guide the future growth and development of the community. The planning division of that department will also continue to regularly review the zoning resolution and suggests updates in order to ensure that it meets community needs.

— New roads: Community development is also providing leadership related to the development of new roads in the vicinity of Sam’s Club Way and Baywinds Drive that will provide access to commercially zoned properties that would enable them to be developed in the future.

— New projects: It will also continue to provide expert planning and development advice and guidance related to the ongoing proposed reinvestment in the overall Sandusky Mall complex as it evolves during the next year or two as well as with the redevelopment of the vacant industrial property at 2509 Hayes Avenue (Ohio 4). This department is central to our efforts to support and foster business growth and opportunities in the township.

  • In partnership: Perkins Township values its collaboration with outside entities including Serving our Seniors, the city of Sandusky, the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, Erie Regional Planning and the Erie Soil and Water Conservation District. The township looks forward to continuing those partnerships in 2021.

— Schools: One of our most important community partners is Perkins Schools. The township works very closely with the school district and meets monthly or more as necessary to discuss our commitment to addressing community needs and collectively providing an approach to make our community an even better place to live, work and visit.

In conclusion, please be advised that the township remains committed to providing the best and most cost-effective services to our community.