Contract awarded to construct $225,000 food truck park in village of Tuscarawas

TUSCARAWAS ‒ Work is expected to begin next year on a food truck park in the village of Tuscarawas ‒ the first such facility in Tuscarawas County.

The park will be built on a 59-by-173-foot vacant lot owned by the village at 116 N. Main St. According to Mayor Dana Moore, it will have three concrete pads equipped with electric and water for food trucks to park. There will be a gazebo at the rear of the lot, playground equipment, picnic tables and a small building to house a display on the history of Tuscarawas.

More on project: Village of Tuscarawas considers building food truck park

It will also be the location of the village's Love Tusc sculpture, which was designed by Indian Valley High School art teacher Sara Dittfeld. A majority of communities in the county have the sculpture, designed in the shape of Tuscarawas County, but each is decorated to reflect the cultural identity of the community it is in.

Contract awarded

On June 17, commissioners approved a $225,805.59 contract with Kinsey Excavating & Trucking of New Philadelphia to construct the park. The work will be paid for with a state Targets of Opportunity Program grant. The money is being funneled through the county, with the Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Association (OMEGA) administering the grant.

"I'm confident it's going to be a community gathering place, aside from our park," Moore said.

Construction won't likely begin until the spring of 2025, he said. Once the park is completed, he hopes that food trucks will come there weekly.

Scott Reynolds, director of the Tuscarawas County Office of Community and Economic Development, said the village came up with the idea of a food truck park.

"It's a unique concept," he said. "It's going to be one of the first for our area. I think the village of Tuscarawas will be a good trial run for that type of project here in the county. In the long run, it should be a very good thing. We appreciate the fact that the village had the foresight to work on it."

A place where people can gather

Moore said the goal in building the park is to create a place where village residents come together, similar to what has been achieved by the Tusky Days Festival, which is held every June.

"Our festivals have been a great success of putting people together," the mayor said. "It has become kind of a family ritual of the residents' children who have moved away from the area making sure they come back for the festival and gather. It makes me happy to see that happening. This (food truck park) is just one more place we can do that."

Reach Jon at 330-364-8415 or at jon.baker@timesreporter.com.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Contract awarded to construct $225,000 food truck park in village of Tuscarawas