Snowplows painted in Genoa Twp.

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WESTERVILLE — Local students learned as they helped create public art and beautified maintenance equipment for a project in Genoa Township.

More than 200 Alcott Elementary School students from 11 classes in grades third through fifth recently painted four snowplows. Alcott is in the Westerville City School District but is located in Delaware County at 7117 Mount Royal Ave., which is in the township.

Alcott art teacher Lee Johnson sketched outlines of polka dots, snowflakes (with the words “Snow Day”), kids playing, and outer spaces objects in September, and the students worked in shifts to fill in the designs with colorful paint.

“Genoa Township officials approached Principal Earl Rahm last school year about having students paint snowplow blades,” the Alcott Elementary webpage said. “Rahm shared the proposal with Johnson, and both agreed it would be a great learning opportunity for students.”

“The kids were so excited to do something that they could see outside in their community,” Johnson was quoted as saying on the school webpage. “So, to be either home on a snow day or on their way to school and see the snowplows that they painted was really, really meaningful and to be able to do it again this year … they are excited to do it.”

If and when snow does accumulate this winter, the snowplows will be out around-the-clock, the township said, starting on the high-traffic thoroughfares of Genoa’s 180 lane miles of roads.

“Sometimes these main roads require repeated passes to clear, especially if snow continues to accumulate,” the township said in its current newsletter. “Afterward, plows move to secondary streets. This means that neighborhood roads are not cleared together. Rather, trucks will not begin clearing low traffic, residential streets until all thoroughfares and secondary roadways are complete. Contractors driving smaller trucks are sometimes hired to plow cul-de-sacs due to the maneuvering required. Doing so also helps plowing reach completion more quickly for all residents.”

Residents were reminded to move their cars from curbside to their driveways when it snows, so that the plows can work faster. “Also remember to shovel snow to the left side of your driveway (when viewed from the street),” the township said. “Plows are not agile enough to avoid pushing snow back across the driveway otherwise.”

Genoa Trustee Connie Goodman said in the newsletter that whenever winter does come, “There’s plenty of fun to be had playing in the snow and there’s no better place than Jaycox Park. The sledding hill and the cross-county trail provide wonderful opportunities for families to enjoy a snowy day, and our Maintenance Department has been working daily to make sure the park is ready.”

Jaycox Park is on Jaycox Road and Sheffield Park Drive.

The Genoa Township snowplows that were painted by Westerville students.
https://www.delgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2022/11/web1_DSC_8264.jpgThe Genoa Township snowplows that were painted by Westerville students. Courtesy photo | Genoa Twp.

Lee Johnson stands next to one of the snowplows her students painted.
https://www.delgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2022/11/web1_DSC_8284.jpgLee Johnson stands next to one of the snowplows her students painted. Courtesy photo | Genoa Twp.

By Gary Budzak

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Gary Budzak covers the eastern half of Delaware County. He may be reached at the above email address or on Twitter @GaryBudzak.

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