STARK COUNTY, Ohio — News 5 is back in Stark County re-visiting a community that feels like it's being left behind when it comes to resources.
Jessica Miller reached out to News 5 one month ago when our team was in her community reporting on the closure of a beloved pool. On Sept. 19, News 5 was at the East Sparta Village Council meeting after the council voted to shut down a beloved pool in Sandy Valley.
We don’t just report the initial story—we follow through to its conclusion. Read and watch our previous reporting on this story below and see more stories that we've followed through on here.
The council voted unanimously to close the Sandy Valley Community Pool, citing low attendance, low staffing, and costly maintenance.
Miller met News 5 crews at her library, the Sandy Valley Branch, Friday evening as she checked out some new books for her little ones.
"My husband and I love to read books to our 2-year-old. Our 6-year-old is already reading," said Miller, who lives in Magnolia. Miller is heartbroken her library branch is the next amenity to go.
"Growing up in this library, having it in our backyard as a kid and now having it for my children, it's going to be part of history that's going to be taken away from our kids, and it's just heartbreaking," Miller said.
After tracking low attendance in the Sandy Valley Branch, the Stark County Library Board confirms it will move the branch out seven miles North at the Southgate Shopping Center in Canton.
"We have to get our groceries up there, we do our clothing shopping up there, and now to have to haul my child up there, it's frustrating," Miller said.
"We empathize with those people in that region; they've lost a lot in the last few years. Some organizations recently the pool announced that they were closing and for many of the same reasons that we're looking at moving. So, we do empathize with them," said Stephanie Cargill, marketing and communications director of the Stark County Library.
The community concerns go well beyond access to books on the shelves. "A lot of the areas around here don't have internet, so they come here for internet, they use the back room for tutoring, they use this library for more than just getting books," said Paula Tolin, who lives in Sandy Valley.
The Stark County Library said it will put a few more resources in the area, including a new locker location no more than 5 miles from the current branch. At that location, folks can pick up and drop off books 24/7. The location will also have a Wi-Fi hotspot that can be used from a car.
"We're going to increase the bookmobile stops in that area so that they will have additional stops and opportunities to be able to put their things on hold, and they can pick them up right from the bookmobile," Cargill said.
"To take the library from us when we contribute to this library and giving us a bookmobile is just not the same," said Miller.
A change.org petition was started to keep the branch in Sandy Valley. It has more than 500 signatures.
However, Stark County Library said the move is slated for mid-2024.
"Heartbroken, devastated, as a Mom of a 6-year-old and almost 2-year-old, this is where I want to take them," said Miller.
