Leaders seek to use marathon to boost city

CELINA - Some city council members want to market the Sept. 24 Grand Lake Marathon to promote Celina as a destination city.

At a parks and recreation committee meeting this week, councilman Fred LeJuene suggested officials incorporate the marathon as part of the city's identity. LeJeune echoed Grand Lake Region Visitors Center Executive Director Donna Grube, who recently had stressed to councilors the importance of finding ways to distinguish Celina from other cities.

"There's not a whole lot of marathons around here," LeJeune said, noting Grand Lake is the perfect venue to draw people from around the country. "I think we should consider embracing that."

LeJeune emphasized that he wants to find out first whether race organizers, the owners of Can't Stop Running, a running/walking speciality store in Piqua, are putting on a nonprofit event. No one at the meeting knew whether or not the race is a nonprofit event.

Councilman Mike Sovinski agreed the city needs to bring attention to the marathon.

"If we have this type of event here, we should be doing all we can in terms of marketing the city as the home (of the marathon)," Sovinski said.

Moreover, LeJeune suggested partnering with the visitors center next year to put up along I-75 a billboard alerting drivers from numerous states about Celina and the event.

Mayor Jeff Hazel said putting up a billboard is not a bad idea. However, he noted "there's a lot of great causes out there and lots of nonprofits."

"We want to be careful about how those advertising dollars are spent, but at the same time, I'm not against that," Hazel said. "We have had runners from across the country that have come in for this marathon specifically because it's a Boston (Marathon) qualifier."

The city might open a can of worms by putting up a billboard for one event, councilman Jeff Larmore said. Many events and activities occur in Celina, he said.

"That was my concern as well," Hazel said.

LeJeune later added that the marathon is new, gaining momentum and drawing people, including runners and spectators who stay in hotels and hang out in town for a few days.

"I also want to be very fair to our established festivals and our local groups that have been here for decades, some longer," he said.

Councilman Myron Buxton asked if the city could use taxpayer dollars for advertising.

Sovinski said it can tap the general fund but not revenue-generating funds such as water and electricity, for advertising.

Larmore said the marathon probably has its own marketing approach. Sovinski noted that marathon advertising appears to have improved this year.

Hazel said he appreciates the work former race director Roger Bowersock had done three years ago to establish and coordinate the marathon.

"It just grew legs and started running, so I think that it just got really big, really fast, and it was almost overwhelming," Hazel said.

Earlier this year, Ryan King, co-owner of Can't Stop Running, and the marathon's new director, updated the Celina Rotary Club about the race around the lake. The race is sanctioned by U.S.A. Track and Field and is a Boston Marathon qualifier. King had said organizers identified the race's finish lines as areas for improvement. They intend to increase the number of spectators and add more food, drinks and booths by organizers, vendors and other groups.

LeJeune this week also asked Hazel for an update on the city's website. LeJeune last month called for modernizing Celina's social media, including adding GPS coordinates for unique amenities such as the Celina-Coldwater bike path.

Hazel responded that city officials are reviewing the website and considering soliciting estimates for enhancements such as apps. Unlike larger cities, Celina does not have an IT department. Building a new website with apps is beyond the city staff's capabilities, he said.

Hazel and council members also talked about the upcoming community service day and a new summer camp

A second Celina Parks Community Service Day is set for 9 a.m.-noon June 11, a Saturday, with participants meeting at Lakeshore Park. LeJeune wants to maintain momentum from last year's event by asking residents to help clean up the city's parks. Last year, 27 people of all ages, including high school athletes and coaches and grandparents, helped.

To motivate kids to participate, a treasure hunt will be held, with children putting together the pieces of a map to find the hidden booty in one of the parks, LeJeune said. He also plans to host a "family-style, kid-friendly" barbecue to conclude the day.

Hazel said Wright State University-Lake Campus officials are posting signs around the campus to notify students and staff of the event.

"I think it's good the word's getting out there," Hazel said. "This infrastructure belongs to the people in general."

Also, Camp Kazoo will debut June 13-17 at Celina's Eastview Park and feature traditional activities such as water balloon fights, games of capture the flag, relay races, arts and crafts and more.

Inspired by the wonderful memories she got from Springboro Sunshine Camp, Celina High School sophomore Grace McGohan recruited classmates McKenna Black and Hope Ebbing to create a similar experience for local children.

"I'm just really excited they're doing that in Eastview Park and kind of bringing some attention to our other parks," LeJeune said.