US EPA meets with Junction residents, Toledo officials to reduce urban heat

The central Toledo neighborhood is getting national attention as leaders work to combat rising temperatures in the area.

TOLEDO, Ohio — A central Toledo neighborhood is getting national attention as leaders work to combat rising temperatures in the area.

On Tuesday, members of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency met with residents, city officials and local organizers in the Junction neighborhood to discuss solutions to the community’s urban heat island.

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According to experts, urban heat islands are areas where temperatures are significantly higher than surrounding rural zones.

“With this urban heat island mapping, we were able to see where these urban heat islands actually are,” said Dana Reising, the sustainability manager of the city of Toledo.

One of the areas identified in the data was the Junction neighborhood.

“In a lot of neighborhoods like the Old West End, there are homes with green space in between, but in Junction, that’s more rare,” said Clif Porton, the community advocacy manager of the Junction Coalition.

City leaders, the University of Toledo and the Junction Coalition are working together to address the issue.

According to the National Institutes of Health, areas that have more trees and greenery see fewer asthma attack cases. So not only could it lower temperatures, it could help the health of residents.

“Junction has a lot of our babies with asthma, our seniors with respiratory issues, and so they want to see us be more proactive,” said Alicia Smith, executive director of the Junction Coalition.

The meeting at the Mott Branch Library was aimed at collecting community input and identifying solutions, from green roofs and tree diversity to reflective pavement and shade structures.

Residents said they’re ready to get behind these changes.

“Out of curiosity, I’m here today to see what I can do,” said resident Del Grace.

“I want to hear more opportunities or more thoughts of what they will do or can do to cool down our area,” said Kelli Grace, Del’s wife.

Members of the Junction Coalition said they’re excited to see where the initiative goes.

“I think that organizations like ours … are doing a lot of great work to make it as welcoming and healthy and a safer place for all of our residents and community members as possible,” Porton said.

There is an action planning workshop scheduled for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday at the Laborers Local 500 on Nebraska Avenue, which will be held more hands-on than Tuesday’s meeting.