City of Toledo

The next generation cares deeply about our environment—and we’re making sure their passion has room to grow. 🌱 Last year, we received funding from the Urban and Community Forestry Program to launch something big: RE-TREE Toledo—a project focused on restoring, expanding, and protecting our city’s urban tree canopy, especially in neighborhoods that need it most. But this isn’t just about planting trees—through a paid summer training program, students from Toledo Technology Academy, Scott High School, Bowsher High School, Jones Leadership Academy, and the Aerospace and Natural Science Academy of Toledo will receive hands-on training in urban forestry, with a pathway to green employment. Community education and outreach will support the program’s goal of building a greener, more equitable Toledo. When we asked students why they wanted to be part of this opportunity, their responses were filled with hope, curiosity, and a real desire to give back to their communities. 💚♻️

Bringing the Art of Healthy Eating to Our Parks! 🥗🍗 The Department of Parks and Youth Services, in partnership with CareSource, launched the first Art of Healthy Eating event at Wilson Park—and it was a hit! Led by the talented Chef Mona Bronson-Fuqua, participants learned how to prepare simple, heart-healthy, and diabetes-conscious meals using everyday ingredients. The hands-on session included prepping rotisserie chicken for multiple meals, building a fresh salad, and making a homemade vinaigrette from scratch. In addition to cooking, attendees received helpful health tips and resources to support better eating habits at home. A huge thank you to Chef Mona, CareSource, and everyone who joined us. This is just the beginning—we’re excited to bring more of these engaging, wellness-focused events to neighborhoods across Toledo! #ArtOfHealthyEating #ToledoParks

Toledo has a strong industrial heritage, but we’re also dedicated to being good stewards of our environment. In 2022, Toledo City Council members Nick Komives, Theresa Gadus, and Sam Melden created the One Percent for the Environment Fund, ensuring that a portion of our budget is invested in renewable energy, protecting the Lake Erie watershed, and mitigating climate change. Why does this matter? Because our future depends on it—clean water, sustainable energy, and a healthier community for all. Watch this video from Power A Clean Future Ohio to hear why our council members found this so important. 🎥 https://ow.ly/FIQY50VAePw

Flooded streets and basements aren’t just inconvenient—they’re costly, damaging, and impact the health of our neighborhoods. To better understand and address these challenges, the City of Toledo is developing the Stormwater Retrofit Analysis Tool. This new mapping tool will identify the areas most affected by flooding and highlight where green infrastructure—like rain gardens and bioswales—can help manage runoff and protect our water quality. First step: public engagement! We look forward to hosting a public meeting a the April 30th and collecting public feedback online!

We’re proud to be a partner in the Bring It From HOMES campaign—a regional initiative reminding us that one of the best ways to reduce plastic pollution is to avoid it in the first place. Working alongside the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, the NOAA Marine Debris Program, and other Great Lakes partners, the City of Toledo's Division of Environmental Services is helping to protect our waterways by promoting simple, everyday actions—like refilling your reusable water bottle instead of buying single-use plastics. 💧 This effort spans all five Great Lakes—Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior—to promote reuse and reduce waste, keeping our water clean and our communities healthier.

The City of Toledo’s Information Technology Department is #hiring a skilled End User Support Manager. This is a great opportunity for an experienced #ITprofessional who’s ready to take the next step in their career and help shape the technology experience for over 2,700 public servants across City departments. Know someone who’s ready for a change or a challenge? Tag them below or share the link and encourage them to apply today. 🗓Applications are close April 17th. https://lnkd.in/gFKk-Fcs

The Department of #PublicUtilities continues to modernize how we serve the City of Toledo—combining reliable service with innovative tools that reflect our customers’ evolving needs. Our latest addition: a 24/7 self-service payment kiosk at the corner of Madison and St. Clair. This kiosk joins a suite of flexible options including the MyTOL Customer Portal and mobile app, improved pay-by-mail services, and one-time digital payment solutions through Venmo, PayPal, and more. These upgrades are part of our long-term strategy to align our services with the daily lives of Toledo residents. We’re proud to continue modernizing in ways that make our services more accessible, responsive, and equitable.

🏞 Schneider Park is a shining example of how environmental restoration and community recreation can go hand in hand — and it wouldn’t have been possible without collaboration. Once a vacant and contaminated Brownfield site, Schneider Park has been transformed into a valuable public space that now supports both stormwater management and community recreation. In 2023, this effort was honored with the U.S. EPA Region 5 Brownfields Award. Key project features include: A green stormwater bioswale to reduce runoff and protect local waterways, and new park entrance and parking facilities to improve community access 🤝 Thank you to our project partners who helped bring this vision to life: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA), The Mannik & Smith Group, Lucas County Land Bank, City of Toledo Department of Public Utilities & Division of Environmental Services

Last October, Toledo City Council Member Nick Komives and Power A Clean Future Ohio hosted a Sustainability Showcase, bringing together city leaders, staff, and community advocates to highlight Toledo’s leadership in clean energy and climate action. Attendees took a guided bus tour to see renewable energy sites, green infrastructure, electric vehicles, and more—all demonstrating how Toledo is addressing climate change at the local level. A huge thank you to our partners, including Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments (TMACOG) and Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA), for their collaboration in advancing sustainability in our region. This is what powerful collaboration looks like! Stay tuned as we highlight some of the innovative sites we visited. https://ow.ly/FjZA50VuUMA

We’re proud to celebrate Toledo’s SolSmart designation, recognizing our commitment to making solar energy more accessible and affordable for residents and businesses! This national recognition means we’ve taken steps to streamline solar permitting, provide online resources, and support sustainable energy growth. 🔆 What this means for Toledo: ✅ Easier access to solar financing options & incentives ✅ Online tools to find solar installers & get quotes ✅ A solar map to explore potential for solar in your area ✅ Simplified permitting & zoning to encourage solar adoption We’re working toward a cleaner, greener future, and you can learn more about our environmental efforts on our Sustainability webpage: https://ow.ly/LSFi50Vtq1t