(Editor's note: the following is a news release from the city of Akron.)

Summit Lake Community Center has reopened this week, a full six to eight weeks ahead of previous estimates.

Summit Lake Community Center was closed for almost two weeks due to a one car hit-skip accident at the corner of Lakeshore and Kenmore boulevards that caused Akron’s transformers to fail, leaving the Community Center with no heat or electricity.

Since the accident occurred, First Energy employees and city of Akron employees have worked to find a replacement transformer to serve the Community Center. The usual lead time for purchasing a large transformer such as the one at serving the Community Center is eight to 10 weeks, but First Energy was able to find a similar sized transformer in their inventory in Cleveland.

They quickly mobilized a team to deliver the unit to the Community Center. City crews and contractors arrived on-site and began the installation once the unit arrived.

“Our city workers along with our contractors and workers from First Energy pulled this off faster than expected,” said Rick Merolla, Akron’s service director. “We really wanted the Community Center up and running as quickly as possible, but this worked out even better than we dared to hope. I am grateful to First Energy for their help in this emergency.”

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