In your opinion, what is RIGHT with Lakewood?

[Ryan Salo]

The great city of Lakewood.

My wife and I had thought of leaving after we starting having kids. We have had the great opportunity to travel around many of the best places in the US, but the more we travel the more we realize we can never leave. There are too many great things about this city to list completely but I will just mention a few. I love the family history, this is a city to raise a family and have them stay. It is awesome that I can drive my kids around and talk about where I used to live, where my dad used to live and where my grandparents used to live. I have many friends that have done the same which is just incredible. I can walk to almost anywhere (and I should probably start walking more!) I can ride my bike to the valley, can go fishing in Lake Erie, I can take the bus or the transit to games and activities downtown. It is a relatively low cost of living. I can take the kids skating at Winterhurst, I can play baseball or catch or soccer at one of the tons of parks within walking distance. I can dine at some amazing non franchise type restaurants, I can get my haircut from someone who has been cutting it since I was 3 and now his son is taking over. My wife can be active in PTA’s and local church activates. My kids can get an incredible public education (vote for the new buildings!!!) I can watch amazing sunsets and sunrises from our incredible park. We have 4 seasons so we never get bored with the weather. There is never a lack of diversity which can teach us so much. I could go on and on, but I can sum it up by saying, I just love this city!!!

[Joe Ott]

I need to add one more thing.

Mrs. Tabaj. That's one hard working, dedicated, loved by everybody, women right there! What a great asset to the schools.


Joe

[Mike Deneen]

I echo many of the sentiments expressed earlier.

I especially appreciate the active citizenry of this town. There are so many great volunteer organizations in Lakewood that I can't even name them all. Citizen activism has given us some of Lakewood's greatest new assets, such as the skate park, the dog park and a certain semimonthly newpaper and website.

[David Bargetzi]

I love that there are people out on the streets all the time. I love the stores and the restaurants. I love that if I got attacked in Lakewood on the street 8 people would see it and 6 people would call the police. I love that people speak to me when I speak to them. I love the old houses.

David

[Julie Mosher]

Very good thread indeed!

[Kate McCarthy]

What do I love about Lakewood...I can't begin.

And given Mr. Ott's tribute to Mrs. Tabaj (heartily endorsed!!!), I'd like to add mine for Patty Hayes. Check out just one of the rec dance recitals ... an evening of pure joy. And it's totally free!

Thanks for this thread but my contribution could be found in what is wrong with Lakewood as well. But I know it's why I live here.

There were mentions of Cleveland Heights in that other thread in a negative light. I've always loved Cleveland Heights, and wish Lakewood had some of its amenities (like HUGE tracks of land), but always felt that people were trying too hard in Cleveland Heights....too hard to be something they were supposed to be. If there has ever been a place where one is "free to be you and me," it is Lakewood.

That's what I love about Lakewood. You can be yourself, without pretension, without artifice. And because you live in a diverse community you are sensitive to the situation of others and never assume everyone is in your same boat. Sometimes when I cross the border after attending a pretentious party from either east, west or south, I breathe such a sigh of relief. I'll come home to good friends and neighbors who are not judging me, or grading me, or whatever people tend to do. I'm coming home to a neighborhood of friends, and a community of good people.

But I think our community's niceness feeds what people don't like. We are not prone to complain when we possibly should, don't want to impose standards upon others, don't want to knock down homes unnecessarily.

As Jim as said were are unique. And we are. We are Lakewood and I love it but sometimes it's ARRRGGHH!!!!! And I really think that is because we are so darn nice!

[Charyn Compeau]

Jim -

Thanks for the correction.

I remember spending every Sunday with my grandparents in Birdtown. My grandfather was an immigrant who taught me to love this country and the value of freedom. Many of those moments came during the Sunday drive.

Sunday was the family dinner day in our Italian home. Every Saturday (we all know spag sauce is best the second day) Grandpa would make the sauce, and then on Sundays Grandma would make the noodles.

After we carefully helped Grandma roll the dough out and feed it through our hand crank pasta machine (my how we fought to be the one to turn the handle), we would lay the pasta out all over the kitchen on tea towels to dry.

To pass the time while we waited for the noodles to be ready, we would clean ourselves up, and go for a drive down 'the valley' as my grandparents called it. We would watch the seasons come and go - picking young dandelion greens from the meadows for salads, then flowers for wine... catching the tadpoles in the lagoons, or visiting "Dunkie" and the interpretive center where we see who could spot the most turtle in the ponds.

One of my Grandmother's favorite flowers were the marsh marigolds that we so bright and cheerful. And it is in those fields where she rests today.

In the Valley... in the vast fields of flowers that hold so many memories for so many people.

Call it what you want and say what you want about me.

The Rocky River Reservation in the Cleveland Metropark System will always be the "the Valley" to me.

Charyn

[Jim O'Bryan]

Jim -

Thanks for the correction.


Call it what you want and say what you want about me.

The Rocky River Reservation in the Cleveland Metropark System will always be the "the Valley" to me.

Charyn

Charyn

Say what you want?

One of the things I love of Lakewood is that we are on a geological abnormality in the state of Ohio. Especially Cuyahoga County. Something that sets us apart and something that some in real estate say might add another 10 percent or more to the value of a home. Not that any of us need that here.

Out West, people rejoice in anything that looks even close to a canyon. Market it, display it use it as a center piece in their community, even charge money to go into it. It is something to rejoice in.

This was what set me on my quest to find out if it was a "valley."

What amazed me was I learned that Metroparks themselves were at first unaware, then later admitted it was a canyon, and a rare one at that. That I went backed and looked into how it became "the valley." After learning that sored history, I realized it would be best for all to move on from that term. To something more positive.

The term has all but disappeared from MetroParks publications.

But it was a nice story.

Thanks for sharing.

We all agree, The Emerald Canyon or the valley, inspires all of us in Lakewood.


.

[Bill Call]

It looks like there are more people willing to look at what is wrong than what is right. I guess we arreee aa buunnnch of whiiiiners!

What is good?

The schools do a good job compared to other similar districts.

The library is top notch and heavily used. (I can't say for sure what it says about a community that loves its library so much but it must mean something good).

The new YMCA is a jewel. A little vision and hard work created an instant landmark.

Housing. A large percentage of our housing is superior to what you find in other communites. They were built to last.

Lakewood Park is unique in Cuyahoga County. I love it and use it.

The valley is close enough to reach by bike.

Unique eateries and bars. I have a genetic aversion to chain restaurants.

The Lakewood Sun Post. 85 pages of print and they still have space for an article or two about Lakewood!

[Mark Crnolatas]

Back in the 60's the "valley" was possibly the romance capitol of the world.


Mark Allan Crnolatas

[Gary Rice]

What's right about Lakewood?

There would be little that I could add to the excellent posts already given here.

As I care for an older parent- being close to doctors, groceries, banks and Lakewood Hospital is a wonderful thing.

Each street seems to have its own special character. A quiet walk or bike ride around the neighborhoods reveals so many treats for the eyes. An awesome and eclectic array of housing makes this city really special.

The lively and (usually) good-natured interaction on the 'deck makes for some great thought-provoking moments.

It's been said before, but I do not think it can ever be said enough. There are just so many great people here to interact with, as well.

Finally, the Valley (or the Canyon, if you prefer) and the parks make for some relaxing and beautiful activity locations. Hopefully, they will be effectively policed and maintained this summer, for the safety and well-being of all concerned.

What a town!

[Scott MacGregor]

Lakewood is a town steeped in time honored traditions.

Everything from it's parades, Veterans Day honors, children walking to neighborhood schools, neighbors helping neighbors, ordinary citizens singing the Star Spangled at the friday night football game, beer leagues playing softball at Madison or Kaufman Parks, high school graduates getting their diplomas at the Civic Aud, senior citizens lawn bowling at Lakewood Park, people on ladders slapping paint on their old homes.

The God awful day that Lakewood fails to upholds its time honored traditions is the day that Lakewood will cease to be Lakewood.

It is critical that one generation imparts this wisdom to the next.

Lakewood is a great place because of its citizens upholding its traditions.

[Heidi Hilty]

To piggyback on Scott's comment, if I may...
It is the willingness of our impassioned, visionary citizenry to take on new ventures (read specifically here, The Lakewood Project - thank you Beth Hankins and Trish Hendy, the Lakewood Observer - thank you Jimmy O'Bryan, Ken Warren, Steve Davis, DL Meckes, the new Lakewood Public Library - thank you Ken Warren and the Library Board of Trustees) coupled with our commitment to time honored traditions that make Lakewood the unique community we are.