Help LOBC help the kids!

[Peter Grossetti]

Justine - much finer people than myself deserve the credit ... I'm talking about the scores of people who have donated $$$$$.

Visit www.lobc.org for donation information. Thank you in advance!

[Peter Grossetti]

Justine - much finer people than myself deserve the credit ... I'm talking about the scores of people who have donated $$$$$.

Visit www.lobc.org for donation information. Thank you in advance!

[Missy Limkemann]

You know some of these kids could go on to be the next big thing in Basketball...let them play. We always hear parents saying "i don't know what to do with my children" or just send them outside to play. Well give them somewhere to play something to do. My grandfather for instance loved baseball. His childhood was playing baseball...guess what...He managed winning minor league teams, played for the Cleveland Indians (well batting practice pitcher), and was the go to guy for most stuff baseball back in the day. He is even in a book about Cleveland Baseball. But he was given the chance to play as a child and as a teen growing up. He never got into trouble, he had a place to go. Give the kids this!!!!! Give them a hoop and a dream....watch them flourish.
I have met Peter and I have heard him talk about his volunteer time at the courts and to see his eyes shine and light up when he talks about it made my heart swell. He is an amazing mentor and loves those kids with all that he is. Those kids are so lucky to have him there....
I will not address the council woman's letter or her questions...I have my personal reasons and most of you know me as quiet and nice...no one needs to see the mean side of me....lol.

[Stephanie Toole]

No words can express the extreme disappointment in Council member Monique Smith's last hour attempt to stall the building of the MVD Memorial Courts at Lakewood Park.

With the exception of Tom Bullock, who has been a supporter of LOBC and the return of outdoor basketball both verbally and finacially, no words can express the disappointment over the other members of City Council, who remain silent. Your NON words speak volumes of your commitment to the youth of our city.

Over the course of close to five years we have had countless meetings with Mayors(and FORMER Mayors), school board members(and FORMER school board members), council members(and FORMER council members), neighborhood police officers, Police Chief Malley, Dru Siley, and Joe Beno just to name a few.

We have openly documented the plans for the return of outdoor basketball every step of the way.

We've jumped through every hoop, played by every rule, crossed every 'T' and dotted every 'i'.

And yet City Council changes the rules again.

Sad fact is we were warned this would happen.

So go ahead and welcome more wing places and bars with happy hour and $2.00 drafts. Keep em' open to 2am. Welcome thousands of non Lakewood residents to the Detroit Ave Chow Line.

All the while continue to keep the youth and young adults of our city hostage with locked up playing fields and the lack of adequate FREE outdoor recreation opportunities.

What most of you fail to see it that this goes far beyond outdoor basketball.

We continue to marginalize a group of young folk that need healthy outlets to grow physically, socially and emotionally stronger.

For those that do not know the history of outdoor basketball in Lakewood, there was a half court hoop at Lakewood Park. Played on by hundreds and hundreds of kids and adults for more years than anyone can document. It was removed with the construction of the skatepark with the promise of the city that it would be returned(as a full court)with the completion of the skate park.

But, as we've been told 'finances' prevented the return of those basketball courts to Lakewood Park. So here we are more than TEN years later, with more than $22,000 raised completely by private donors, with a plan than that has been documented and communicated EVERY STEP of the way and NOW council feels the need to chime in!

Kids (and basketball playing adults) should be able play ball without a study", "supervision", or "relationship between government based entities i.e. the school board, city hall, etc." needed to instruct a person on how to dribble, shoot or rebound.

We have lost all faith in our youth being able to leave the house, play (at any number of things), and return to home without a coach, supervisor, or babysitter.

It’s time for it to stop.

[Justine Cooper]

Well said Stephanie!!!! And I hear you on the wing thing. We are so much more than that.

Is it safe to assume that Mayor Summers has been on board with this project because he grew up here in Lakewood? That he gets what Lakewood is or should be? That he grew up playing basketball here? Does Ms. Smith have children here in Lakewood?

There is a common theme among certain changes in Lakewood.....this is much bigger than basketball hoops. This is about the citizens becoming aware and getting involved and voting in mature grass-root Lakewoodites for imperative positions such as council, school board, etc. I am sorry but younger career type politicians are never going to cut it for Lakewood. They obviously have agendas that are not for the whole. It is what it is and people better start getting out to know who is running for what position in this city and what their true agenda is. It isn't rocket science to figure out which individuals care about the kids, the tax-payers, the schools.........

[Jim O'Bryan]

This is insane!

When the courts came down the city and the schools promised it was only for rebuilding
and temporary. Secretly it was discussed, Cleveland courts are down and we do not want
"those people" here in Lakewood.

Again, ill conceived, and immature, and borders on WHITE FRIGHT!

It was vandalism, and once again deprived Lakewood residents of amenities and services
that they loved and depended on. For what?

Now the city spends money like water on businesses and like a drunken sailor on
"Downtown" and when it is time to make good on promises they tell the residents yet
again, "Our bad, we are broke." OK let's have it. Are we broke? Or are we only broke when
City Hall make promises to residents you never meant to carry out ever?

Justine, yes there is an undercurrent in this town. It is we cannot trust "those people" that
would be anyone outside of their sick little group. The group that has decided we are
getting commercial economic development if we want it our not. You will get them in your
residential streets, and you better like it, or we will back the developers in court against
you residents and voters. Take it, because WE(about 30 total) want it and have worked
endlessly for 8 years to be in control of this city so we can do what WE want.

It has been talked about here on the Deck since day one.

City Hall, please give the residents and the voters a break.
PLEASE treat us at least as well as you treat "Downtown."
Keep your promises. Rebuild the courts.

On a side note, timing not counting, Councilman Smith has every right to ask those
questions, but City Hall should be as eager to answer them when they are asked, and not
try to shut down, intimidate, or play their little games with those that ask the questions.

How much will ALL of the Detroit CLEAN UP COST?
WHAT WAS YOUR PLAN?
HOW MUCH WAS NEEDED, and HOW MUCH WAS FLUFF in this BROKE CITY?
HOW MUCH ARE RESIDENTS PAYING EACH YEAR TO KEEP DOWNTOWN GOING?
Why is Kauffman Park misspelled and listed only as a parking lot?

City Hall, please give the residents and the voters a break.
PLEASE treat us at least as well as you treat "Downtown."
Keep your promises. Rebuild the courts.

.

[Stephen Eisel]

Basketball on a Friday night (in a suburb west of Lakewood) at 10:30 pm is really fun for the kids !!! ...

Basketball2.jpg (39.42 KiB) Viewed 3243 times

[Corey Rossen]

Jordan's Family Foundation and the LOBC were working together to have the MVD Basketball Courts' Ribbon Cutting Ceremony during our upcoming Fitness Fits Everyone event on September 30th. I was looking forward to helping introduce this great new addition to Lakewood at our event to the 4000+ people in attendance. Does this mean this will not happen? I have already gone to print on the signage.

This was to be a key element in our ever-growing event. I would have liked to see the MVD Basketball Courts up and running by the event date year as one of the symbols of the expansion of the event and Lakewood's focus on better health. Following up the growth next year will be a children's biathalon including running and biking that will attract participants from all over northern Ohio.

I will be greatly disappointed if the courts do not happen, not for our event's sake, but for the sake of the health of the youth that would utilize the courts. It would be a shame to see this fall through the cracks.

The City can make the MVD Basketball Courts happen. The City should make the MVD Basketball Courts happen. The children of the community are counting on you, whether they are old enough to know it or not.

Corey Rossen
Jordan's Family Foundation, President

[Peter Grossetti]

This was to be a key element in our ever-growing event. I would have liked to see the MVD Basketball Courts up and running by the event date year as one of the symbols of the expansion of the event and Lakewood's focus on better health. Following up the growth next year will be a children's biathalon including running and biking that will attract participants from all over northern Ohio.

"attract participants from all over northern Ohio" sounds an awful lot like economic development me!

Imagine that, using our parks (and other recreation assets) as an economic development engine!

[marklingm]

This was to be a key element in our ever-growing event. I would have liked to see the MVD Basketball Courts up and running by the event date year as one of the symbols of the expansion of the event and Lakewood's focus on better health. Following up the growth next year will be a children's biathalon including running and biking that will attract participants from all over northern Ohio.

"attract participants from all over northern Ohio" sounds an awful lot like economic development me!

Imagine that, using our parks (and other recreation assets) as an economic development engine!

Well said, Peter.

Families - young and old - are looking for safe, clean, and fun communities with great schools, parks, and recreational opportunities to call home.

I don’t know of one family that moved to Lakewood because of our countless gas stations, drug stores, or even the world-renowned Detroit Avenue Chow Line©.

Matt

[Corey Rossen]

Peter - Here is the event we are adding on for next year, along with a link to a CBS Sunday Morning clip about the organization, Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang charities.
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7419328n&tag=showDoorFlexGridLeft;flexGridModule

My computer skills, or lack of, do not allow me to convert the pdf, sorry.

Corey

[Grace O'Malley]

Stephanie -

Monique Smith posted on "That other Site" that she had no idea where the courts were to be located or when construction would
begin. This seems to contradict your account. Please comment.

Ms. Smith also said that some members of the "very vocal" basketball group liked to level charges of racism, misinterpret public information, and
and "inflame debate to serve their own purposes." Your response?

[marklingm]

Stephanie -

Monique Smith posted on "That other Site" that she had no idea where the courts were to be located or when construction would
begin. This seems to contradict your account. Please comment.

Ms. Smith also said that some members of the "very vocal" basketball group liked to level charges of racism, misinterpret public information, and
and "inflame debate to serve their own purposes." Your response?

Grace,

In order to ensure that the "Monique Smith" on "That other Site" is the real "At-Large Lakewood City Councilwoman Monique Smith" rather than another "Czech Republic spoofer," I think that the real At-Large Lakewood City Councilwoman Smith should post her comments here first.

Then, anyone can respond here accordingly.

It’s just a thought.

Matt

[Paul Schrimpf]

LOBC was founded in 2009. How could this have slipped past Monique's radar? Forget racism, how about consciousness? It feels like someone or group of someones got in her ear when it became apparent it was moving forward. I can imagine that if some people who have put extensive time on LOBC make the charge of racism, it would be out of blind frustration, because it's almost impossible to believe someone on the inside could be so lacking in basic info.

I hope the courts go in. They should never have left.

[Stephanie Toole]

Stephanie -

Monique Smith posted on "That other Site" that she had no idea where the courts were to be located or when construction would
begin. This seems to contradict your account. Please comment.

Ms. Smith also said that some members of the "very vocal" basketball group liked to level charges of racism, misinterpret public information, and
and "inflame debate to serve their own purposes." Your response?

Grace, I do not feel it is appropriate to answer questions from "that other site" here on the Deck. However, if Council member Monigue Smith would like to ask them here on the Observation Deck, I would be glad to take the time to answer them.