The Observation Deck

Jackie,

Good point. See http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index. ... plows.html

We pay almost as much in taxes now as Shaker Heights. The mayor was so excited that we finally bought a sidewalk plow last year. Unfortunately, it appears that we don't have the staff to run it. The garbage people are sent out early in the morning to do as much as they can on Franklin/Hilliard and that is about it. We keep hiring more and more people at City Hall. Why not a person to run the sidewalk plow a few hours a day to hit Clifton, Lake, Bunts, and school routes?

I will run the darn machine, I'd rather that than get my poor old broken body out to shovel snow by hand, I can certainly sit and drive, I can recall a couple years ago, the snow was pushed so high in from of my place, and iceburg, no wonder the Titanic sank, I felt as though, I was out in the middle of the Lake without a life boat, I wish I'd have called city hall then. CITY HALL, I have time to put towards this idea, to coordinate the plan, put me to work.. City sidewalks, pretty sidewalks, dressed in Holiday cheer.

When I lived in Parma Heights we never had to shovel sidewalks, the city had little plows for ALL sidewalks. It was awesome.
And the other day I was taking my son's friend home and he lives north of Lake ave and there was a little plow doing their sidewalks. Hmmm.....

Lori, I think you've met your match.

The Cleveland Lakefront powers, whom ever they may be, should consider building a mini Cedar Point, remember Cap't Franks, on East 9th, imagine how exciting to sail out over the lake, on a farris wheel, so tall, you can see Canada. Hold all the cultural events there, the Latnio festival, the Gay Pride Festival, the Rib Burn off, lined with shimmering lights, like Lionel Richie used to sing, all night long..... a ferris wheel....a Merry go round,

Or, how about Edgewater Park? What a draw, shoppes, ice cream, steak house, hot dogs, a swimming pool? You don't have to go into the Lake. Wish I were 18 again...

I am actually impressed with the number of businesses that are shoveling their sidewalks this winter. There were quite a few that I called numerous times last year that are now doing it on their own. There are few that surprised me, like Brennan Flowers and Crestmont North but overall this year seems to be better than last.

I am still, and would encourage others, to politely call the businesses that are not complying and ask them if they could please shovel their sidewalks. Sometimes a simple reminder call will get it done.

Ryan,

I could concur that many are doing quite well. I e-mailed the corporate offices of several businesses earlier in the winter. They included Walgreen's. (east end) McDonald's (east end), Drug Mart (east end), and Sherwin Williams. All four have done quite well the past few snowfalls. Drug Mart is especially good, with a clear, salted path all the way around the building.

Of course, I will give a shout-out to those that always do well:

Ennis Court
St. Luke's Church
McDonald's (west end)
UDF (better this winter)
Lakewood Public Library
Lakewood Baptist Church
O'Neil Healthcare
Walgreen's (west end)
Winton Place
Meridian
Carslyle
Lake House
Berkshire
Edgewater Towers
Lake Shore Towers
Imperial House
Hayes Hall Apartments
Haddon Hall Apartments
Newton Apartments
Cywnd Apartments
Hidden Village
Executive House
Coral Rock Condos
Others

What we really need to focus on now is Clifton. A cleared sidewalk is a rarity. It seems worse at the west end than the east end. Kids have to walk all the way from Bonnieview to get to St. Luke's at Bunts.

I walk dogs on Clifton all the time and it's bad, but it's like what Jackie reported about Madison. No matter what the property owners do, the city plows come along and spray the icy slush on the sidewalk. Some understanding is in order. Someone mentioned Lincoln School (the building under construction) - the sidewalks there are now clear, but the adjacent blocks aren't.

So after the Spitzer dealership sat vacant for years, the neighborhood was glad to get a new tenant, WingStar. The sidewalks had been neglected for years and that property has a lot of sidewalk on both Parkwood and Detroit.

So - halfway through the winter and they have yet to shovel their sidewalks. I complained to City Hall and nothing has changed. This is just one of the many issues that we neighbors have with WingStar, but by far is the most serious.

Dad (the late Robert R. Rice) and I were both teachers, and thinking about the best interests of children has been a very important part of our lives.

Being musicians, the last song that we collaborated on and actually completed on the day of Dad's death last year (Jan. 14th) was about a heroic Lakewood mom (she chooses to remain anonymous) who bravely shoveled a path up the street, one shovel wide, so that the children could make it to school that day.

The song is titled "One Shovel Wide" and is performed by my friends and I in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cwwxvkzasY

As has been noted, some other communities have multiple small municipal plows for their neighborhoods, but Lakewood has so many miles of sidewalk that we continue to need the help of businesses and residents, in order to keep the sidewalks safe.

For the elderly, the children, and for ourselves (I slipped on the ice and hit my head a few years ago. A dear friend far younger than me also did the same on another occasion, and died from his wound. This can happen to anyone)

...let's look after each other.

Back to the banjo...

Gary, I'm glad you brought up the students because my street is a major thoroughfare for kids walking to the high school. For WingStar not to shovel the sidewalks on either Parkwood or Detroit is just plain wrong. And for the city to ignore my complaints about the situation is, well, just business as usual at City Hall.

I spoke with the GM at National Tire & Battery on Detroit to thank them for clearing their sidewalks this year. He said that he specifically added it to his plowing contract to get it done, which is awesome. I hope that other companies do the same. I did a quick drive around Detroit and Madison and only had to call around 10 businesses to ask them to please do a better job of clearing the next round of snow.

Lori, I agree it is time to focus on Clifton and other home owners. Personally I try to clear around 10 houses whenever I run my snow blower. If everyone that is physically able to clear snow just does a few of their neighbors we could fix this problem very quickly...

Great thoughts, opinions and conversation, too bad some of the elected officials don't weigh in.

Trump, I hope he hears of this post. Stop with all the insults, who have you got advising you to allow you to be so abusive? on public TV,

I want to hear about how your going to defend the country, how are you going to make me and my family safe? I want very much for you to be the man to run this country , and do what needs to be done, a lot needs done, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO MAGA, Make America Great Again security is first.

Get off the bullying train, and get on the "TELL US HOW YOUR GOING TO FIX THIS, train,

I WILL BE ON BOARD, THE WHOLE COUNTRY WILL BE ON BOARD. Wake up now...... you could win. straighten up & fly right.

I want a leader who will make sure that his best interest is in all of America, not just the drains on society. He will fix whats wrong, I wish he would tell us how..

How are you going to be the best presIdents in all of the United States, HOW