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Best Benches In The World Come To Lakewood

Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 12:55 pm
by Jim O'Bryan
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One of 6 new benches in front of Melt.

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Certainly more comfortable then the "art benches" across the street.

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Actually it is nice to see that someone at City Hall finally took Sharon Kineslla
recommendations from the Deck almost 3 years ago.

See: http://lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=10404&hilit=bench

The first post, read the whole thread...

Here's a typical misunderstanding of seniors and the disabled. Requested that the City Councilperson for my building, Shawn Juris, look into more benches along the main route, down Detroit Ave. which is home to more than 700 Senior Apts. Gave him a hypothetical route from my building to the hospital "Well that's only three blocks" he says "Ummm, you're a healthy young man". "It's only three blocks" he repeats.

He interrupts about why it can't be done, I attempt to speak, he tells me I'm yelling. I'm not yelling, my voice is loud, you do not want to hear me yell.

He explains to stupid inexperienced me,things like building regs, submitting to Public Works, no money. I say it could be submitted to council for a variance, CDBG money, ADA, etc. After being interrupted 25 times (I made slash marks on my paper) he states that he's not interested in doing it. Another resident had called me earlier and requested that I try to talk to him because he wouldn't listen. Why was I not surprised?

There are 700 apartments, just for seniors in your ward, seniors vote Shawn, you are here to try and help the people you represent many of whom are seniors.

I guess Lakewood is just a walkable city for the healthy and the young.



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Re: Best Benches In The World Come To Lakewood

Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 1:52 pm
by Paul Schrimpf
I remember that. I go by the Westerly 100 times a week, that never did get any benches, did it?

These are very nice benches...

I forgot about DL's "Time Out" bench ... awesome...

Re: Best Benches In The World Come To Lakewood

Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2014 9:55 am
by Jim O'Bryan
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Plantation Home, 14401 Detroit Ave. gets a bench, Plantation Home and sister store
across the street "Cotton" are both owned by David Stein, are two of the finest stores of
their kind in the county. It is only fitting his customers can sit, after a long walk up from
the Gold Coast. Nice work Lakewood, and DLBA

Look at that bench! Now that is a bench the city can be proud of, in the afternoon shade of
one of our finest stores, comfortable arching back, that looks like a nice bench to sit on.

Nicely done.


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Re: Best Benches In The World Come To Lakewood

Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 8:41 am
by Bill Call

Re: Best Benches In The World Come To Lakewood

Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 10:10 am
by Bill Burnett
[quote="Bill Call"]This is better:

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/0 ... story.html[/quote]

Would you want our city spending $3000 for a bench?

Re: Best Benches In The World Come To Lakewood

Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 11:56 am
by Bill Call
Bill Burnett wrote:


Would you want our city spending $3000 for a bench?


Why not?

The black benches cost about $1,000 each. Should we spend $1,000 on a bench?

It is a reasonable question.

How much should local government spend on planters, bike racks and other street improvements?

Detroit from Bunts to Summit looks vibrant, healthy and welcoming. Detroit from Bunts to 117th looks a little like a war zone. Forest City's Rockport project looks like a garbage dump. Which public face builds up a City and which tears it down?

Do appearances and comfort matter?

Of course the real secret to public improvement projects is OPM, Other Peoples Money.

Cuyahoga County is donating millions for street improvements along Euclid


http://www.cleveland.com/arts/index.ssf ... er.htmland

millions more for public square:

http://www.cleveland.com/architecture/i ... the_r.html

Perhaps Cuyahoga County can take $30,000 out of its various slush funds and donate 30 smart benches to the City of Lakewood. That's assuming that anyone in County Government knows where Lakewood is.

As long as I am reallocating County SFD's (slush fund dollars) I propose reallocating the $25 million for the Cleveland Public Square pedestrian bridge for an elevated bike path through Lakewood.