The Observation Deck

Not to rock a boat here, and maybe because I'm on limited sleep I've missed something, but have the "Observers" been just a tad too busy with global opinions, and a bit less "zoom" on our own city?

It's interesting and educational to comment and state opinions about the world's issues, but in my humble opinion, we have a gazillion things we need to kick-start right here, where we live.

As I said, I might be missing something, so I'll go get some sleep and peruse again.

In my fog here, I think we need another updated "wish-list". Some wishes to lead us on that road to Utopia.

Just a thought. I'll start.

1) I'm pro-law enforcement and pro-entertainment, as some of you might know about me, so to start on the new wish list,
I'd like to see a much larger police dept, with more police officers and cars on the streets. Better to establish our inner ring suburb safety policy now, than to try to stave off what could be what CPD has to deal with on a daily basis. Just listen to their radio calls on www.cleveland.com .

2) With that, more motorcycle officers in the good weather months. They convey a strong image, have opportunities for more contact with the citizens, since its easier to talk from a Harley than from a window of a car, and they can go where a car might not.

3) I'd like to see boutiques, specialty shops, whatevers, sort of a French Quarter, of Columbus, type of thing on Berea Rd. Anyone else care to add to this?

4) I'd like to see a lot of places where live music, and other forms of entertainment could be seen. Why couldn't Lakewood be part of "off Broadway" so to speak, as just one example.
I have a LOT more. Hey, it's for fun.

Mark Allan Crnolatas
"A society or group of people exist soley in it's ability to maintain an atmosphere of peace and civility. It's failure is directly relative to the degree of the lack of these conditions".

Mark

I like the idea of the wish list but let me throw out a couple things i have heard and thoughts on your wishes than maybe I can give you a peak at what is going on underground in this city.

Two months ago I had the pleasure of having lunch with someone on the police force that would be in the know. I mentioned that we thought the city could use more police and he scoffed. He actually said the police could do with three less officers and much better equipment and training. He also thought the police force would be better served with residency incentives. I will not go into detail here, but some of the ideas thrown out by him were breathtaking in scope and idea, followed immediately by a comment that made you go "damn."

Entertainment. I love entertainment and as many here know Lakewood has become a mecca for bar hoppers. There is a house full of girls next to Grace O'Malley that moved to the west end of town just so they could walk to the bars and restaurants. On my street I have two half houses with people that have said the same thing. This is great news for Lakewood on many levels. The best is that the social drunks understand it is safer to walk to the bar.

We must bring people in to the center of the city, not the fringes. I have seen some really breathtaking ideas for Lakewood. A couple weeks ago I spent some time with Tom Barrett, developer of Rosewood Place. Those apartments/condos are going to be very nice. I was really thinking, might be nice to grab one early. All the amenities of a new place with the feel of an old place.

I have seen roughs on some great ideas for Berea Road, i have sat with two new groups that no one has even heard of yet that have some impressive ideas for Detroit and Madison. These groups have not gone public yet, and have not sat down with the Toms(George/Jordon) so I do not want to spill their beans. But this comes directly out of the new found energy in this city and the feeling that we can no longer sit back and wait for them to do something, we must also grab an oar and help move the city ahead.

Friday I met with a couple people that want to have more fun in Lakewood, parades, socials, dance, etc.

This will all build the Lakewood Brand, which will pay ALL Lakewoodites huge dividends down the road.

What make most of this so exciting is it is a Tsunami of positive energy that is now ready to work together on almost every level to make the city better, safer, cleaner, and the most unique city in North America.

Last night at the Punk Rock Photo Shoe at Bela's(great party) I spoke with two people that were very excited about "We could start the store, build the concept, and then sell it off to another Lakewood resident to own and run. Then we could move on to the next store/idea..." This was floated after we noticed that there are many who would love to jump into the "business world" but lack a piece of the puzzle to get the thing going.

One of the best things about being the "publisher" of the Observer is almost everyday a person calls with an "idea." Of course the conversation usually starts of with, "Is this the Lakewood Observer? I have this idea and people told me you are the craziest person in Lakewood so what do you think about..." Funny thing is I have not heard one bad idea yet. Some are really good other OK, but they show me the city is energized and ready to play.

Meanwhile here at the Observer we have some dramatic plans for 2006, 2007 and 2008.

My Lakewood Wish List:

1. Sidewalk cafes--where people would come to read their papers, drink coffee, and watch the interesting drama that is their neighbors
2. A weekend outdoor market near the sidewalk cafes--for vegetables, art, knick knacks, good chocolates
3. A streetcar line to get people from one end to another and help make the city truly walkable
4. A great bookstore right here in Lakewood. I don't want to go to Crocker Park to buy books.
5. An adult soccer league that plays here;
5. More Indian restaraunts.
6. Cinder or turf jogging trails that aren't paved (too hard on my shins--hey, this is a wish list!)
7. Our own Mardi Gras parade, with prominent citizens and city leaders wearing masks and glitter!

Tom,
I don't know you but I have some similar wishes for L-Wood:
1.Art exhibits displayed in the windows of the Beck Center. They have 20 large windows or more that could be filled at all times with art from locals. This art would enhance your stroll to Rosati's,Pug Mahone,or the Reagle Beagle.
2. An outdoor soccer league for adults at Madison Park. With our diversity we could field numerous teams with some neighborhood/pub rivalries forming. Also, a soccer pub that shows the EPL and other big matches would be nice. How about it Sullivans?
3. A crosswalk going across Sloane to the Nature's Bin and a nice safe sidewalk path directly to the store. Numerous people enjoy strolling to the corner for rations but the parking lot is not that great for walkers,particularly with children, at the Bin. Also, now that Medic is leaving the time has come for a facelift for the stores on Sloane.
4. A farmer's market on a Saturday, not Wednesday when everyone is at work. The farmer's market should be positioned in an area like downtown where you can continue your day shopping at a record store,sipping coffee,or reading the paper.
5. A bike path going down Clifton and/or Detroit. Detroit is really only 1 1/2 lanes anyway. Use the 1/2 lane for a bike path. This eliminates some of the parking concerns in Lakewood. More bike racks would be nice as well.
Ken Lipka

Tom/Ken-

You bring up two points that are close to my heart: Indian food and Farmer's markets.

My wife and I have been to every Indian resturaunt in Greater Cleveland. We wish we didn't have to travel at least 15 min. to get to one. It's not fair that there are 2 good ones within 3 blocks of Cracker Park. Pleeeze, come to Lakewood! There is a new one, "Passage To India" 30610 Detroit Road, Westlake, 2 blocks west of Border's Plaza. They have a lunch buffet 7 days a week. There are at least 4 veg and 4 non-veg entrees, and all the sides, for $9.95. Very good quality, and the choices change every day. Our new favorite. They also have a Indian Grocery store next door. Great for raw ingredients so you can make at home.

As far as the Saturday Farmer's Market goes, I think we can't compete with the big ones.

The NE Ohio farmers depend on the North Union Farmer's Market to organize their sites. Shaker Square has the biggest on Saturday (longstanding), and recently, Crocker Park has the second biggest (at least 2-3x Lakewood's). Unfortunatly, there are only so many places a family farm can service in a week, with picking, packing and cleaning chores. They are going to go with where the crowds are. We are a bit lucky that we get the vendors we do on a Wednesday.

The priviage of buying food from the person who grew it and picked it, with NO middleman, makes it the best food available, period.

Let's eat!

Bill

PS: Ken, welcome to the forum!

I've heard that the market manager has given Lakewood the stiff-arm, but in my book the customer is always right, and if Lakewood wants a weekend market, we should get one. We shouldn't take that kind of "no" for an answer.

I've been agitating for an outdoor market for some time now--not only vegetables but lots of things. I'm seriously considering starting one. Anyone interested in teaming up on such a project?

How about:

1. A new medical building along the lines of what exists at Clague road. Why should anyone in Lakewood have to go to Westlake to see a doctor?
Why not build it near W 117th and Detroit?

2. A modern movie theater. Why should I have to go to Fairview Park to see a movie?

3. Why not work with the City of Cleveland to build an Avon Commons in place of the abandoned warehouses along Madison and 110th? A expanded freeway exchange along W117th could feed directly into that area.

4. Where was the last placed he shopped at? Could that be built in Lakewood?

I also would love to see a book store in Lakewood. But what I would really love in Lakewood is a place to buy clothes for my children. That seems to be one thing Lakewood is missing.

Tom Powell-Bullock wrote:My Lakewood Wish List:

5. An adult soccer league that plays here;

I work for the Rec Department in the summer when I'm in town, and recently, they started an adult soccer league that plays in the fall. If you want more information, contact Heidi Darrah, Adult Athletic Director at 227-5154.

Lakewood Wish List
1.Better hours! I would love to bike up to a farmer's market once a week but can't when it's only open while I work. Same with the stores. So many stores that I would love to shop at are only open to 5 or 6. If you really want to compete...stay open to 9! The library however has some of the best hours around.
2.A book store with a cafe. Have you noticed all the people hanging out at Crocker Park late, even after the stores are closed? The book store is a gathering point. So are the little couches and chess tables.
3. A Lakewood Arts Council, with a space that offers classes. Beck is a start but I am thinking more visual/3D arts. More Lakewood Rec art offerings.
4. Better communication or something/one that fosters a synergy within Lakewood. Like Kathy's Sewing working with Virginia Marti's. Restaurants serving Quiche from new Quiche Plus store, bread from Bavarian Bakery.
5. Streetcars! Bike trails! A Bar Bus/trolley that circles Lakewood (Madison/Detroit) during the bar hours that you could ride to get to more places and home, especially in the winter. Something that makes it easier to get around. The circulator is too infrequent.
6. Incentives for home improvements that don't necessarily meet the qualifications that are currently in effect for tax breaks. Like greening your house, insulation, exterior painting, etc. Owning an old house is expensive.
7. No empty store fronts.
8. Big Lakewood garage sale/antique weekend like Avon's Aunt Tique and Uncle Junk weekend.
9. Lakewood resident market in the summer where people could sell/trade veggies and such. I always have more than I can use.
10. A rec center with a indoor pool/indoor tennis courts/gym.

I definitely agree that a book store would be a great addition to the shops Lakewood already has. We've got all the best record stores in NE Ohio, why can't we have a good book store? As far as movie theaters go, I'd like to see something similar to the Cedar Lee or Shaker Square cinemas in Lakewood. I don't mind driving a few minutes to Rocky River to see mainstream movies, but there's nowhere on the west side to see indie/arthouse/foreign films. And I'd love to see a new video store that sort of picks up where B-Ware left off, stocking all the hard to find cult films but also a decent selection of old classics, indies, foreign, and arthouse films. I've not one of those people railing against big chains like Blockbuster and Hollywood, but they just don't carry all the movies I want to see. I'd gladly cancel my Netflix subscription if we had a really diverse video store here in town.

Tom Powell-Bullock wrote:I've heard that the market manager has given Lakewood the stiff-arm, but in my book the customer is always right, and if Lakewood wants a weekend market, we should get one. We shouldn't take that kind of "no" for an answer.

I've been agitating for an outdoor market for some time now--not only vegetables but lots of things. I'm seriously considering starting one. Anyone interested in teaming up on such a project?

Tom/Bill

I think the three off us should meet at Flora over backgammon and a Hookah and kick this around. I know Bill doesn't understand that the most densely populated city and a city of 60,000 must be a better draw and a better money maker than the satan's spawn known as Crocker Park.

With proper marketing, and support we should be able to make this fly. I have attended meetings with Lakewoodites that are part of a food co-op and I am sure they would help. Another group looking to secure farmland that is tied directly to Lakewood food needs is also out there, and trying to move forward.

Bill (Tom is ready to try backgammon for money!)

Besides what could be better than an Irishman, a Welshman and a Lithuanian getting together over a hookah at Flora's, talking about a Farmer's Market?! Now there is the Lakewood Brand.



,

I have been increasingly interested in bringing not only Lakewood, but the whole Cleveland Metro area into the forefront. My wish list.

1. National Marketing for the city, but do not limit only Cleveland's exposure
2. More tech jobs like INTEL!!
3. A beat police force...yeah like the walking beats....

Tom/Bill

I think the three off us should meet at Flora over backgammon and a Hookah and kick this around.

Jim, I'm in! I'd suggest opening this session up to others on this thread seriously interested in pursuing a "Lakewood Outdoor Market" project. Another friend and Lakewood resident who is a veteran professional salesman may be interested and would certainly bring skills to the table.

I'll be back from the Holidays after Jan. 1....

Adam Gercak wrote:I have been increasingly interested in bringing not only Lakewood, but the whole Cleveland Metro area into the forefront. My wish list.

1. National Marketing for the city, but do not limit only Cleveland's exposure

One of the things that Cleveland continuously misses on is decent marketing.

I've lived through any number of stupid slogans and they have never had any connection with anyone other than their originators. "New york's the Big Apple, but Cleveland's a Plum" was one of the worst, but that has recently been topped by "Believe in Cleveland."

Cleveland, in the days of the underground railroad, was known as "Hope City." Hope City sounds marketable to me, while "Believe in Cleveland" reeks of failure and says "turn out the lights on your way out."

Lakewood needs marketing. No-one outside of its borders seems to know what we're trying to do. No-one has heard about rebuilding our schools, the new "Y", the expanded library (or that our library is one of the highest rated for a city its size).

What people know about Lakewood is the bars. I love the bars in Lakewood, but I wish that weren't the only thing for which we are known.