The Observation Deck

This thread is prompted by Ivor's post in the Avon Lake Church..Low Income Housing discussion. Let's hear what is good in Lakewood!!

Here are my top 10 (although not in any particular order):

1. It's not Cleveland.
2. Affordable suburban housing.
3. Everything you (or I should say I) need/want is easily accessible without much travel. (i.e. shops, restaurants, parks, medical offices, churches, etc.)
4. Quality schools including the many extracurricular activities offered. I look forward to having an 8th & 6th grader being the first of their classes to attend the newly built Harding.
5. Law enforcement that truly does care about keeping peace in the City.
6. Taking walks along Lake & Clifton and other parts of my neighborhood enjoying the beautiful landscaping.
7. The new library.
8. My church family.
9. The Beck Center, and I'm thankful they are staying in Lakewood.
10. The fact that Lakewood residents are so passionate about making/keeping their city a desirable place to live.

There's always room for improvement and I think that is the motive for all the complaints and criticism. But you're right Ivor....we need to praise and be thankful for the nice things we do have...thanks for reminding me of that!

I'm sure there will be things I'll see in someone else's top 10...and I'll think...Oh yea...I like that too!! So keep in mind, these lists are not inclusive

1: everything is available to you if you put the effort into walking or riding a bike

2: The history of Lakewood, families that go back many generations.

3: How new families (on most streets, I know ours is pretty good with this) are accepted fairly fast into their new homes, schools, jobs etc.

4: The resources available through Lakewood Schools, the LPL Branches and various organizations.

5: Community outreach programs like H2O, St.James and all the other churches that help out to those in need.

6: The bond within Lakewood Residents. Friendly people that say hello while walking down detroit.

7: Family businesses that have been here for generations and continue to stay open thanks to residents that patronize the city's businesses.

8: Having a roof over your head isn't too hard here, whether it's a double, appartment or home. Investing in property will let your kids go to great schools and be part of many great activities for families.

9: Dedicated city hall workers and officials, school board members, etc. that have been serving Lakewood in their family's name for generations. (like the Butler family)

10: Having a community that pulls together in times of need, (example the Shawn Joslin Family Fund), and music boosters, athletic boosters, alumni foundation and so on. People in Lakewood support the programs that our schools and organizations have to offer. And most importanly support those in need that aren't as priviledged as some of us.

1) This is a beautiful city with architectural gems galore.
2) Engaged, friendly citizens.
3) Excellent health care in the heart of town.
4) More places to eat and drink than I can visit in a year of going out every night!
5) Lots of activities, many are FREE.
6) The best darned library in the land.
7) A responsive and caring City Hall.
8) Safe, neighborly place to live - for multiple generations.
9) Wonderful small shops.
10) All the benefits of living in a walkable city with all the charm of suburbia.
11) Everybody walks their dogs day and night (Bella and Nemo said not to forget about them and they also said something about delicious-looking squirrels).
12) My heart lies here.
13) Good schools.
14) Diversity in many forms.
15) We're right between Erie and the Emerald Canyon.

All the above;

plus;

A wide variety of housing options, efficiency to lakefront mansions

I enjoy the “do what you willâ€Â￾ attitude. As long as you cause no trouble to the people around you, life is good!

I love that everyone in Lakewood drives like all the roads have 4 lanes no matter how wide the road actually is, . That totally cracks me up.

Concrete examples....

1. Playing on the baseball team at LHS with kids from Clifton Park and all places north, south, east and west
2. Walking down shady streets and seeing cats lounging in driveways, on steps and in windows.
3. Walking down shady streets and seeing/hearing mean dogs, friendly dogs, ugly dogs, handsome dogs.....
4. Walking down shady streets and seeing humans/friends willing to engage in meaningful conversations (i.e., Suzanne)
5. Patronizing businesses where you can talk to the owner on most visits (i.e., Geiger's, Sweet Designs)
6. Seeing kids walk home from school
7. Not becoming nauseous at the site of big-box stores and sprawling parking lots
8. Not having to give visitors directions to the "subdivision" that I live in.
9. Watching the "Lakewood Project", knowing that it is truly a home-grown Lakewood entity/creation.
10. Experiencing, daily, the intense civic pride that fights back against chronic pessimists, cynics, fear mongers and opportunists.

1. Phoenix Coffee
2.Bella Dubby
3.LEAF
4.Caring4kidscove.com
5.LO
6.All the whining and sniveling on the Deck
7.My back yard
8.It touches Lake Erie
9.All of our citizens that make up our fair city
10.The fact we are on the west side

1) The People - very civically engaged
2) The Lake
3) The homes
4) The Library
5) The Observer
6) Being Near, but not in a major City - with everything they
7) 4th of July
Small Businesses
9) The Pools and Swim Lessons
10) The range of activities for everyone

All of the above plus
the chicken salad at Joe's Deli and Tinas
La Pita!!!
The teachers here!!!!
The Family Room!

I'll take the fast and easy way for now, and just say I agree with all the above posts, especially Chuck G's list except for number 1 since I don't live in that area and prefer football and basketball over baseball ..


Mark Allan Crnolatas

10 things I MISS about Lakewood. No order.

• Proximity to the lake. I enjoyed living in the microclimate of Lake Erie.
• Proximity to the Rocky River. I used to be able to mark the change of season by the fishing tackle I carried in the trunk. I especially miss being on the river on that one day in the fall when the smallmouth bass stopped hitting because the big fish had started up from the lake.
• Taverns. Although I never found a thoroughly satisfactory one in Lakewood, in my new home there really is no such thing as a beer joint, saloon or what have we. I mean the kind of place where you stop in for a quick beer on Saturday afternoon after you hit the hardware store.
• Small, service-oriented, owner-operated food establishments like the Elmwood Bakery and T.J.’s Butcher Block. The big grocery stores here are much superior to what we left behind, but you can’t get a good loaf of bakery bread.
• Rosatti’s. We have Ben & Jerry’s and Haagen-Dazs stores, as well as a Bruster’s, but give me Rosatti’s any day. The first time I had their vanilla custard, I came up for air long enough to say, “This is too good…we’re going to hear that they put ground-up children in it.â€Â￾
• Diversity. Ethnic, racial, class, occupational.
• Being asked if I was Ed’s or Ignatius. Neither. Oh, Lakewood High? No. I moved to Lakewood after I was married and started a family, but the high school question always made me feel at home.
• Living in a big old house on a street of big old houses.
• The Lakewood Library. The Williamsburg Library is OK, but just OK. The lighting is such that your have to shade your eyes to read the spines of books on the top shelves. Each time I squint at a row of books I think “goddamnit, Ken would never put up with this.â€Â￾
• Community.