Luke_S

Renovated pool at Lakewood Park opens Thursday 6/8. A big splash: Lakewood unveils newly renovated Charles A. Foster Pool (Photos) Published: Jun. 05, 2023 "Completed for roughly $6 million, the reimagined Lakewood Park amenity is set to open for the season Thursday (June 8). ... The new ADA-accessible facility boasts zero-depth entry, a water slide and spray features, 25- and 50-meter lap lanes, a diving board, a splash pad, shade structures on the pool deck, family changing rooms and a renovated pool house." https://www.cleveland.com/community/2023/06/a-big-splash-lakewood-set-to-unveil-newly-renovated-charles-a-foster-pool-photos.html

Mahall’s Halves its Bowling Lanes to Open New Event Venue "Mahall’s, Lakewood’s popular bowling alley, music venue, cocktail bar and event space will soon feature a new, 800 person-capacity venue called The Roxy. Taking over what used to be the 10 bowling lanes on the venue’s main level, the venue looks back on Mahall’s nearly 100-year history and revives a former dance hall that lived in the same space in the 1920s and 30s. It uses The Roxy, the hall’s original name, according to a news release." https://clevelandmagazine.com/entertainment/theater-dance/articles/mahall-s-halves-its-bowling-lanes-to-open-new-event-venue

More details on Akron METRO's route overhaul. Akron METRO RTA riders may see faster service, longer walks to bus stops starting Sunday Ideastream Public Media | By Anna Huntsman Published June 2, 2023 "Starting June 4, the agency will add five new routes with 15-minute bus service: West Market Street, South Arlington Street, East Exchange Street, Grant and Brown Street and Euclid Avenue, Diagonal Road and Vernon Odom Boulevard. METRO will also launch new regional connecter routes that will take riders to and from Kent, Brimfield and parts Cuyahoga County. ... All Akron METRO bus service, except for the three regional routes, will be expanded through Saturdays and Sundays, Distler added." https://www.ideastream.org/economy/2023-06-02/akron-metro-rta-riders-may-see-faster-service-longer-walks-to-bus-stops-starting-sunday

'It's a beautiful place': Firestone Stadium opens after $1.15 million renovation Joe Scalzo | June 1st 2023 1:30 PM "The [$1.5m] stadium renovations included upgrades to four restrooms, new HVAC for the entire structure, painting inside the building, renovation of the concession areas, installation of LED lighting throughout the stadium and a new perimeter fence. The city also installed two new artificial turf fields utilizing FieldTurf’s Triple Threat Natural Turf. Most of the funding came from Akron’s general fund, although Bridgestone Americas (whose technology center is across the street from the stadium) donated $200,000 and Kenmore Construction donated labor and equipment for site preparation and grading. Thursday’s dedication came just before the start of Ohio’s state softball tournament, which has been held at Firestone Stadium since 2008. During a brief speech, Ohio High School Athletic Association commissioner Doug Ute recalled standing at the stadium two years ago when rain made field conditions dicey." https://www.crainscleveland.com/sports-business/akrons-firestone-stadium-completes-115-million-renovation

With the addition of service to Norfolk, Breeze becomes CAK's largest carrier according to Ren Camacho, president and CEO of the Akron-Canton Airport. Breeze Airways begins service to Norfolk, Virginia, from Akron-Canton Airport Scott Suttell | June 1st 2023 1:05 PM "Low-fare airline Breeze Airways announced it’s adding summer flights to Norfolk, Virginia, from the Akron-Canton Airport. The service, which began Thursday, June 1, comprises flights on Thursdays and Sundays through Sept. 3. To launch the service, Breeze is offering the routes at $50 (one-way) if purchased by Monday, June 5. Norfolk is the airline’s sixth route from the Akron-Canton Airport. It also offers service from Akron-Canton to Charleston, South Carolina; Las Vegas; and Orlando, Tampa and West Palm Beach, Florida." https://www.crainscleveland.com/transportation/breeze-airways-starts-norfolk-service-akron-canton-airport

I think it is supposed to be more of a plaza, but I also believe it is supposed to have access down to the river.

Ken, you mentioned the RTA and inter-county bus services currently at Tower City; would these plans also be able to accommodate an intercity bus station--is that what the proposed bus facility off of Ontario would be? I could be misremembering, but I thought Amtrak wanted additional intercity connections at their stations.

@KJP & @neony, if and/or when there is a need for broader-based community support please let us know. I'm sure there are more than a few of us who would try to rally support for this effort.

I haven't had a chance to dig into the Trust for Public Land's report yet, but it makes sense to me that they wouldn't include all of Metroparks' land. Their report is looking at parkland within the city, most of the Metroparks' land rings the city. If they aren't including any of the Metroparks' land then I would agree, their analysis is missing something. But from Crain's reporting it sounds like Metroparks' investments in its parks has affected the investment score, so I would think some of their land is being counted.

What is the incremental cost increase on this proposal then? Assuming CVSR returns to TC and at least some of those costs can be shared, and the money for the lakefront station and infrastructure improvements is going to be spend anyway, how much more is this actually going to cost us? I would think Bedrock would have a pretty huge incentive to help with these facility improvements. The increased traffic from CVSR and more so from Amtrak would help stabilize TC and make it easier to get shops and restaurants in. Also, I realize no one is talking about this, but if the old plans for a commuter train between Cleveland and Akron were resurrected, would there be room at the Tower City station to accommodate those trains as well?

Cross-posting here since the report is on parks in the city

Cleveland scored lowest on acreage, which should improve after the completion of Irishtown Bend, hopefully pushing our rank up a few notches. Trust for Public Land puts Cleveland at No. 26 in rankings of best parks Kim Palmer | May 25th 2023 "Parks within the city of Cleveland are among the best in the country, though they dropped slightly in the annual Trust for Public Land (TPL) ParkScore rankings. The 2023 rankings, released Wednesday, May 24, put Cleveland at No. 26 out of 100 U.S. cities measured by TPL. In 2022, Cleveland was No. 23 in the rankings. This year marked the first time in three years that Cleveland has seen a drop, rather than a gain, in the nonprofit TPL’s rankings of parks in the 100 most-populous U.S. cities. Cleveland received its highest marks in the area of park access, one of five categories that comprise the rankings. (The other categories are park amenities, investment, acreage and equity.) Cleveland received an overall score of 60.5 points out of a possible 100, based on an average of the five categories." https://www.crainscleveland.com/government/cleveland-no-26-out-100-national-city-park-rankings Here is the report from Trust for Public Land: https://www.tpl.org/city/cleveland-ohio

Akron Public Schools is in a tough spot with aging facilities in need of significant repair, or in the case of North High School, replacement; while projecting year-over-year deficits. The school board has taken action by reorganizing administrative responsibilities and eliminating two positions, while signaling more staffing cuts are on the way. All this while the district is being lead by interim superintendent after the resignation of Christine Fowler-Mack who was only on the job for a year and a half. Akron school board, facing deficit, cuts two high-level administrative posts, promises more Ideastream Public Media | By Conor Morris Published May 23, 2023 https://www.ideastream.org/education/2023-05-23/akron-school-board-facing-deficit-cuts-two-high-level-administrative-posts-promises-more North High School teachers say Akron school desperately needs replacement Ideastream Public Media | By Conor Morris Published May 23, 2023 https://www.ideastream.org/education/2023-05-23/north-high-school-teachers-say-akron-school-desperately-needs-replacement Akron Board of Education moves forward with school superintendent search Ideastream Public Media | By Conor Morris Published April 26, 2023 https://www.ideastream.org/education/2023-04-26/akron-board-of-education-moves-forward-with-school-superintendent-search

Ohio natural resources agency says proposed budget cuts could mean less safety at state parks The Statehouse News Bureau | By Karen Kasler Published May 23, 2023 "The busiest time of year for Ohio’s 75 state parks is approaching – summer. But the agency that operates them didn’t get a warm reception from the Ohio House, which voted to cut more than $55 million from the budget increase that Gov. Mike DeWine proposed. Ohio Department of Natural Resources director Mary Mertz said most of the cuts will hit one particular area that visitors want most, according to state surveys. “They want to feel welcome and they want to feel safe. And we hear comments from many people where they say, 'I never saw a ranger. Why did I go through that park and I never saw a ranger?'" Mertz said." https://www.statenews.org/government-politics/2023-05-23/ohio-natural-resources-agency-says-proposed-budget-cuts-could-mean-less-safety-at-state-parks

Akron will install 21 speed tables to curb speeding in neighborhoods Ideastream Public Media | By Anna Huntsman Published May 23, 2023 "Officials will install 21 speed tables on 11 streets beginning in June, as part of an ongoing effort to curb speeds in neighborhood areas, according to a Tuesday news release. ... The city of Akron and the Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study (AMATS) conducted a small pilot program in 2020 that found speed tables in two locations were effective in reducing speeds, according to the release. Officials expanded the program last summer by installing tables in each of the city’s 10 wards. Data collected last year showed speeds were six miles per hour lower, on average, when the tables were in use, according to the release. Additionally, the study found tables were most effective when more than one was placed on the same street." https://www.ideastream.org/community/2023-05-23/akron-will-install-21-speed-tables-to-curb-speeding-in-neighborhoods

I would prefer to see Amtrak in Tower City over the lakefront station, is this still a live possibility? Are the right people in the right places still talking about / considering this?

Ah, I misunderstood your point. If the new NCDC doesn't take on this kind of work as well, hopefully they at least work hand-in-hand with the DCA, who seemingly are already doing their thing in this area from @urbanetics_ post

I share your perspective, it's green washing and not actually doing anything to either reduce carbon output or capture and sequester more carbon. In this case, Western Reserve Land Conservancy likely wasn't going to develop this land in anyway, including for logging or mining, so Nordson gets to say it's reducing it's carbon footprint when there is no real net effect on carbon. However, as you allude to, it is giving WRLC basically money to do something they already planned to do so they can keep doing what they are doing. Here's a good vox explainer on the problems of carbon offsets, they have some longer ones too if you're interested. https://www.vox.com/2020/2/27/21154553/carbon-offsets-explained-climate-change

The North Coast Development Corp should help with this?

Annabell's, a Highland Square and Akron music landmark, faces eviction, closure By: Anthony Thompson and Mark J. Price "A West Market Street lounge that's been a Highland Square landmark and part of Akron's underground music scene for more than 50 years is facing eviction and may close Saturday. Annabell's Bar & Lounge, located at 784 W. Market St., has until Tuesday to vacate the premises, according to Akron Municipal Court documents. Richfield Properties LLC, the owner of the property, first filed an eviction notice in January claiming that William Reynolds, owner of Annabell's, had failed to pay rent since September 2022." https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/local/2023/05/19/annabells-music-venue-eviction-closing-akron-highland-square/70235409007/

There's still $1.5M left to make it happen. Do you know what ODOT property they're planning to acquire?

Lakewood City Council awards $1.5 million in APRA funds Updated: May. 19, 2023 By John Benson "After three months of deliberation, City Council this week awarded $1,586,178 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to 16 projects. ... City Council was provided $3 million out of the city’s $47,219,575 ARPA funds for distribution to the community. The plan is to award $2 million this year, followed by $1 million next year. ... Remaining is a roughly $500,000 balance earmarked for distribution this year." The list of projects receiving funds includes: • Former Youth Building ($200,000) • Cove Community Center Resiliency Hub ($300,000) • LakewoodAlive Housing Outreach ($120,000) • LakewoodAlive Small Business Support ($50,000) • The Legal Aid Society ($150,000) • Enhanced traffic calming ($150,000) • Studio W. 117th ($50,000) • Madison Park Master Plan implementation ($80,000) • Acquire and improve ODOT property ($120,000) • Pickleball court conversion ($30,000) • Childcare assistance ($10,000) • Holiday lighting expansion ($25,000) • Madison HAWK Signal ($175,000) • Madison Court Coalition Equipment & Storage ($5,000) • Citizens Committee for the Lakewood Animal Shelter ($25,000) • Lakewood Animal Safety & Welfare Advisory Board ($10,000) https://www.cleveland.com/community/2023/05/lakewood-city-council-awards-15-million-in-apra-funds.html

Cross-posting from the CVSR thread

Cleveland Planning Commission wants Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad connection as part of Bedrock’s massive riverfront project Published: May. 20, 2023 By Steven Litt "Early stage “conceptual” plans for a massive downtown riverfront development proposed by Bedrock, the real estate company headed by Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert, won unanimous approval Friday from the Cleveland City Planning Commission. ... Friday’s vote came with conditions. One of the most important is that the city wants Bedrock to continue working with public agencies to explore the possibility of including an extension of the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad in its plans. Such a connection could provide a direct rail link from Tower City Center to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Akron — something planners have dreamed about for decades." https://www.cleveland.com/news/2023/05/cleveland-planning-commission-wants-cuyahoga-valley-scenic-railroad-connection-as-part-of-bedrocks-massive-riverfront-project.html

Malik says he has already met with current Mayor Dan Horrigan and they will continue to work together through the transition. Malik's team has also created a website, found here, where you can subscribe for transition updates and provide feedback to the transition team. Akron's presumptive next mayor Shammas Malik taps local leaders, former city officials for transition team Ideastream Public Media | By Anna Huntsman Published May 18, 2023 https://www.ideastream.org/government-politics/2023-05-18/akron-mayor-elect-shammas-malik-taps-local-leaders-former-city-officials-for-transition-team