May Old Brooklyn News Now Online

The latest issue of Old Brooklyn News is now online, including the following stories:

* OBCDC conducts community meeting
* Fat Guy's Bar & Grill
* Ben Franklin Community Garden continues long horticulture tradition in neighborhood
* Inexpensive ways to boost your home's value
* A sampling of spring events in and around the Big Creek Valley

To download your copy, please click here.

Projects!, RiverSweep Reminder

Yeah, we know that we haven't posted a lot lately. But Jeff R. and I have been concentrating a lot of time and effort on some pretty exciting projects.

Along with Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation President Greg Huth, we're coordinating bicycle tours of Old Brooklyn and Brooklyn Centre as part of OBCDC's All-Access Home & Bicycle Tour event to be held July 18, 2009. So in addition to trying to return to bicycling form from Summer 2008 when I rode over 600 miles, I've been speaking with friends and exploring on my own to develop routes that offer the best possible representations of our neighborhoods to those that may not have be enlightened to them. In the end, we'll have a multitude of tours - a trolley tour, walking tours, leisurely bicycle routes for families, and a 15- to 20-mile ride for more experienced cyclists that I'll be leading. Of course, there will be much, much more. So for more information, please visit OBCDC's website. Please mark your calendars and help spread the word!

We've also investigated ways in which we can better do our part in marketing Old Brooklyn's living opportunities, local businesses, and overall amenities to both outsiders and fellow residents, and have taken steps in doing so. That's about all that we can say for now, but please stay tuned for more in the future.

If you'd like to contribute content to Old Brooklyn Blogs, such as a feature on a neighborhood business or recap of an event, please drop us a line and we'll see if we can make something work.

Lastly, RiverSweep is happening tomorrow. Folks who wish to help clean up Treadway Creek and the Lower Big Creek Valley can meet at Zeleznik's Tavern at Harvard & Jennings Roads beginning at 9am, and clean-up efforts will last until approximately noon. A gathering of volunteers is scheduled to take place from noon until 2pm at the Plain Dealer Pavilion. For more information, please click here. Hope you can lend a hand!

Tour Old Brooklyn's Big Creek Valley

Join the Friends of Big Creek on Saturday, May 16 from 11am to 1pm for a tour of the Lower Big Creek. The tour will allow participants to discover the watershed's confluence at the Cuyahoga River and learn about future plans for recreation and ecological restoration.

This event is free, and lunch will be provided. Persons interested in taking part in the event should meet at Zeleznik's, 4002 Jennings Road.

For more information, please visit the Friends of Big Creek website or contact Bob Gardin at (216) 269-6472 or bgardin@friendsofbigcreek.org.

Notes from Tonight's OBCDC Community Meeting

I brought my laptop to tonight's OBCDC community meeting and tried to make note of as many important points as possible. My apologies for not fully editting them before posting.

Greg Huth, OBCDC President: Membership decides how service area is defined. Current is Wards 15 and 16, proposed change is Brooklyn Centre and Old Brooklyn.

Ward 16 Councilman Kevin Kelley: References Old Brooklyn News article from July 2005 regarding master plan. Thought six months or so, it would be done. Is a sign of collaboration, product of hard work. One of his most significant accomplishments as a councilman. Pearl Road and other OB/BC neighborhoods were originally neglected in City of Cleveland's 2020 Plan, but this plan will address it. Major capital improvements can be incorporated into mayor's capital plan.

Ward 15 Councilman Brian Cummins: Planning leads to results. Example of Treadway Creek and the large amount of planning required, citing that resulting projects are products of plans.

Ward 13 Councilman Joe Cimperman: Has interacted with Robyn Sandys and OBCDC staff. Master plan was referenced in police community relations awards in December, demonstrates its importance to award recipients and the community. (Ward 12 Councilman Tony Brancatelli also attended, but declined to speak in length.)

Huth: Presentation of ballot: “The Corporation;s Neighborhood is defined as the area outlined in bold on the map attached hereto as Exhibit A.” OB and BC statistical planning areas, as defined by the City Planning Commission, would become new service area in the Code of Regulations under the proposal. Area would remain unchanged by political action. Very few questions and discussion about this. (Count later revealed to be 24 for, 2 opposed)

Robyn Sandys, OBCDC Executive Director: Meeting is an update about some of the projects of OBCDC from over the last few months. OBN wants to cover interesting people, businesses from the community, and wants membership to submit ideas about them. Business directory is going into 20th year. Advertising is inexpensive for both it and OBN. Housing assistance is available from OBCDC staff. Is seeking to provide more updates on website, and information is added on a weekly basis. Mentions LiveCLEVELAND! guide with many OB and BC photos and tidbits. Walk + Roll, Home & Bicycle Tour on July 18. Movie Night Under the Stars, three movies sponsored by Councilman Kelley. One in June, July, and August through different locations in the community. RiverSweep is May 9, and OB/BC stakeholders can meet at Zeleznik's Tavern. Programs include Paint Program; Weatherization; code compliance program (surveyed 611 properties last year, 232 minor problems, with several major problems. 45 commercial properties, 15 problems); commercial programs; Benjamin Franklin Community Garden; new foreclosure prevention program (OBCDC has a list of all Ward 15 and 16 property owners with subprime loans that will increase in next two years); homebuying, purchasing, rehabbing, selling program (first home being on Tampa Avenue). Powerpoint of planning to be posted on www.oldbrooklyn.com soon after meeting. Organizational strategic plan will define the CDC's role in implementation of master plan, will be presented at a community meeting in the summer.

Kris Hopkins, Cuyahoga County Planning Commission: Plan was funded by Community Development Block Grant, occurred after mergers of CDCs. As mentioned earlier, Treadway Creek in 2007 was an outcome of a plan. Concurrent initiatives include Lower Big Creek (recreation and ecological restoration); Pearl Road/West 25th Corridor; Comprehensive Market Strategy. Master plan is umbrella for all, includes list of priorities for the next ten to fifteen years. Cornerstone was community, project team and 30-member advisory committee that included residents, civic associations, businesses, institutions. Combination of neighborhood-wide and location-specific strategies and action steps. Fourteen opportunity sites, including State/Pearl Triangle, Fulton/Memphis Shopping Area, Henninger Landfill, Harvard/Jennings area. Some implementation concepts may take a long time, will require the work of not only CDC, but city council, block clubs, civic associations.

Meghan Chaney, Cuyahoga County Planning Commission: Eight topics in plan include Housing & Neighborhood Character; Retail Services; Community and Facilities; Community Heritage and Identity; Economic Development; Recreation; Environmental Protection and Natural Resources; Transportation Connections. Each topic has multiple goals, each goal has multiple strategies, and each strategy has multiple action steps. Then, each action step has timeframe, potential lead organization, potential partners. Plan will go to OBCDC board after this meeting, then to City Planning Commission for adoption. Will be posted to website soon after. Specific contents of the plan were not presented.

Tom Collins, OBCDC Commercial Development Manager: Full Lower Big Creek meeting is on OBCDC website, www.oldbrooklyn.com. Driving factor in the plan is the neighborhood connection to Towpath Trail, from Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and Brookside Park. Plan components include: Adventure sports park on the Henninger Landfill, to include non-motorized action sports like rock climbing and BMX biking; Campground option; Ecological restoration and repurposing of storage yards and other industrial uses; Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad Station at Harvard Avenue and Jennings Roads; Trail Route.

Donald Hecklemoser, OBCDC Residential Programs Manager: Pearl Road/ West 25th Street Corridor Plan covers Lorain Avenue to Brookpark Road. Many players involved. Plan has been completed and adopted by the City of Cleveland. Possibilities for Old Brooklyn portion could involve narrowing of street, designated bicycle lanes, trees, larger sidewalks, community gathering space near Wildlife Way. ODOT will be building a new bridge over I-71, construction tentatively to begin in 2013.

Old Brooklyn Recycling & More

Did you know that there are several places in Old Brooklyn where residents can recycle a variety of items?

The City of Cleveland has stationed recycling dumpsters throughout the neighborhood at the following locations:

Brooklyn Heights United Church of Christ
2005 W. Schaaf Road

Old Brooklyn Community School
4430 State Road

Estabrook Recreation Center
4125 Fulton Road

Discount Drug Mart
4170 Fulton Road

Ridge Road Transfer Station
3727 Ridge Road

For a list of recyclable items, please click here. Here is a list of all recycling drop-off sites citywide.

The City of Cleveland is also holding a household hazardous waste round-up at the Ridge Road Transfer Station April 27 through May 2, 2009. The purpose of the event is to help residents properly dispose of common household products, such as oil-based paints; shellacs, varnishes, polyurethanes, and wood stains; primers and sealers; spray paint; adhesives; mercury; fluorescent bulbs; automotive products; and, oven and drain cleaners. For more information and a complete list of items being received, please click here.

The city is accepting computers and electronic waste, including CPUs, monitors, keyboards and mice, printers, modems, software, and ink cartridges, now through May 1, 2009. Cell phones may also be recycled at the Computer Round Up, however, televisions and other electronics will not be taken. For more information, please click here.

Lastly, Cleveland residents can pick up free mulch made from Christmas trees at Rosby's Resource Recycling right outside of Old Brooklyn at 54 E. Schaaf Road. Mulch is available now until supplies last. For more information, please call (216) 664-2231.

For more information about these and other waste disposal programs, please visit the Cleveland Recycles website or call (216) 664-2231

Clean Up Old Brooklyn at RiverSweep 2009

Join your neighbors and others in cleaning up parts of Old Brooklyn on Saturday, May 9 from 9am to noon.

RiverSweep is an annual event in which volunteers beautify parts of the Cuyahoga River and its tributaries. Ohio Canal Corridor, a nonprofit organization charged with created parks, recreation, and economic development opportunities along the Ohio & Erie Canal from Cleveland to Zoar, Ohio, is the chief organizer of RiverSweep.

In the past, clean-up efforts in Old Brooklyn have been concentrated on Big Creek near Jennings Road.

For more information, please visit Ohio Canal Corridor's website or call (216) 520-1825.

April Old Brooklyn News Now Online

The April issue of Old Brooklyn News is now posted online. In it, you'll find articles such as

* Cleveland City Council new ward boundaries affect Wards 15 & 16
* New Restaurant, Mexico Lindo, opens
* Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland announces closings and mergers
* Earth Day money saving tips
* Non-native plants becoming invasive in neighborhood wild areas and back yards

To download the latest edition, please click here. For archived issues, please visit the Old Brooklyn News page of the Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation website.

Special Thanks

We at Old Brooklyn Blogs would like to take a quick time out to extend a special and sincere thanks to a few friends who have helped spread the word about us, and ultimately, everything that's phenomenal about Cleveland's Old Brooklyn neighborhood.

* Robyn Sandys and board and staff at Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation and Old Brooklyn News (please note that OB Blogs is not directly affiliated with OBCDC or OBN)

* Chuck Hoven of Plain Press (which is running a nice article about OB Blogs in this month's issue here and here)

* Thomas Mulready at Cool Cleveland

* George Nemeth at Brewed Fresh Daily

* Henry Gomez of The Plain Dealer and Inside City Hall Blog

* Laura McShane and Tim Ferris from Save Our Land Blog

* Will at Skorasaurus

* The folks at RealNEO.us

* Staff of the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission Weblog

* The people behind Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's Twitter

* ...and anyone else of which we are unaware or may have forgotten

Lastly, we appreciate the assistance from all of you out there that have sent us news leads, participated or are participating in OB People (Jeff Kipp and Michelle Baran), left comments to our posts, regularly or periodically visit our site, or simply offered a genuine "thanks for doing this" and other words of encouragement to us.

Thanks again.

OB Photos: South Hills

As the saying goes, "There's gold in them thar hills!" Undeniably, Old Brooklyn's South Hills area is one of Cleveland's best treasures.

South Hills was originally established in the late 1800's as a place where vegetables were grown under glass. By the 1920's, it had become the greenhouse capital of the Midwest and one of the nation's largest suppliers of produce, with more than one hundred acres of land dedicated to raising various plants. Only a few greenhouses, including Old Brooklyn Greenhouse on West 11th Street, remain west of the Jennings Freeway.

Today, the neighborhood is a collection of beautiful architecturally-diverse homes having some of the highest and most stable home values in the city. Streets like South Hills Boulevard, Broadale Avenue, and West Schaaf Road are lined with brick colonials, bungalows, cape cods, and Tudor-style houses, with an abundance of large, mature trees. In recent years, areas around West 11th Street and north of Spring Road have given rise to newer-construction homes.

South Hills is also home to the Benjamin Franklin Community Garden, which was previously featured in OB Photos. For a historical view of the garden, please click here.

Perhaps what's most exciting about South Hills is its strong sense of community and residential fabric. Mann residents are actively engaged in the South Hills Association, a civic group that has organized block parties, yard sales, and other events and has pursued and received grant funds for improvement projects. A plethora of city employees and safety personnel reside in South Hills as well.

View photos Old Brooklyn Blogs' South Hills photos here, or check out the Cleveland Memory Project for historical photographs of the area. To see other areas and aspects of Old Brooklyn captured visually, please click here.

OB People: Michelle Baran, Colburn resident, artist, and business owner

We at Old Brooklyn Blogs met Michelle Baran, a resident of Colburn Avenue near Broadview Road at last Saturday's Case Cares about Cleveland event. Michelle, an artist and owner of Bear Tracks Art, helped hang art, some of which is her own, in downtown storefronts. A resident of Old Brooklyn for about twelve years, Michelle has served as president of the Ward 15 Democratic Club for the last eight years.

What do you like best about living in Old Brooklyn?
My neighbors, my friends, and the people I have met here. I find that Old Brooklynites are full of passion, and genuninely care about one another. If something is going in Old Brooklyn, the rest of Cleveland will know. Why? Because we care about our community and what happens to it.

What brought your family to Old Brooklyn?
I have lived two years in my house before I got married. And I have been married for over ten years to my husband, Bill. So over twelve years, I have lived in the same house in Old Brooklyn. Once I got here, I was hooked!

In what way(s) are you involved in your community?
There are too many to mention, but some of them include: Volunteering with Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation; delivering ice melt to the seniors, helping to paint the homes of low-income families and seniors with Rebuilding Together Cleveland; working with Friends of Big Creek; participating in River Sweep for five years, hanging artwork on Pearl and Broadview Roads with Case Cares about Cleveland; assisting with the Brooklyn Centre Civic Association on its Garden Tour for the past three years and having the honor of creating the garden tour theme and flyers; serving as Democratic Precinct Commitee Officer for Ward 15, Precinct O for the past eight years; working closely with three different councilpersons in the past eight years; and most of all, serving as Ward 15 Democratic Ward Club president for the past seven years, which has truly been an honor.

What's your favorite neighborhood spot?
The Trail at Treadway Creek. Isn't that neat that we have a path that's away from it all, yet brings us so close to everything?

Where in the neighborhood will others typically find you?
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
Dee's Old Brooklyn Diner
Dina's Filling Station
South Hills Antiques
Steve's Family Restaurant
Cafe Miami
Ziggy's Market
...Or just strolling down Broadview Road

To check out all OB People, please click here.

The Redistricting Finale

By now, everyone that reads Old Brooklyn Blogs probably already knows that Cleveland City Council decided yesterday to approve the redistricting recommendations established by Triad Research by a vote of 16-4. Unfortunately for the next four years, Old Brooklyn will be split into three political districts.

So before OB Blogs returns to its regularly scheduled programming, here are some links covering the yesterday's decision:

* Cleveland City Council released the final plan less than two hours prior to the meeting. (Communications Director Katherine Bulava said in an email that the download is much more likely to work in Internet Explorer than Mozilla Firefox.)

* WEWS News Channel 5 and 19 Action News had the best television coverage the events of the Cleveland City Council meeting on their newscasts.

* Paul Schroeder from Ohio Daily Blog captures some of the remarks delivered by Councilmen Cummins and Reed prior to the announcement that the redistricting plan was adopted earlier in the day.

* And finally, PD writer Henry Gomez summarizes the meeting and some of the events leading up to it, and shares insights into the futures of Reed and Cummins. He mentions that one small victory for Cummins and the community is that Downtown Old Brooklyn will be concentrated in one ward instead of two.

ADDENDUM 3/25/09: Cleveland City Council has posted maps of the 2010 wards, but they are very difficult to read.

Volunteer for Case Cares about Cleveland This Saturday

Last month, OB Blogs posted about Old Brooklyn resident Maria Dimengo's committed efforts to spruce up some of the storefronts in Downtown Old Brooklyn and along some of the community's commercial corridors. Her event, called Case Cares about Cleveland, will occur this Saturday, March 28, 2009.

Please consider joining to support the cause, help beautify the community, and meet other neighborhood residents and stakeholders. To participate, please email Maria at maria1526@earthlink.net or visit her blog here.

From Maria Dimengo:

Hi everyone:

Thank you for graciously agreeing to help me on March 28. I updated my blog to tell you what we'll be doing, so I hope we can get some sun and fun in for a few hours on that day: http://blog.case.edu/cleveland/

If it snows, we still have stuff we can do indoors :)

I'm doing my best to get organized, so here's what I know so far:

Some of us will be meeting at the Gavin Lee Party Center, 3315 Broadview Road, around 9:30 a.m. That's just so people can sift through the art and determine what goes where. I told people the event is happening from 10-4 only so people could show up when they want to. Let me know a ballpark time when you think you might be arriving.

The owner, Jack Amburghy, is graciously donating the space for us to hang out, use the bathroom, clean up, and have lunch.

If we have enough people, here's what I would like to accomplish (ambitious I know):

- Hang artwork inside the windows of Jack's properties (the party center, his wholesale furniture center next door, and Name Brand Paints just around the corner on Pearl Road).

- Hang artwork in Tom Pavlica's properties. Tom owns a couple of the storefronts next to Ameriflag and around the corner where Andre Holt's airbrush shop is located.

- Hang artwork in the Krather Building storefront

- Hang artwork in the storefront next to Name Brand Paints if the owner does not sign a lease agreement in the next few days. I will be contacting her this weekend. She owns the vacant storefront that has been covered in newspaper for several months.

- Hang artwork in the storefront owned by Jim O'Donnell. His space is located at the corner of Oak Park and Broadview, so I'm hoping a few people can just drive to that location after we meet up at the party center.

- Paint the outside of a small business at 4327 State Road. The owner, Helene Sroka, is an elderly woman who has been struggling with punks and graffiti. I think it could be done fairly quickly, since it's the side part of her building and it's small. I have warned her that I may not get there if I don't get a great turnout on that day.

- Clean the graffiti off the side of Broadview Tailors and Cleaners, 2023 Broadview Road. I dropped off a 5-gallon bucket of graffiti cleaner at her shop, so it's sitting there ready for us if we can get to it.

Here are some things I need, if any of you could bring them or allow one of us to pick them up and borrow them for the day. Please confirm whether you can deliver these, or else I will have to figure out a Plan B for getting them to the main location:

- ladders
- brooms (in case we get young kids who want to help)
- trash bags
- buckets/rags
- drills
- pliers
- hammers
- coolers - I could use 2 or 3 more
- fishing line or clothes line (to hang stuff)

I have money in my budget to buy stuff - just trying to consolidate/save where I can.

I'll order some food and have drinks on hand, once I see who turned out for the day. Jacob, I mentioned to you that someone planned on inviting a cub scout troop to help, but that has not been confirmed. I don't want them to hurt themselves, so I will let you know if a cleanup at Harmody Park would be a good alternative for them.

I know this is a lot to absorb, but since I am flying solo on all this, I really need your help! Please let me know if you still plan to make it ... I always have this fear that I will be standing alone with all this beautiful art and no one around to help!

P.S. - I am still uncertain how many Case students are going to make it. With the rapid and bus schedule clearly an obstacle, it will be hard to get an estimate until the day before/day of the event. I will be mailing them separately next week and trying to pick up some more stragglers.

Thanks a bunch!

Redistricting Round-up

Here's the latest on Cleveland City Council's ward redistricting.

* Last week, a map of redistricted Cleveland was released via Cleveland City Council's website. The Plain Dealer's Henry Gomez offers some observations about the newly proposed wards here and here.

* Ward 15 Councilman Brian Cummins posted alternatives that he and Executive Assistant Johanna Hamm produced with Triad on RealNEO and Brewed Fresh Daily. One alternative is more drastic, while the second is varies slightly the consultant's recommendations, but minimizes impact on Old Brooklyn. Cummins also posts what the new wards would look like as inkblots.

* Paul Schroeder from the Ohio Daily Blog reports that another emergency meeting of the South Hills Association took place Wednesday. He estimates that seventy-five people attended. Scroeder states that Ward 12 Councilman Anthony Brancatelli arrived at the meeting and abruptly left prior to it upon reading a letter critical of the plan to incorporate South Hills into an East Side ward.

* Schroeder also recaps Friday's presentation of the consultant's redrawn wards to Cleveland City Council. Only two days notice was provided to citizens to attend and offer their input. Schroeder includes remarks of Old Brooklyn and Mount Pleasant stakeholders allowed during the thirty-minute public comment portion of the meeting. Gomez offers his perspective as well in his Inside City Hall blog.

* Councilman Brian Cummins appeared on WCPN 90.3, Cleveland's NPR affiliate.

* Ken Prendergast, formerly of the Sun Newspapers, offers another summary of last week's protest and city council meeting in most recent edition of the Brooklyn Sun News, sharing some of the comments made by participating residents.

* Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation Board President Greg Huth wrote a letter to Council President Martin Sweeney that states, "Under the Redistricting Plan, if approved, OBCDC will be forced to cobble together a budget from four different ward councilmen, each representing a different constituency and with a different strategy for his ward." Huth continues to mention that any project of scale would be difficult to accomplish and that the unity that has been established in the Brooklyn Centre and Old Brooklyn neighborhoods would be drastically affected. The board of the Cleveland Neighborhood Development Coalition, an umbrella organization for Cleveland community development corporations, passed a resolution in support of OBCDC's stance on the redistricting plan.

* There are no protests scheduled this week, but Old Brooklyn and Brooklyn Centre residents who feel the redistricting process has been done improperly are encouraged to attend Monday night's Cleveland City Council meeting. A vote on the new ward recommendations is anticipated to occur.

For more information about the events that have transpired to date, please check out the tag "redistricting" on Old Brooklyn Blogs.

City Council Posts Final Proposed Ward Map

This afternoon, Cleveland City Council posted a map of the proposed wards going into 2010. What's bad for Old Brooklyn and Brooklyn Centre is that they're still divided amongst three and two wards, respectively. South Hills would be clumped into a district with Slavic Village. And OBCDC's service area would still be dissected into four political districts, which could potentially spell serious trouble for the agency.

Here's a related article from the Plain Dealer, and here's the press release from Cleveland City Council.

Ward Redistricting Presentation to Council Friday Morning

OB Blogs received this email from Ward Reshuffle, a group that is advocating for a transparent redistricting process that is considerate of citizen input.

-- PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE --

• When: 9:30 am Friday, March 20^th
• Where: City Council Committee Room 217, 601 Lakeside Avenue N.E.
• What: Council’s consultants on the redistricting of Cleveland’s wards will be presenting their final recommendations to Council. All Councilmembers should attend this important session

From: Allan Dreyer
Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 4:28 PM
To: All Council Members; All Staff
Subject: Important Public Meeting regarding new city wards

There will be a public meeting on Friday, March 20^th, in City Council Committee Room 217, at 9:30 a.m. Council’s consultants on the redistricting of Cleveland’s wards will be presenting their final recommendations to Council. All Councilmembers should attend this important session

---Allan Dreyer, Deputy Clerk
Cleveland City Council
(216) 664-4198

Favorite OB Watering Holes

You can't deny that there's a certain mystique associated with some of the bars and pubs in Old Brooklyn. Some seem friendly and welcoming, while you don't know what to expect from others based on what you might have heard or seen in the appearance of buildings and storefronts.

As strange as it may seem, my curiosity has driven me and a few friends to explore the neighborhood's many watering holes. My personal goal over the next several months is to stop into every establishment to see what they look like inside and find out what kind of people they attract and serve. I ultimately hope to discover one or more spots within the community that have a comfy atmosphere and friendly people and make for great places to hang out and recommend to others, and determine which most exemplifies Old Brooklyn through and through. My initial efforts have been concentrated east of Pearl Road.

Here are the places I've enjoyed so far and a few remarks about each.

Steelyard Tavern, Broadview Road at Natchez Avenue
Located on Broadview Road a few storefronts away from Councilman Cummins ward office, Steelyard Tavern was a delightful surprise. It's housed in a old brick building that abuts the sidewalk, and the newly-renovated interior boasts a tin ceiling. Steelyard Tavern is somewhat small, but very quaint. It's one of the first OB bars I'm aware of that has a wider beer selection, including Cleveland's own Great Lakes Brewing Company. The crowd was very friendly and welcoming. The tavern's Myspace page says that it has "the vibe of Tremont in the heart of Old Brooklyn." I couldn't agree more. Here's another review from cleveland.com.

Zeleznik's, Jennings Road at Harvard Road
Zeleznik's is truly an Old Brooklyn institution. I've previously written a post about Zeleznik's on Old Brooklyn Blogs, and the fact that it was one of the first in the series OB Featured Business speaks volumes about what I think about the longstanding pub. It's quite a charming place, and part of what I enjoy most is hearing what Peggy Zeleznik has to say.

Mike's Bar and Grille, Broadview Road just west of Valley Road
Again, I didn't know what to expect walking into a house converted into a pub. A lot of work seems to have been put into the interior, which was very nice, clean, and brightly lit. There are a few diner-type booths, a long pub table, and other tables in addition to an expansive bar. A large patio has been recently constructed on the front of the building, and I like the addition of a bike rack.

The Dirty Dog, State Road at Oak Park Avenue
The Dirty Dog is a quaint little corner neighborhood bar on one of my favorite Cleveland streets. After my group sat down, the owner stopped over to say hello and share a warm welcome. I suspect that he's a Cleveland firefighter because the 'Dog had that type of decor. There's a pool table, and like the Steelyard Tavern and Mike's, the bowling machine is a nice touch. I didn't get to check out the food menu, but the Dirty Dog does have a full kitchen.

Have somewhere you like to go? Post it here and let us know.

Tonight's Ward 15 Redistricting Protest & Council Meeting

When it came time for Ward 15 Councilman Brian Cummins to introduce his constituents at tonight's Cleveland City Council meeting, around two hundred residents of Old Brooklyn and Brooklyn Centre enthusiastically rose to their feet to convey their power in numbers and communicate that they will not accept the current redistricting plan for their neighborhoods.

More than fifty residents from each community braved a chilly lakefront breeze to participate in a pre-meeting protest at the steps of Cleveland City Hall, bearing signs saying "We are neighbors, not numbers," "Don't Sweeneymander Our Wards," and "Don't Cut Up Our Neighborhoods." After about forty-five minutes of shouting various slogans, Cummins arrived outside to address the loyal group. His message was that, as someone who has served the residents of Ward 15 as the executive director of Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation and council representative, the deep personal relationships he has established over the last decade have propelled him to fight in the best interest of the neighborhoods.

During the council meeting, Cummins expressed to leadership his dissatisfaction in how the redistricting process has been performed with highly political motives and without citizen input.

But probably the most exciting news of the evening for Old Brooklyn residents was that Councilman Cummins spent around three hours with consultants this afternoon crafting an alternative redistricting plan that would divide their neighborhood into only two or three wards.

Click here to watch WEWS Channel 5's video and here to read Henry Gomez's article in his Inside City Hall blog on cleveland.com.

UPDATE: Here's another piece from Henry Gomez.

An Update on Ward 15 Redistricting

Old Brooklyn Blogs last left readers with a summary of the events that transpired up until last Saturday afternoon. Here are the most pertinent items from the last six or seven days.

* As noted, an illustration of how Old Brooklyn and Brooklyn Centre have been proposed to be gerrymandered was posted by Ward 15 Councilman Brian Cummins. In it, Ward 15 is spliced into four pieces, which are incorporated into Wards 12 (Slavic Village), 13 (Downtown, Tremont, Ohio City, St. Clair Superior), 14 (Ohio City, Tremont, Clark-Fulton), and 16 (Old Brooklyn, Stockyards). The entire plan still has not been made available for public review and comment.

* A group of Old Brooklyn and Brooklyn Centre residents is organizing a mass protest on the steps of Cleveland City Hall on Monday, March 16 at 6pm. Protesters will then move to city council chambers to have a presence and demonstrate that they will not accept the destruction of the fabric of their neighborhoods nor the process by which redistricting has been performed without citizen input and in a politically-motivated fashion. Transportation via bus will be available beginning at 5pm from the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo east parking lot. Attendees are strongly encouraged to come with their neighbors, family, and friends and to bring signs.

* South Hills Association members held an emergency meeting on Wednesday evening to discuss the proposal for their neighborhood to be incorporated into Ward 12, which is currently comprised of Slavic Village (North and South Broadway SPAs) across the Cuyahoga River and suburbs of Newburgh Heights and Cuyahoga Heights. According to the Ohio Daily Blog, about 100 residents attended on just a few days notice, and are furious and prepared to fight. South Hills residents have a four-part plan that focuses on contacting city council members en masse to convey their displeasure, organize as many residents as possible for the Monday protest, invite Ward 12 Councilman Tony Brancatelli and Ward 13 Councilman Joe Cimperman to hear their complaints firsthand, and possibly pursue legal action.

* There's been conversation about when city council will vote to approve the recommendations of Triad Consulting, the contractor hired by leadership to calculate population estimates by tract and draw new ward boundaries. Council must adopt new political districts to take effect in 2010 by April 1, or Mayor Frank Jackson will assume that decision-making authority. To date, a depiction of the new wards has not been released. News reports indicate that, in addition to Ward 15, Councilman Zack Reed's Ward 3 is slated to be eliminated under Triad's current plan. Both Councilman Reed and Ward 15 Councilman Brian Cummins have both been considered two of Council President Martin Sweeney's most outspoken critics.

* Bette Meyer, who served as facilitator of the forum to garner public input about Cleveland's political redistricting, sent an email to participants and how the process is very contradictory to the five major consensus principles that were identified by more than 200 citizens. In her message, she implores Clevelanders to contact the Clerk of Council and media to express that they want to see the proposed changes make available to members of the public for their consideration and input. A similar meeting for the East Side of Cleveland has been scheduled by community leaders on Tuesday, March 17.

* This week, WKYC Channel 3 broadcast two pieces about Ward 15 redistricting. A full interview of Councilman Cummins from Thursday is available here, and a story about how South Hills residents feel about their neighborhood becoming part of Ward 12 is here.

* Finally, fellow Old Brooklyn blogger Will at Skorasaurus has a full timeline of the redistricting process.

New information will be posted as it is received, so please bookmark Old Brooklyn Blogs for further details about redistricting as well as much more from Cleveland's Old Brooklyn neighborhood. Have additional info, a link to share, or remarks? Please post in the comments below.

More Info on Redistricting Protest

Here's more information from Brooklyn Centre's Darren Hamm about the protest to be held Monday, March 16 at 6pm on the steps of Cleveland City Hall. To download the flyer, please click here.

Like last week, Old Brooklyn Blogs will soon amalgamate the series of events and discussions across the Web.
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Do you know what is happening to your neighborhood this week? If Cleveland City Council has its’ say...we are all in for a big change. If you care about the future of your neighborhood you will join with us on Monday, March 16 on the steps of City Hall at 6:00pm.

In November 2008, we saw the passage of a ballot initiative that provides Cleveland City Council the ability to redraw our ward boundaries. It was stated publicly that Council’s process and goals for redistricting would seek to protect the integrity, as well as historic and natural boundaries of Cleveland’s neighborhoods. In reality, the effort is revealing itself as another great exercise in the time-honored tradition of gerrymandering.

What’s most disheartening about this process is not merely “politicians being politicians” by securing their power structures and eliminating their adversaries. Moreover it is the fact that we the residents and voters have no input about our own communities. That’s why we need to stand now against this action and demand that our voices be heard and our interests be considered.

The leadership of Cleveland City Council is planning to rush an approval of a map drawn up in the back rooms of City Hall without any of our input. If your fate is like that of Ward 15, you too may see your community cut into four pieces with it’s livelihood in the hands of rival political personalities. What will this mean for the valuable community services? What will this mean for the already disenfranchised and less fortunate?

Won’t you stand with us and ask, “what is happening to our neighborhoods”? We all work too hard to watch our hope and progress washed away by this political gesture. If we’ve learned anything in the past year, it’s that now more than ever we need thoughtful, innovative leadership. We’ve also learned that when we get together, united, our hopes can truly make change happen.

Please join us Monday, March 16th at 6:00pm on the steps of Cleveland City Hall at 601 Lakeside Avenue. We’ll proceed into the Monday evening Council hearing at 7:00pm. Attached is a flyer to be passed along to all. Bring friends, bring signs, and bring hope.

Together our voices will be heard. Together we can change the direction of our wonderful City.

Darren T. Hamm


For more information, see the following links:
http://realneo.us/content/cleveland-lose-strong-political-voice
http://realneo.us/content/brooklyn-centre-old-brooklyn-targeted-slice-and-dice-council-leadership
http://www.cleveland.com/cityhall/index.ssf/2009/03/many_questions_few_answers_for.html
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/03/cleveland_councilman_brian_cum.html
http://www.cleveland.com/cityhall/index.ssf/2009/03/old_brooklyn_citizens_schedule.html
http://www.cleveland.com/plaindealer/stories/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1236673945178760.xml&coll=2
http://www.cleveland.com/plaindealer/stories/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1236673917178760.xml&coll=2
http://blog.Cleveland.com/metro/2009/03/old_brooklyn_citizens_schedule.html

Follow-up from Last Week's Redistricting Forum

This email originates from Bette Meyer, who facilitated last week's forum on Cleveland City Council's political redistricting. Please note that the forum is now being shown on cable channel 20 at 11am-12:30pm and 8:30-10pm every day this week.
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To residents of Cleveland interested in Council re-districting:

Below is the compilation of the discussion group report-outs from the Community Meeting held March 4, at Applewood Center. Among the 200 persons present, there was strong consensus on the five major themes:

* EACH NEIGHBORHOOD AND/or CDC MUST BE WHOLLY WITHIN ONE WARD:
* RESIDENTS WANT OPEN COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPARENCY ON THIS ISSUE:
* KEEP RE-DISTRICTING APOLITICAL and LEARN FROM PAST MISTAKES
* BASE NUMBER & LOCATION OF WARDS ON ACCURATE POPULATION NUMBERS
* ASSURE COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL VOTING RIGHTS ACT

Since that meeting, some Councilpersons have been shown tentative maps of their proposed new ward. Councilman Cummins was not shown a map, but given a verbal description of the lines which are being proposed, dividing the current Ward 15 into sections to be given to four different Wards.

Based on the sketchy pieces that are being parceled out, it appears that the new ward boundaries may violate all of the principles listed above. Several neighborhoods are divided; there is still no public communication of the proposal nor opportunity for input; and the proposal appears to protect certain Councilpersons rather than attending to the concerns of the neighborhoods. In addition, although there has been no public release of the numbers on which the plan is based – there is at least a question as to whether the Federal “one person; one vote” provision will be met, in that the areas of the City which experienced significant population loss are not the same ones which are being divided or combined with other wards.

We have met with the Plain Dealer, and expect that they will put more of this on the public record. Councilman Cummins has made a “public records request” to secure the population data on which the proposal is based. It is not yet known when Council will receive the full proposal – but perhaps later this week. Council vote on this could be anytime between now and April 1. Councilman Kelley told the March 4 meeting that there would be a Council Committee scheduled to review the plan; but that date has not been set. We will notify you when we know anything further.

Please, NOW – send your questions/concerns to both the Clerk of Council and to the media, asking them to make the plan public and allow opportunity for public comment and input. Let Council know we are watching.

Thanks for all your efforts on behalf of our community,

Bette S. Meyer


FINDINGS:

Near West Side City Council Wards Community Meeting: Redistricting 3.04.09

Public Input and Overall Findings

(200+ attendees; 8 break-out groups yielded these consensus issues)

* EACH NEIGHBORHOOD AND/or CDC MUST BE WHOLLY WITHIN ONE WARD:
o Don’t divide the neighborhoods but use history and topography as guides for redrawing the wards
o Preserve the neighborhoods; keep the neighborhoods intact;
o The vibrancy of neighborhoods must be reflected in the new plan
o Keep CDC service areas within one ward (can’t be effective if broken up)
o Ensure there isn’t a disruption of support for neighborhood organizations
o One SPA=One Ward (use neighborhoods as criteria for ward boundaries)
o Use natural boundaries to determine the wards
o When two or more neighborhoods are contained within one Ward, strategically combine neighborhoods with similar needs and characteristics
o Ensure a realistic redrawing of wards by using identifying features that define sections of the city, and by evenly distributed population counts
o Use natural features and infrastructure as boundaries while avoiding obvious political gerrymandering (curly-cue tails)

* RESIDENTS WANT OPEN COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPARENCY ON THIS ISSUE:
o Transparency is needed throughout this process
o There needs to be a public opportunity to review the plan before it is enacted
o Keep public informed of the process and make as ‘open’ as possible
o Residents are concerned Council won’t have input from the public and CDCs
o Residents are concerned they are not getting all of the information they need
o Residents want the media to jump in, ask hard questions and focus attention on this issue
o Produce communication pieces in foreign languages
o Residents want a public disclosure of population numbers, plan, and community wishes
o Improve communication about this process to the public through the media and other technology
o Why aren’t other parts of the city having an opportunity to speak as this group did?

* KEEP RE-DISTRICTING APOLITICAL and LEARN FROM PAST MISTAKES:
o Put community interests over political interests
o Don’t use ward boundaries to settle political scores (reward or punish)
o Emphasize practicality over politics- what works for citizens, rather than what works for politicians
o Repeating dysfunctional political traditions impairs and demeans the process
o Residents are concerned that those who made mistakes in the past are still in power and will continue to make mistakes now and in the future
o This is an opportunity to correct mistakes from the past

* BASE NUMBER & LOCATION OF WARDS ON ACCURATE POPULATION NUMBERS:
o Ensure the plan accurately reflects population losses and where they occurred
o Make sure decisions (# of Wards) are not based on “east and west” thinking
o Use real population figures, not estimates
o Seek to put the entire process on hold until the census is complete
o Feel the timeframe is too short, especially when this process will be redone in a few years

* ASSURE COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL VOTING RIGHTS ACT:
o Relative to provision for minority group representation (e.g. Hispanic, Asian)
o Relative to equality in ward population numbers

RELATED ISSUES:

* Resident’s are worried their voices will be diluted with fewer Wards
* Ward representatives must act as champions and advocates for their ward
* History and historic preservation must remain, even if councilperson changes
* Improve the quality of the members of the council
* Will the allocation formula for CDBG funding change?
* How will this affect voting precincts?