City Wins Grant for Madison Avenue Planning

The City of Lakewood recently won a $50,000 competitive grant to plan for Madison Avenue Streetscape improvements. The city won the competitive award from NOACA’s Transportation for Livable Communities Initiative (TLCI) Program.

The TLCI program, supported by funds that originate from the Federal Highway Administration, provides grants and technical assistance for transportation planning activities that promote sustainable development, economic development, and alternatives to the single-occupant vehicles.

The proposed planning project, to be called Madison East, will include the that area of the City of Lakewood bordered by Madison Avenue to the north, Clarence Avenue to the west, Bramley Avenue and the Greater Cleveland RTA Rapid Tracks to the south, and W. 117th Street to the east.

Through a number of public meetings, public engagement, site surveys, historical study, and evaluation of alternatives, the study will deliver strategies to improve the pedestrian access, traffic movement, and the streetscape of Madison Avenue in the neighborhood. It will also complement the Department of Planning and Development’s Birdtown/Madison East neighborhood planning efforts already underway.

Detroit Avenue underwent a similar study that was adopted into the City’s Community Vision in 2008. We'll start the public involvement pieces in March.

Listening to Lakewood Town Hall Meeting on Thursday

Mayor Ed FitzGerald and his team will be holding a town hall meeting on Thursday, January 28 at 7:00 p.m. at the Meridian, 12550 Lake Avenue. You will have the opportunity to learn about recent developments within the city, including: street repairs, quality control in parks, fiscal stability, and important initiatives including wellness, safety, housing and environmental issues for the City of Lakewood.

This is your chance to be heard and to join the Mayor and his team in building the future of Lakewood.

Salvaging Great Materials from Unsalvageable Properties

Last winter, Mayor FitzGerald initiated a housing initiative to encourage investment in our neighborhoods and to strengthen our housing code enforcement efforts city wide.

After being cited, most properties come into compliance quickly. (In fact, you can report violations you see here) In some rare but visible instances, properties have fallen into such neglect that they cannot be reasonably repaired. Recently, the City of Lakewood has acquired these properties and demolished them.

Even though these properties were declared a public nuisance, they still may harbor some of the characteristics and assets that make Lakewood homes great. That’s why before demolition, the City partners with the Lakewood Historical Society to remove the valuable and significant materials that remain inside otherwise dilapidated properties.

In a recent weekend, 11 volunteers from the Lakewood Historical Society put in a combined 52 hours of salvage work.

Items removed include leaded and colored glass windows, interior doors and drawers, cabinet and door hardware, stair handrails, woodwork, trim pieces and other items. The historical society plans to hold an architectural salvage sale sometime during 2010. We’ll make sure to share the time, date, and some of the materials in this space soon.

Community Diversity Potluck to be held on January 21

The Lakewood Community Relations Advisory Commission and Lakewood High School’s Race and Diversity (RAD) Club will hold a Community Diversity Potluck on Thursday, January 21, 2010 from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM in the Woman's Club Pavilion at Lakewood Park, 14532 Lake Avenue. The theme for the potluck is "The World Lives in Lakewood". Attendees are asked to bring a dish to serve six that represents your family or cultural tradition(s). Beverages and tableware will be provided.

This is a great opportunity to greet neighbors and make new friends. There will be fun activities for all ages.

Snow Reminders

Please Remember To Shovel Your Sidewalks

Lakewood’s walkability is one of our city’s features, even in the winter. Your help clearing sidewalks for students and other pedestrians is needed to help keep Lakewood a great place to live. In fact, it not just a courtesy, it’s the law.

Lakewood Codified Ordinance Section 521.06 requires every property owner to remove snow and ice from the sidewalks. Busineses are required to have the snow and ice removed by 9:00 AM everyday in the business district.

Emergency Snow Parking Bans

Whenever there is snow fall of two (2) inches or more within a twenty-four (24) hour period, the emergency snow ban takes effect. The emergency snow ban is needed to allow plows to clear streets for emergency vehicles and ordinary traffic as well as move mounds of snow to accomodate parking once the ban is lifted.

When the emergency snow ban is in effect, parking is not permitted on streets posted as emergency snow ban streets. Motorists should always consult the posted signs, and be advised that in the event of a snow fall of two inches or more, the emergency snow parking bans will be enforced.

Please help the City of Lakewood clear the streets by removing your vehicles from the street during these snow emergencies. Vehicles may be re-parked after plowing has been completed.

Jobs with the US Census Coming to Lakewood

The City of Lakewood, in partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau, will host a Census Job Fair on Wednesday, January 13, 2010 from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM in the Lakewood City Hall Auditorium, 12650 Detroit Avenue.

Census recruiters and top regional officials will be assisting Lakewood and Cuyahoga County residents with their... part-time and full-time employment searches. They will introduce area residents to the benefits of becoming part of the 2010 Census team and highlight the importance of community involvement in obtaining a complete count.

At the job fair, residents will have the opportunity to not only find out about census positions and testing requirements, but will also have the chance to take part in a confidential 30 minute pre-employment screening test on location. The officials at the fair will also provide on-site help to aid prospective employees with any uncertainties related to the simple or more complex test questions. Further information about employment or community involvement, future testing dates and literature will be available.

Also visit http://2010.census.gov.