Winding Up for Summer
Spring has sprung and the cleaning season has just begun! In order to make your property aesthetically more appealing, I am asking each and every property owner to please clean up their property. Lawn care is one of the biggest part in maintaining curb appeal, as well as regularly mowing the lawn, raking the leaves and pulling weeds. The appearance of our community is important to me and should be to all. If there is a home on your street that has an unkempt yard please report it to the Division of Health (216) 664-2300 or the Mayors Action Center at (216) 664-2900. If there is a home or business that is not being maintained properly please call that into the Building & Housing hotline (216) 664-2007. Our community deserves to look the best it can be. There is a great sense of history and pride on the northeast side especially in the greater Collinwood community.
As I reported last month, potholes are popping up left and right. Any potholes or bad road conditions on your street, please call the location and address in to the Mayor’s Action Center at (216) 664-2900. Sometimes we think that someone else has turned in that complaint; however, often times, I find out that no one has called it in. Be proactive! Let’s get all of our streets patched as soon as possible.
As many of you have been watching and hearing, the trial of the three defendants in the “Mr. Cars” brutal homicide case is reaching an end. I don’t have to tell anyone how absolutely disgusting and troubling this case has been from the very beginning. The fact that two good local business people on East 185th Street and their pet dog lost their lives for nothing more than a premeditated robbery is outrageous. Our prayers continue to go out to the Kuznik and Tomolo families. My sincere appreciation to the Cleveland 5th District police officers, the Homicide Unit and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s office for the outstanding job they have done so far in investigating and bringing the perpetrators to trial. As we have all said in the neighborhood regarding this case and all others involving violent criminals, it is not about vengeance but rather about justice. We demand accountability and justice for all the victims.
You might have read and seen on TV additional work and law enforcement action that has been carried out by 5th District Police Commander, Sammy Morris, and our partners with the DEA, the U.S. Attorney, the U.S. Marshal, and other agencies. As a result of their work, numerous individuals have been taken off the street who have been engaged in drug dealing and other serious crimes. Now that the weather is warming up it is more important than ever to pay attention as to what is going on on your street and in our neighborhood. I cannot begin to tell you how important concerned, engaged and pro-active neighbors are. If we are to keep our community as one of the safest areas on Cleveland’s eastside then we must all do our part. Please become a stakeholder. If you see something or hear something, then say something.
Oliver Hazard Perry Elementary School is now officially open. CMSD is in the process of completing the rest of the work on the site which will include the demolition of the old building, the installation of the playgrounds, a play field, learning gardens and a new parking lot besides the installation of landscaping around the property. With the completion of OH Perry, all of the CMSD elementary schools, preK-8, in the Greater Collinwood community will have been replaced with new state-of-the-art buildings. My sincere appreciation to CMSD and the tax payers of our community for supporting this initiative.
The construction of the Mark Tromba playground in the Collinwood Village between Mandalay and Pomeroy Roads, is going full speed. The $1.5 million project will include a new splash pad adjacent to the rehabbed pool, a new playground, basketball courts, landscaping and a public art component, where children of the neighborhood had a hand in its design. The park should be completed by late summer/early fall, weather permitting. It has been my goal to rebuild all of our parks & playgrounds and we are well on our way for this becoming a reality.
On May 22, at 11:00 AM, I invite all of you to the official dedication of the new Euclid Beach Pier at Euclid Beach Park. The reconstruction of the pier had been a desire for the majority of us in the neighborhood especially, since many of us children can remember walking out with our parents and grandparents on the old wooden pier. My goal, over these past several years, has been to put Euclid Beach, Villa Angela and Wildwood Park back on the map. This year this is about to happen with the new pier and the opening of a new carry out restaurant at Wildwood Marina and Park. In addition, the concession stand at Euclid Beach will also be operated by MetroParks staff and the beach will be staffed with lifeguards during the summer. I am presently talking with MetroParks about additional improvements to our piece of the “Emerald Necklace.”
Talking about excitement, on May 31, beginning at 6:00 PM we will once again kick off the Euclid Beach LIVE concert series sponsored by Dollar Bank and Tri-C. This event has become the largest event in our community over the summer months with thousands coming out every Friday night to enjoy our beautiful lakefront. To see little ones with their families and the “Old Timers” singing, dancing and enjoying themselves is a true tribute as to how far we have come in rebuilding the lakefront. As far as I am concerned, it is just the beginning of what we can do. Looking forward to seeing everyone down at the Beach every Friday night from May 31 to August 2. My sincere appreciation to the Beach Clubs, as well, who will be hosting their own concert series every Thursday evening throughout the summer at the various parks within the ward. We are a lakefront community and are very proud of that fact. We need to nurture and promote it, every day!
For all the summer activities in the Greater Collinwood communities, please, pick up a copy of the Collinwood Scoop on Summer Guide. You can also find it online at www.collinwoodscoop.org which also lists activities and meetings throughout the year. Thanks to neighborhood activist, Erin Randle, who has done a great job in putting this guide together. If you really want to know what is going on in the neighborhood read this guide.
I look forward to seeing everyone throughout the summer at all of our neighborhood events. As always, I may be reached at my office at (216) 664-4236 or via email at mpolensek@clevelandcitycouncil.org.
Michael D. Polensek
Councilman, Ward 8