I commend those willing to engage in conversation that can spur imagination and eventually generate genuine cooperation. Anyone who calls Lakewood home will benefit from the sharing or resources, ideas and experience between the adults who make up the school board and city council. Turf battles usually result in more mud and dust, one impeding progress and the other limiting vision. We are all in this together, as citizens, parents and partners.

I want to throw something "out there"...just because it has always been done doesn't mean it always has to be done the same way....It would be interesting to see if Lakewood city could locate enough property in an area to have a City REC CENTER. There's the new discount drug mart that tore down an apt building, there's talk of selling a school, is there any way we as a city could think outside the box to see if we can get ourselves a city recreation center, like Westlake, RR, Fairview etc?

Hi Maggie,
Great comment! Think outside the box/the Rust Belt Mentality, is not going to be easy for NE Ohio. Yet to survive, that is just what has to evolve. Having lived in economic boom areas like SF Bay and the Southwest - we are in serious competition/survivor mode for new industry/business, new citizens, new tax bases.
The weather is against us, as is the Bible Belt Mentality that surrounds NE Ohio and keeps young folks from moving here.
If Lakewood can survive the next 20 years, radical change/planning is needed:
1. City govt and school officials should do everything to not raise taxes.Sell school buildings or turn them into rec centers, into artist studios. Offer them to start-up hi tech companies = THINK SURVIVAL, because that is where we are now.
2. Lets get downtown Lakewood a more coordinated streetscape. Why are there 19th century street lights outside the new Detroit Drug Mart? Where does that visual connect with anything else on Detroit? Same with the artsy but out of character/place bus stop in front of INA building. Learn/copy from other cities how to present a united visual streetscape that presents what Lakewood is all about. The new street signs help, but we have a loooong way to go.
3. Create a theme/reward for blocks/homeowners in Lakewood - like best hanging baskets or best sidewalk flowers - a citywide project that will unite Lakewood as the Beautiful CIty.
SOMETHING BIG must happen or we will not make it as a viable city.

It's good to hear people are trying to coordinate their planning to create more efficiency. I hope we can be kept updated on the results.