The Neighborhood Press ~ Summer 2019, Council Member Kevin J. Kelley
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Serving the Old Brooklyn and Stockyard Neighborhoods The Neighborhood Press Ward 13 Councilman Kevin J. Kelley | Summer 2019 | www.clevelandcitycouncil.org A Message from Councilman Kevin J. Kelley Greetings Ward 13 residents, As the novelist John Steinbeck once said, “What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” I hope everyone is basking in the sweetness of summertime Cleveland, enjoying backyard barbeques, outdoor sports and good old summer fun. Here in Ward 13, we’ve had plenty of outdoor family fun this summer, Councilman Kelley was including a Farmer’s Market each among the hundreds of Saturday – still on going – and movies in attendees at this years Engage with Councilman Loew Park every Tuesday night. We just Smorgasbord Street Fest KEVIN J. KELLEY: enjoyed the Pearl Road Smorgasbord on Pearl Road. WARD OFFICE CITY HALL Street Fest in July, featuring food trucks, 216-664-2943 216-664-4579 a beer garden, live music and more. EMAIL For more information on League Baseball, have pledged to pay for [email protected] neighborhood events, call the Old Brooklyn the renovation of a ball field at Metroparks WEB Development Corporation at 216-459-1000. Brookside Reservation, including an www.clevelandcitycouncil.org/ward-13 Meanwhile, in development news, FACEBOOK the Cleveland Indians, along with Major Continued on page 3 www.facebook.com/KevinKelleyCLE Major Improvements to Loew Park Here is an artist’s rendition of a regulation-size soccer field to be built at Loew Park in Old Brooklyn. The all-season turf field will have grandstands that can hold up to 750 people. The $3.5 million project, which includes major upgrades of the park, is scheduled to be completed by 2020. Aside from the soccer field, the park will see new trees, playground equipment, baseball diamonds and underground engineering to eliminate flooding and standing water. SummertimeEVENTS & ACTIVITIES For details about this and other great activities in our community, please visit: www.oldbrooklyn.com 2019 Old Brooklyn Farmers Market Saturday Mornings, 9am-1pm A Word from Council President Now through September 14 Kelley Regarding 4200 Pearl Road Cleveland, OH 44109 State Cuts in Funds This year, the Farmers Market is on Saturday mornings at the corner of Earmarked for Cities Pearl and Memphis. In addition to the City Council recently adopted a resolution Farmers Market Old Brooklyn Community strongly urging Governor Mike DeWine and the Development Corporation will be hosting Ohio General Assembly to restore severe cuts in plenty of other activities and events the amounts local governments receive from on Saturday mornings, including live shares of state tax dollars. music, cooking demonstrations, fitness A key revenue-sharing program – the Local exercises, and more! Government Fund – on which municipalities depend to pay for services and capital improvements, was cut by 50 percent (more than $23 million) in 2011. Ward 13 Senior Since then, the fund has eroded further, while other local tax sources vital to municipal budgets of the Year – the estate tax and tangible personal property tax – have also been reduced or eliminated by the state Denise Kahwagi government. Denise Kahwagi who co-owns Cake Royale with her husband, Michel Kahwagi, was born in Colorado Springs in 1955, a daughter of Leon and Leslie Curry. As a child, Denise and her family lived in various cities, following her father who was a military career officer. After high school, she “This sudden revenue loss has settled in Fort Worth, Texas, where she met her made it increasingly difficult husband, Michel, an immigrant from Lebanon to provide basic services…” who was working in a restaurant. While they were courting, Michel made Councilman Kelley and Mayor Frank G. Jackson recognized Denise Kahwagi Denise a “fabulous” mango cake that became as Ward 13’s Outstanding Senior at the 2019 City of Cleveland Senior Day These reductions have resulted in the City of the seed of their wholesale bakery business. In event on held on May 21st at Cleveland Public Hall. Cleveland losing more than $163 million in state 1989, they moved to Cleveland, growing their tax-sharing dollars over the last eight years. wholesale business and eventually setting up Denise and Michel enjoy spending time To quote our resolution that we sent to the their existing retail shop, Cake Royale, at 4276 with their two great-grandchildren, six governor: “This sudden revenue loss has made it Pearl Rd. in Old Brooklyn. grandchildren, and four children – Elijah, Nick, increasingly difficult to provide basic services, rebuild The couple also live in Old Brooklyn. Misty, and John. infrastructure and bolster public safety services.” “We want to support our community,” Denise is a member of Saint George Please join City Council in speaking out against said Denise. “So we decided to operate our Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church. these draconian cuts in city shares of the Local business in our neighborhood.” The Kahwagis When she gets a moment to slow down, Government Fund, a sharing that began in the 1930s. generously open their doors at the bakery Denise likes to spend her time reading, for fundraisers and community events. Cake The cuts are essentially balancing the state budget walking, and caring for her dog. Enjoying Royale sponsors the annual bike ride, “Pedal her husband’s Lebanese food, Denise cites a on the backs of city budgets, primarily big cities like for Prizes,” which gives out bicycles to children healthy diet and active mind for her ability to Cleveland. who don’t have them. get up and go. Call Governor Mike DeWine’s office at Cake Royale also donates food and A transplant to Cleveland, there is 614-644-4357 or fill out an email message on money to the non-profit group Old Brooklyn no denying Denise’s devotion to her his website: https://governor.ohio.gov/wps/ Community Development Corporation neighborhood. “I love the area where we portal/gov/governor/contact during its annual fundraiser. Denise is active planted our business. Th downtown area of Tell the governor to restore Cleveland’s share of in her block watch program and contributes Old Brooklyn is building up and there are a lot local government funds, which are critically needed for regularly to school fundraisers. of things for us and our neighbors to enjoy. We general public safety and services. “If you care about where you live, you have encourage people to come check out our local – Kevin J. Kelley to be involved where you live,” she says. businesses, maybe even start your own here!” City of Cleveland, MLB Dedicate Renovated Message Continued artificial turf field. This was part of the 2019 Talty Field as Jim Thome All-Star Complex MLB All-Star Games Cleveland hosted in early July. Also, a major upgrade is coming to Loew Park with a new regulation-sized soccer field, complete with grand stands that can hold up to 750 people as well as a press box. The new all-season turf field and stands, expected to be complete in 2020, can be divided up for smaller youth soccer practice and games as well as baseball. School soccer teams can use it with a permit. Old Brooklyn has active youth baseball leagues throughout the area - Little League and Old Brooklyn “We’ve got a good On July 8, the city of Cleveland, the Cleveland Metroparks, Major League Baseball and the Indians unveiled the Jim Thome momentum going All-Star Complex, which includes the newly renovated Talty Field at Brookside Reservation in Ward 13, to serve area youth and much on which baseball players. The dedication – the third of four Legacy projects the Indians to build. Let’s keep and MLB rolled out during All-Star Week – was a star-studded event. In addition to Thome, four other former Indians were working together…” also in attendance: Indians Hall of Famers Charles Nagy, Carlos Baerga and Sam McDowell, and Youth League and a growing soccer league. pitcher Jaret Wright, a member The $3.5 million renovation project of the 1997 American League at Loew includes trees, a walking path, Championship team. playground equipment and underground Renovations included a new, engineering to eliminate flooding. completely artificially-turfed Other advances in development include field, which will be utilized by the a major upgrade of the free Old Brooklyn Cleveland Baseball Federation WiFi service. With the upgrade, which was RBI teams and become a premier recently completed, residents are seeing a site to host Play Ball, Pitch, Hit & Run, and Jr. Home Run Derby faster service with less buffering and faster events, in addition to other load times on their computers. In some special baseball or softball events areas, computer speeds have tripled over the and clinics. speeds of the original system. Finally, work has begun on the redevelopment of the historic Atlas Building on Pearl Road, a landmark structure in the heart of Old Brooklyn. When work The 9th annual 2019 OLD BROOKLYN is completed, the three-story structure Old Brooklyn will become the home of Old Brooklyn Pedal for Prizes Pedal for Prizes Community Development Corporation, was another which owns the building, as well as other success this year retailers. with great weather The development corporation has already and clusters begun marketing the space, which is well of bike riders suited for retail or office. The area has recently exploring local seen significant sprouts of mom-and-pop storefront businesses, all of which are within businesses and walking distance of nearly 10,000 residents. points of interest The Atlas promises to become a solid anchor in our wonderful on the Pearl Road corridor. neighborhoods. We truly are seeing a significant come- back in Ward 13 with new investments Cyclists, seeking building on earlier investments.