Ward 6 Councilman Blaine A. Griffin FALL 2017 | www.clevelandcitycouncil.org THE GRIFFIN REPORT Serving the Buckeye, East 93rd, Fairfax, Larchmere, Little Italy, Slavic Village & Woodland Hills Neighborhoods Ward 6 is a Special Place with Unlimited Potential and Amazing People Many of you have expressed your hopes, Meanwhile, we are making advances in concerns, and challenges in Ward 6. I have basic community services. Ward 6 has had heard you loud and clear and that is why this the highest amount of investment in street newsletter is so important because it is critical repairs in the entire city with approximately to regularly communicate, to be transparent $1.5 million dollars in street repaving projects. and to provide public information pertaining to Ward 6 and all city-wide issues. I always ask myself: It has been a pleasure and “How will Ward 6 honor to get to know so many people in Ward 6 over the residents touch, last couple of months as your representative on Cleveland feel, see and benefit City Council. I have worked on issues pertaining to Safety, from the policies Public Works/Infrastructure, Education, Community/ and legislation Economic Development and I support?” a “Continuum of Care” for Engage with Councilman citizens at every stage of their BLAINE A. GRIFFIN: lives. I always ask myself: “How will Ward 6 We paved the “Worst First” residential streets PHONE residents touch, feel, see and benefit from the and every area of Ward 6 received some level of 216-664-4234 policies and legislation I support?” repair. I have included in this newsletter a list of I have identified Ward 6 “Hot Spots” and all of the streets that have been paved in Ward EMAIL made recommendations to the Cleveland 6. I and Ward 6 staff toured the ward, inspecting [email protected] Division of Police and Neighborhood Impact every street, resulting in repairs of some areas WEB Community Engagement (NICE) Unit. that have not had attention in more than 35 www.clevelandcitycouncil.org/ward-6 We have too many unsolved crimes and years. homicides. We really need the community’s We have also developed plans to use capital support to bring criminals to justice. I improvement dollars to resurface main streets encourage you to get involved in a neighbor- like E. 116th Street and Mayfield Road. to-neighbor vigilance against crime. We now have a demolition strategy for We have already started new block clubs and reconstituted stagnant ones. These are essential Continued on page 3 for a vibrant and caring community. Volunteers Transform Empty Lots into Lush Green Space Volunteers from the Cleveland Clinic joined high school students from Cleveland and East Cleveland earlier this month to create “pocket parks” along Cedar Road near the Clinic. The three sites had been used as parking lots for construction crews working on Clinic building projects and for storing construction equipment. The lots were no longer in use, so the Clinic offered them to be used as public parks. The volunteers, including residents of the Fairfax neighborhood, planted shrubs, trees and flower beds, transforming dusty, gravel lots into lushly blooming lots. The beautification project was part of the 2017 Cleveland Clinic Louis Stokes Scholars program for high school students. Dozens of students participated. Images from June 29, 2017 Groundbreaking for the New Sunbeam School SAFETY TIPS for Students and Parents Walking and Bicycling to School: Go by Bike! Councilman Blaine A. Griffin, Mayor Frank G. Jackson and Cleveland Metropolitan School District CEO Eric Gordon came together for the groundbreaking for the new • Helmet up. Every time. Make sure your helmet fits right using the eyes, ears, and mouth test. Sunbeam School. The new $24 million school will be built on the former sites of the Jesse Owens and Alexander Graham Bell Schools. The new Sunbeam school will serve as a new • Be bright and tight. Wear bright clothes so others see you. Tuck in shoelaces and backpack straps. gateway to the vibrant Larchmere District. Upon completion in mid-2018, the existing Sunbeam school will be removed and replaced with new fully accessible play areas and a multipurpose Go by Foot! field at the north, creating a unified community recreational amenity with Artha Woods Park on • Walk together. Younger children should always walk the west side of MLK Boulevard. with an adult. Older children can walk with friends, or with a group of younger and older kids. • Be safe. Stick to the route you picked with your parents. Never hitchhike or take rides from people unless arranged by your parents. Tips for Parents • Walking and bicycling are great exercise and a nice way to spend time together. • Decide if your child is old enough. Kids under the age of 10 generally do not know how traffic works and may have trouble managing traffic situations on their own. REMEMBER — obey traffic signs signals, adult school crossing guards and student safety patrol. Family Connections Works for Stronger Families Family Connections of Northeast Ohio, a program offering early childhood development and parenting support, offers free family-bonding activities at nearby public libraries. Parents and children of all ages are welcome to Images from Department of Community Outreach participate in early literacy, parenting and school- readiness programs at the Woodland branch of the Healthy Community Initiative Cleveland Public Library, 5806 Woodland Ave. in Six Week Health Challenge – Spring 2017 Ward 6. Central/Kinsman • Fairfax • Glenville • Hough Neighborhoods Other locations are the Heights Library, 2345 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights, and Shaker Heights Library, (TOP) Dr. Betty Obi, Medical Director of 16500 Van Aken Blvd., Shaker Heights. For more the Cleveland Clinic Langston Hughes information, visit: www.familyconnections1.org Health and Education Center, speaks with audience about the myths of health care; (BELOW) Residents learn to do perform “Hands Only CPR”; (LEFT) Fairfax neighborhood wins the Challenge! SAFETY MEETINGS Photos Courtesy of Cleveland Clinic 3rd District Community Safety Meeting LAST TUESDAY of the month Third District Headquarters, 4501 Chester Ave. 4th District Community Safety Meeting 4TH WEDNESDAY of the month. Covenant Community Church, 3342 E. 119th St. Councilman Griffin congratulates our Fairfax residents on winning the Spring 2017 Health Challenge. LET’S KEEP IT ROLLING! The next 6 Week Health Challenge begins September 7th. For meeting details contact the Office of To register and for more information call Marsha Thornton at 216-361-1773. Councilman Blaine A. Griffin at 216-664-4234 Images from August 24, 2017 Message Continued abandoned properties. Our goal is to rid our 2017 State of Ward 6 Address by Councilman Griffin ward of blight and danger so that our children Watch this year’s State of the Ward Address at clevelandcitycouncil.org/ward-6 can safely commute to and from school. Speaking of schools, I want to welcome all our young scholars to a new school year. I have visited many of the schools in our ward. And I encourage parents and all adults to take part in our kids’ educations by volunteering occasionally at their schools or simply reading to them. Education gives them confidence, creativity and curiosity. Looking forward, I am extremely excited about economic development opportunities occurring in our community. New homes and apartments are under construction throughout the ward. I have taken steps to make long-term projects like Innovation Square a reality. I have introduced legislation to utilize restricted income tax (RIT) There was a packed house of dollars to serve as a catalyst for this development. Ward 6 residents, stakeholders and And we have passed legislation to bring a full- friends for Councilman Blaine A. service grocery store to the site vacated by Griffin’s first annual State of the Ward Giant Eagle in Buckeye Plaza. Address, held on August 24 at the Further I am involved with Mayor Jackson’s Fairhill Partners complex. ambitious $65 million strategy to encourage Councilman Griffin discussed private investment through home rehabilitation, in-fill housing and small business investment in areas of improvement as well distressed areas of our ward. The Neighborhood as the beauty and vibrancy of Transformation Plan is initially targeting mostly Ward 6, one of Cleveland’s most east side Cleveland Neighborhoods. Three of diverse wards, encompassing the the five neighborhoods targeted for intensive East Side neighborhoods of Fairfax, investment and rehabilitation are in Ward 6 and Larchmere, Little Italy, Woodland include Woodhill/E. 93rd Street, Buckeye and Hills, Buckeye-Shaker and parts of Fairfax. University Circle, North Broadway, I will always focus on policies and legislation Slavic Village and Union-Miles. that demand inclusion and equity for all Ward 6 citizens. That includes embracing all citizens of There was entertainment and our community to ensure they are included in refreshments. Also during this the wealth and prosperity created in Ward 6. special event retired Councilwoman On my watch, no resident will be left behind. Mamie Mitchell was honored. Guests Thank you so much for allowing me to included City Council President Kevin serve you. My State of Ward 6 speech will be able J. Kelley and Father Joseph Previte to be viewed at www.clevelandcitycouncil.org/ of Holy Rosary Catholic Church and ward-6. Rev. Chris Washburn of Greater Whitestone Baptist Church. Respectfully Yours, Blaine A. Griffin Councilman, Ward 6 Images from August 15, 2017 119th Annual Feast of the Assumption New Grocery Store Coming to Former Giant Eagle Site The space vacated by a Giant Eagle store as long-time customers lost convenient at 11501 Buckeye Rd. will soon become a access to fresh foods and an in-store new full-service grocery store, bringing a pharmacy. critical need, not only to Ward 6, but to the Simon’s is scheduled to be in entire area of the city’s south east side.