NORTHEAST OHIO’S P Great Shaker Homes: a South Park Legacy PLUS: Shaker Schools Update october | november 2010 $3.50 shakeronline.com HERE TODAY. SAFE TOMORROW. In every season, McGregor offers a remarkable quality of life, stimulation, beauty and peace of mind. And in choosing our extraordinary residences for assisted living today, you’re assured that all the compassionate help you’ll ever need will be here for you in the years to come. This is the time. McGregor. 133 years of excellence in senior living for Greater Cleveland. NOT SIMPLY ASSISTED LIVING. ASSISTED LIVING WELL. 14900 Private Drive, Cleveland, Ohio 44112 • 216.851.8200 For more information, go to: www.mcgregoramasa.org Independent Living • Assisted Living • Short Term Rehabilitation • Long Term Care contents features + departments on the cover: A detail from the gate in the solarium of the former Myers home on South Park – now the gift shop of the Shaker Historical Society and Museum. Photo by Janet Century GREAT SHAKER A COMMUNITY THE GREAT HOMES 41 HARVEST 23 WINDOW DEBATE 29 A Van Sweringen Community vegetable Restore or replace? South Park legacy. gardens sprouted all A guide for home- over Shaker Heights owners. this year. more departments: City News 3 Kevin Jacobs is the new Fire Chief. The Shaker Schools Update 8 Real Estate News 11 Library News 13 Out & About 55 Calendar of events. FALL FRESH 37 WINTER SAFETY NEVER TOO YOUNG Fall is the season of TIPS 39 TO CARE 48 Advertiser Index 67 bounty, celebration– Shaker Fire and Neigh- Shaker elementary and lawn and garden borhood Revitalization students show us how Shaker Observer 68 winterization. offer some do’s and to reach out to others, Scents and Sensibility: don’ts. locally and around the A Shaker Reverie world. shaker renters... shakershaker life ready to become a OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2010 shaker homeowner? VOLUME 28 ISSUE 5 3400 Lee Road Shaker Heights, OH 44120 WEBSITE: shakeronline.com EMAIL: [email protected] low-interest VOICE MAIL: (216) 491-1459 FAX: (216) 491-1408 TTY: (216) 491-3161 down payment EDITOR assistance loans Rory O’Connor [email protected] are available in DESIGN & PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Jennifer Coiley Dial designated CITY NEWS AND REAL ESTATE NEWS EDITOR Vicki Blank neighborhoods [email protected] LIBRARY NEWS EDITOR Margaret Simon call 491-1457 SHAKER SCHOOLS EDITORIAL ADVISOR Peggy Caldwell for more info ADVERTISING MANAGER fund for the future of shaker heights John Moore, (216) 531-4044 [email protected] enhancing neighborhood diversity since 1986 AD SALES REPRESENTATIVE Rebecca Wong CONTRIBUTING WRITERS John Brandt, Beth Friedman-Romell, Christopher Johnston, Rita Kueber, Nancy O’Connor, Jennifer Proe, Diana Simeon, Sue Starrett CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Janet Century, Green Street Studio, Caydie Heller, Kevin G. Reeves, Alex Rivera READER COMMENTS: Please send comments and observations to Letters to the Editor, [email protected] or to Shaker Life, 3400 Lee Road, Shaker Heights, OH 44120. Letters may be edited for publication. STORY SUBMISSIONS: Shaker Life does not accept unsolicited editorial material, but story suggestions from residents are welcome. Send suggestions by email or letter. Please do not call. We cannot respond to every suggestion but each will be given consideration. Freelancers: Please email the editor for guidelines. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Kim Golem, (216) 491-1419 SHAKER LIFE is published six times per year by the City of Shaker Heights, Department of Communications & Outreach, and distributed free to residents of the Shaker Heights City School District. Extra copies are available at area newsstands for $3.50. See shakeronline.com for locations. For general City information, call (216) 491-1400 or EMAIL: [email protected] ADA NOTICE: Upon request, the City can provide published materials in alternative formats to accommodate a person with a visual impairment. The views of the individuals and organizations interviewed in Shaker Life are not necessarily the official views of the City of Shaker Heights. © City of Shaker Heights. All Rights Reserved. Printed on recycled paper. Please recycle this magazine. 2 WWW.SHAKERONLINE.COM city news Don’t Miss Fire Department Wayne Johnson will continue to serve Ash Tree Borer Arrives in Open House as Assistant Chief of Fire, while Police Shaker Heights Chief Scott Lee will continue to serve as Bring the whole family to the SHFD Assistant Safety Director. The Emerald Ash Borer has taken Open House on Saturday, October 9 up residence in ash trees in Shak- from 1 to 3 pm at the Fire House, 17000 Call for Nominations for the er Heights, as it has in Brecksville, Chagrin Boulevard. Enjoy: 2011 MLK, Jr. Award for Cleveland, Westlake, Fairview Park, • Refreshments Human Relations and Hudson. The inevitability of the • Kids’ activities borer’s appearance in Shaker was an- • Station and fire truck tours The Human Relations Commission is ticipated by the City when it devel- • The fire safety trailer now accepting nominations for the 2011 oped its Emerald Ash Borer Manage- • Fire extinguisher demonstration and Martin Luther King, Jr. Human Rela- ment Plan in 2006 (read the plan at: hands-on practice tions Award. Eligible for nomination are http://bit.ly/92q4De). • Free blood pressure testing those individuals or groups whose ac- The EAB Management Plan outlined • Review of home escape plans tions during the past year exemplify Dr. the systematic removal of ash trees in • Fire safety related information, such as King's values through their commitment the public right of way over five years. proper installation of smoke detectors to compassion, humility and service. The plan to selectively remove all ash Nominees must have made a sig- trees and plant replacement trees was Have fun while learning to be safe. Don’t nificant contribution in 2010 through chosen so that no one area would forget to bring a camera. volunteerism and community service, have to remove all its ash trees in a helping others, and building commu- single year. Now in the fourth year of Mayor Appoints nity in Shaker Heights. Recipients must the Plan, the City’s Public Works De- Kevin Jacobs as Fire Chief be residents of the Shaker Heights City partment has removed and replaced School District, and may be of any age or approximately 1,500 trees. Mayor Earl M. Leiken has appointed race. A posthumous award may be given. The likely infestation at this point Kevin Jacobs as Fire Chief of the Shaker Nominees not chosen are eligible for re- will be to ash trees located predomi- Heights Fire submission the following year, with up- nantly on private property. Here is Department. dated information from the nominator, what residents need to know: Jacobs has as appropriate. Current members of City • City ordinance requires that an in- served the de- Council and the Human Relations Com- fested or dead tree be removed. partment for mission or their families are not eligible • Pesticides injected or “drenched” nearly 26 years. for the award. may delay, but will not save ash trees He became a Completed nomination forms must be from destruction by the borer. No firefighter in submitted by Friday, October 31. Paper treatment is proven 100 percent ef- 1984 and was forms may be mailed to the City of Shak- fective. promoted to Jacobs er Heights, Human Relations Commis- • Damage to the tree begins under Lieutenant in sion, 3400 Lee Road, Shaker Heights, the bark, disrupting the tree’s ability 1990. He was promoted to Captain in 44120. Completed electronic nomina- to transport water and nutrients. By 1998 and was named Assistant Chief of tion forms may be emailed to commu- the time loss of leaves is visible, in- Operations and Administration in 2002. [email protected]. Nomina- festation throughout the tree is likely. He became Interim Fire Chief in July of tion forms are available for download The tree should be removed before it 2009. from shakeronline.com or in hard copy becomes a hazard. “Kevin Jacobs has done a fine job as at City Hall and the Shaker Public Li- • Registered landscapers are listed the City’s Interim Chief while maintain- braries. For additional information, call on the City website under the Reg- ing the high quality and standards of the 216-491-1419. istered Contractors section, and a list Fire Department and meeting any finan- cial challenges,” said Mayor Leiken. continued on next page SHAKER LIFE OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2010 3 city news of certified arborists is available through tion. Centennial committee members Margaret Ransohoff, benefit and gar- the website of the International Society also bring the cornhole game to block den tour co-chair, said a huge favorite of of Arboriculture (http://www.isa-arbor. parties and other public events through- tour attendees was Catherine Feldman’s com/findArborist/findarborist.aspx). out Shaker to help raise awareness about garden on Leighton Road, designed by For assistance in identifying whether the upcoming celebration. Feldman and professional landscape art- a tree on private property is an ash tree, To find out how you can be a part of ist Elsa Johnson “using the precepts of visit http://bit.ly/czd5ME. For additional this magnificent milestone in our City’s permaculture” – that is, a diverse and information, contact the City’s Forestry history, visit shakeronline.com. sustainable mix of plants, including pe- Superintendent, Patrick Neville, at rennials, herbs, vegetables, and butterfly- 216-491-3285 or patrick.neville@ Shaker Historical Society attracting flowers, all growing together shakeronline.com. Seeks Volunteers amid winding gravel and dirt pathways. Ash trees have a pinnately (feather-like) The Twilight in the Garden Benefit compound leaf, usually with more than What’s your Shaker IQ? If you have ever was held the previous Friday night at the seven leaflets. The only other oppositely wanted to learn more about our City’s South Park Boulevard home of Dr.