The following story appears in the Summer 06 issue of Ohio Canal Corridor's newsletter .

Walworth Run – The Next Branch for the Towpath Trail?

It was back in 1996 when Ohio Canal Corridor led a planning charette in the ClarkMetro neighborhood that looked for a new vision for Train Avenue.  The daylong event was one of a half-dozen plans that were hatched throughout the city.  Others included a new park in Tremont where West 7 Street and West 10 Street merge along Railway Avenue and a park honoring surveyors in the Warehouse District between West 6 Street and West 9 Street/ just south of the Shoreway Ramp.  The exercises culminated in a booklet titled:  Green Spaces/People Places and was a component of the Lila Wallace/ Reader’s Digest funded park initiative under the direction of ParkWorks.

Ohio Canal Corridor immediately afterwards included Train Avenue in its annual RiverSweep program with the intent that this idea of a trail connection to the Towpath would not be lost, but rather that the neighborhood, through its represented Community Development Corporation, would awake to its potential. Thankfully, Clark-Metro has done just that. Last year, they teamed with a number of adjoining CDCs to submit a request to NOACA for funding under its Transportation for Livable Communities Initiative (TLCI) . Though they were unsuccessful, they regrouped and resubmitted again this year and were awarded $64,000 towards a $80,000 study that would explore a trail alignment and provide some estimated construction costs, identify benefits and spin-off development opportunities, and list potential funding sources. NPI contributed $12,000 towards the project and Ohio Canal Corridor (OECA) along with a number of stakeholder CDCs (Clark-Metro, Stockyards Development and Tremont West) have each added $1,000. As it stands, the planning will begin in 2007 and conclude in 2008.  Public input will be required and sought.  If you are interested in this project, please contact Abe Bruckman at Clark-Metro: 216-741-9500.

Additional ideas for Train Ave / Walworth Run can be found at
CSU's Levin College of Urban Affairs

Master of Urban Planning, Design, and Development (MUPDD)
PDD 611 Planning Capstone, Spring 2004
Train Avenue/Walworth Run Corridor

The Course Description contains the following information about Train Ave / Walworth Run

The corridor runs approximately two miles from W. 65th St. eastward to the Cuyahoga River. In the western end, the corridor is located directly to the south of the I-90 interstate; in its eastern third, the corridor study site turns northward toward the Cuyahoga River. Train Ave. is so-named for its proximity to several rail lines that run in the corridor. These railways were placed in the area in the late 19th and early 20th century as the west side neighborhoods of Cleveland developed. The trains were located in a natural ravine, which contained Walworth Run, a small tributary stream that emptied into the Cuyahoga River. Walworth Run was a valley riparian corridor containing several ponds, and drew early settlers, livestock businesses and slaughterhouses. The stream was gradually culverted and eventually buried underground, becoming part of the city's growing sewer system during the early 20th century.

Live music, Morrison dancers, hula hooping roller skaters, art, dogs, ice cream, ethnic and gourmet food -- The Taste of Tremont had it all.

In today's Plain Dealer was what appeared like an exposé on economic development organizations in Northeast Ohio, but really just showed lots of big salaries and highlighted the obvious about our regional economy that was summed up in one line - " Has it worked? Not yet." I've had good experiences with two people in economic development in NEO - Cleveland Tech Czar Michael DeAloia and I-Open leader Ed Morrison, quoted in the PD article saying: "There's not strong enough leadership looking out, picking their head up out of the weeds and saying we need to be heading this way,"... "He argues we lack the civic skills to grab opportunities, make decisions and move on." I agree, and have found the ivory tower efforts for the region are not for me or my interests. They are for others, and traction is being made in some areas, like health sciences (hard to avoid, with the $ millions in health related R&D at Case and the Clinic alone... the Clinic just took a medical company public last week). But in the small business and IT spaces there is little support available, and there are real obsticals to progress, to some extent caused by the community belief there is a support structure in place to help entrepreneurship here, which there is not. One hopeful sign for the future is that Case has disposed of the dean of their business school, and so that institution may again add value to the region through a good replacement... we'll see. Otherwise, it is worth considering the insight Don Iannone shared on his blog in response to the PD article, which offer some good lessons learned by a good local economic development professional... a few highlights below... my favorite being "our regional economic development culture (that includes everybody and not just the faces and names in the Plain Dealer series) is combative, secretive, blaming, insular, and small-minded":

Oh my God, I just saw an interview with Steve Case, the former CEO of AOL, that pathetic fork in the road toward an information economy, who in 2005 started Revolution Healthcare to "entrepreneurise" healthcare, and the vision he presents is highly disturbing, being that he sees healthcare as the big industry (along with "energy technology") and is planing to be the world's healthcare portal and Patient Record Management system and provide clinics in WalMarts and on and on, and his investors are Barksdale (Netscape) and Powell (5 star General), and they will build many big companies, bigger the AOL, and it is clear this man is sick.

Who are Roger Peterson and Judith Swain and why should you care?These world-leading scientists are part of America's “brain drain,” genetic researchers moving overseas to work on stem cell research, a trend almost certain to expand under the hostile climate in the US reflected in the President's veto of the stem cell research legislation. The veto maintains a failed policy that is leaving American researchers far behind in one of the most important scientific fields. Here are a few “brain drain” examples:

Americans and people around the world, who follow current events in America, are today digesting George Bush's veto of House Bill 801, killing the Congressionally approved expansion of stem cell research in America. People who think are trying to understand what that veto means for the future of scientific research and health care in America and around the world. Once viewed as a progressive nation, for better and worse founded on exploration of “new frontiers”, America's withdrawal from serious scientific and medical research is perplexing and in ways troubling to those hoping to help cure diseases and save lives globally. I learned about the veto on the BBC news and the look of bewilderment on the British reporter's face was all telling... “what the hell is going on with America these days”, he was thinking. Perhaps he doesn't realize, American political and economic policy is now entirely based on "Rapturenomics".

Just some overall comments on this past 'Greening Ingenuity' effort:

GREAT thanks go out to you, Zebra Mussel, for so much of the preparatory work, writeups, analysis, etc you played such a pivotal role with.  We must not forget the dialogue never even started until Mike Shafarenko brought the possibility of greening to our attention- Super thanks, Mike!.  Sheer economics (energy costs) made the initial outreach a reality... from there it was simply a matter of calling up and convening the true enviro-experts, those truly experienced with these processes and technologies - At my current level (an MBA from Case with a passion for sustainability) I am certainly not one nor have never claimed to be: I have only studied these processes and their importance at a very general level.  Yet I know there is no issue I have more passion for in my life than the enhancement of quality of life for every living creature on this planet.  We crazy humans, however, are exacerbating and accelerating our own extinction - yet paradoxically are the only ones with the creativity, potential and technology to reverse the problem and not only achieve sustainability but perhaps someday create a place infinitely more generative. 

On the last stage venue open on Sunday at Ingenuity Fest Steve Anthony and his partner enjoyed each other's subtle tactile guidance through a sophisticated repertoire on the asphalt street  - which included a very smooth under and between the legs pass for her.  Asked by the band to come up on stage with another dancing pair already performing, I found a heightened tension in the couple politics – the new to the stage floor very alpha female is dance tested by the male already on stage – then back to her original partner.   Sexist perhaps, nontheless Pretty cool.  Got a better idea?

Visit LeftLuggage and view the dances there under "Videodances.tv". Click on the link for "Moment".

The movement is reminiscent of works I loved coaching when I directed The Repertory Project. The two bodies slip and slide through space carving it out and carving out and defining a relationship as they go. Is it obvious? No, but then neither is life.

This is significant, from the Case University News Center:

Listening to music can reduce chronic pain by up to 21 percent and depression by up to 25 percent, according to research published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing by Sandra L. Siedlecki, a nurse researcher at the Cleveland Clinic. Siedlecki collaborated with and used tapes from previous pain studies by Marion Good, professor of nursing at Case Western Reserve University's Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing.

Siedlecki and Good found that listening to music can also make people feel more in control of their pain and less disabled by their condition.

 “Subliminal Strings” at May Company Stage  introduced by James Levin, Ingenuity Fest director -  Really live video by Kasumi, wailing violin by  Daniel Bernard Roumain , with ripping hip hop mixes by DJ Spooky.   

France gets poorest citizens online for €1 ($1.28)  a day.

Why is it that I am reading of the digital divide being closed aggressively every ware but in Cleveland?! I thought maybe it was not that big of deal here in greater Cleveland... I mean everyone has a computer right? WRONG!!! It is pathetic that so many people are without a basic computer and Internet connection. What will it take to make this problem go away? I for one am willing to put forth an effort to help solve this problem.

When the seemingly quiet and understated, but superbly in control, band leader gave the double whistle, the Shaw High School Marching Band went into gear like a locomotive pulling 100 100ton cars.  Made my eyes get wetter...

Building Bridges Mural Program’s brochure suggests that the program “empowers communities one brushstroke at a time”.  

The internet, especially social network sites like realneo, may just be the glue that will connect the many seeminlgy self-interesed parties in Clevo. 

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Plain Dealer Reporter

A new nonprofit group wants to put a green imprint on Greater Cleveland's big, new developments.

WIND TURBINES SOLD IN BIG BOX STORES

Canadian Tire stores are located in big box mall slots all across Canada.   If you aren’t familiar with Canadian Tire    http://www.canadiantire.ca/index.jsp , they are a hybrid of  tire/battery sales/service, auto parts, hardware and paint, home wares, lawn care, bbq, and sporting goods.   Canadian Tire’s gimmick is their issue of  “Canadian Tire Money” as a premium on every sale to be used against future purchases.  Your kids usually end up with it. 

 I was sad to learn that the Fulton Street Bar and Grill was closing this Spring, as that was an Ohio City institution and great place to stop for a drink or meal in one of my favorite neighborhoods.. within a few blocks offering great locally owned, high quality dining options, from landmarks Johnny Mangos, Hecks, Great Lakes, and Parker's to relative newcomer Le Oui Oui Cafe. But as a destination and neighborhood, Ohio City can benefit from as much great culinary density as possible, and the loss of the Fulton seemed tragic. But what's new in this oldest part of town is definitely NEO and Ohio City's gain, as the fantastic "modern.mex" joint Momocho (slang for small boy, named in love of the chef/owner's son) is unique to the region and will be a major draw that is already attracting crowds in on the buzz. Momocho also comes in through a very friendly transition - the owner bought the restaurant from the owners of the Fulton, and one Fulton owner John McDonnell is well managing Momocho for the new chef/owner Eric Williams, who is busy in the kitchen making the food... well, hot!

On realneo, I recently coined a new term 'burbilly", which Phillip Williams found hilarious. He asked if I made this term up, which I did, and I explained to him the origins of the term, which are very serious.

Burbilly is a term for people who dwell in remote, exurban, sprawl areas. In particular the term refers to residents of exurban Northeast Ohio in the United States. Usage of the term "Burbilly" generally differs from other terms referring to rural people in the United States in that it can be used for sprawl-dwelling people anywhere but is generally not used to refer to rural people in non-sprawl areas outside Northeast Ohio. Further, terms like redneck and cracker, often connote rejection of, or resistance to assimilation into the dominant culture, while burbillies theoretically are merely isolated from the dominant culture, despite attempting to assimilate with the rural culture, for which they are generally not competent. Nevertheless, the term is sometimes considered derogatory depending on the manner in which it is used or the attitude of the target.

No recognition of the arts as important to the world, much less Cleveland, may overlook Derek Hess, who first was widely known for powerful, angst-filled figurative music posters promoting shows he was then booking at the old Euclid Tavern, which became a fine art business for Derek, which allowed him to grow his global impact to a level few artists in Cleveland have ever achieved, all while staying in and investing in Cleveland, organizing the Strhess Tour, and Strhess Clothing, and making Gallery 1300 happen and happening (opening there this Friday, July 14th). Read more about Derek below, visit the links, and if you are smart buy some of his work while you still may.