Explore Cuyahoga Falls & Silver Lake 2016 by Gannett NEO

2016

s l l a F a g o h a y Cu e k a L r e v l i S &

RE-INVIGORATING THE RIVER

INSIDE:

DOWNTOWN REVIVAL

FOCUSING ON THE FUTURE

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EXPLORE CUYAHOGA FALLS & SILVER LAKE â&#x20AC;¢ 2016

CONTENTS RE-INVIGORATING THE RIVER

DOWNTOWN REVIVAL

CRUISIN’ OUT OF FRONT STREET

FOCUSING ON THE FUTURE

SERVING UP MORE

A LOOK AT CITY & VILLAGE CHURCHES COMMUNITY GROUPS

26 36

Removal of dams makes for cleaner, livelier river City plans to reopen Front Street to vehicles

Riverfront Car Cruise pulls out of Front Street next year Business Advisory Council plays role in students’ futures Than just Reading, Writing, & ‘Rithmetic

COMMUNITY DIRECTORY GOVERNMENT Cuyahoga Falls Municipal Building 330-971-8000 • 2310 Second St., Cuyahoga Falls www.cityofcf.com

Stow Municipal Court

Preston Elementary School

330-564-4200 • 4400 Courthouse Drive, Stow www.stowmunicourt.com

330-926-3805 • 800 Tallmadge Road, Cuyahoga Falls

PRIVATE & PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS

330-926-3807 • 2226 23rd St., Cuyahoga Falls

Richardson Elementary School

Chapel Hill Christian School

Bolich Middle School

330-929-6756 • 151 Portage Trail, Suite 1, Cuyahoga Falls www.cfchamber.com

330-929-1901 • 1090 Howe Ave., Cuyahoga Falls www.chapelhillchristianschool.org

330-926-3801 • 2630 13th St., Cuyahoga Falls

Cuyahoga Falls Police Department

Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy

330-922-1966 • 2222 Issaquah St., Cuyahoga Falls

Cuyahoga Falls Chamber of Commerce

Schnee Learning Center

330-928-2181 • 2310 Second St., Cuyahoga Falls Emergency: 911

330-929-0575 • 4687 Wyoga Lake Road, Cuyahoga Falls www.cvcaroyals.org

Lincoln Elementary School

Cuyahoga Falls Fire Department

Immaculate Heart of Mary School

Price Elementary School

330-971-8400 • Station 1: 1924 Front St., Cuyahoga Falls Emergency: 911 Station 2: 2121 High St. Station 3: 1601 Portage Trail Station 4: 3089 Northampton Road Station 5: 3497 Wyoga Lake Road

330-923-1220 • 2859 Lillis Drive, Cuyahoga Falls www.ihmgradeschool.org

Cuyahoga Falls Mayor’s Court 330-971-5650 • 2310 Second St., Cuyahoga Falls

330-928-2151 • 1909 Third St., Cuyahoga Falls www.saintjoe.org

Cuyahoga Falls Library

Summit Christian School

330-928-2117 • 2015 Third St., Cuyahoga Falls www.CuyahogaFallsLibrary.org

Silver Lake Village Hall 330-923-5233 • 2961 Kent Road, Silver Lake www.villageofsilverlake.com

Silver Lake Police Department 330-929-8771 • 2961 Kent Road, Silver Lake Emergency: 911 Silver Lake Fire, EMS and dispatch services are provided by the city of Cuyahoga Falls.

Redeemer Christian School 330-923-1280 • 2141 Fifth St., Cuyahoga Falls www.redeemerlutheran.us

St. Joseph’s School

330-762-3382 • 2800 13th St., Cuyahoga Falls www.summitchristianschool.net

330-926-3803 • 3131 W. Bailey Road, Cuyahoga Falls 330-926-3806 • 2610 Delmore St., Cuyahoga Falls

Silver Lake Elementary School 330-926-3811 • 2970 Overlook Road, Silver Lake

Roberts Middle School 330-926-3809 • 3333 Charles St., Cuyahoga Falls

Cuyahoga Falls High School 330-926-3808 • 2300 Fourth St., Cuyahoga Falls

Woodridge Local Schools Board of Education 330-928-9074 • 4411 Quick Road, Peninsula www.woodridge.k12.oh.us

Walsh Jesuit High School

Woodridge Primary School

330-929-4205 • 4550 Wyoga Lake Road, Cuyahoga Falls www.walshjesuit.org

Woodridge Middle School

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Cuyahoga Falls City Schools Board of Education 330-926-3800 • 431 Stow Ave., Cuyahoga Falls • www.cfalls.org

Dewitt Elementary School 330-926-3802 • 425 Falls Ave., Cuyahoga Falls

330-928-1223 • 3313 Northampton Road, Cuyahoga Falls 330-928-7420 • 4451 Quick Road, Peninsula

Woodridge Intermediate School 330-928-8974 • 1930 Bronson Ave., Peninsula

Woodridge High School 330-929-3191 • 4440 Quick Road, Peninsula

©2016 RECORD PUBLISHING COMPANY | A LOCALLY OWNED MEDIA COMPANY | 330-541-9400 ON THE COVER: ROSS CROCKER STEERS HIS KAYAK DOWN THE CUYAHOGA RIVER DURING THE FIRST CUYAHOGA FALLS KAYAK RACE (PHOTO BY: ROBERT J LUCAS) STORIES & PHOTOGRAPHY BY CUYAHOGA FALLS NEWS-PRESS STAFF | LAYOUT DESIGN BY KERRY SHEPPARD

EXPLORE CUYAHOGA FALLS & SILVER LAKE • 2016

Photo Special to Explore

PHOTOS BY PHIL KEREN ROBERT J. LUCAS AMANDA WOOLF

REMOVAL OF DAMS MAKES FOR CLEANER, LIVELIER RIVER

by PHIL KEREN | EDITOR

The Cuyahoga River is undergoing a transformation and the city of Cuyahoga Falls stands on the cusp of realizing enormous environmental and economic benefits from this change. Two dams, one behind the Sheraton Suites, and one behind Burntwood Tavern, were removed in the summer of 2013. Removing these dams, along with others in the area, were done to improve the quality of the river, according to city and Ohio EPA officials. The Sheraton Dam was originally put in place to provide water power for a mill that was located at this site in 1914. The Powerhouse (LeFever) Dam, which is behind an area where Burntwood Tavern stands now, was built in 1914 to supply power for the Walsh Paper Co. Area officials are now working toward securing funds for the removal of the Gorge Metro Park Dam in Akron. The removal of the dams has yielded both environmental and recreational perks for Cuyahoga Falls and the surrounding area. Taking down these structures from the Industrial Age is helping return the river to its natural state, according to Bill Zawiski, Environmental Supervisor for the Water Quality Group within the Division of Surface Water for the Ohio EPA. “There’s a nature to how bodies of water function and a dam pool is a really distorted thing on a river that causes a lot of physical stress to the system …,” said Zawiski.

Removing dams will improve the river’s velocity and make it healthier, he noted. A dam wall interrupts how a river moves sediment. “Rivers are supposed to erode and deposit bedload material and that’s a sign of a healthy river,” he said. “It always erodes something, but it always puts something back. When you put a dam in the river, you will totally screw that up.” In Munroe Falls, there was a large divot in the side of the river at Brust Park. Now, with the dam removed, there are trees growing in the area that was eroded, according to Zawiski. A dam also creates a system where the aquatic life are deprived of oxygen. “When you have a dam pool, when you start stacking water on top of water on top of water, the bottom water eventually doesn’t have any oxygen in it,” said Zawiski. “By removing [the dam] and allowing that river to flow naturally, you’re physically allowing oxygen to be moved through the water column and the fish that live in rivers, appreciate the oxygen thing.” Mayor Don Walters noted the Cuyahoga River is the “poster child” for cleanup efforts of a river.

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“THE RIVER IS BEAUTIFUL, IT’S FREE-FLOWING, IT’S CLEANER THAN IT’S EVER BEEN.” – CUYAHOGA FALLS MAYOR DON WALTERS “[The river] gets a lot of focus and a lot of funding as a success story,” said Walters. “We’re really proud of that too because it’s extremely clean and they judge that by a lot of the species that are prevalent now that can only live in super clean water.” The river, Walters said, “is beautiful, it’s free-flowing, it’s cleaner than it’s ever been.” The cleaner, faster moving water has already opened up kayaking opportunities along the river. A kayak race on the river in April 2016 drew 22 participants and there are plans to have another race in 2017. Don Howdyshell, Assistant Race Logistics and Promotions Coordinator for the 2016 Cuyahoga Falls Kayak Race, said the removal of the LeFever and Sheraton Dams yielded “great opportunities” for kayaking. “When I heard about the race, my passion for the local history of the river took over and I wanted to be involved as much as possible,” said Howdyshell. He explained that Nic Williams and Tommy Piros started out promoting the race as a private event on Facebook within the kayaking community. “There was a lot of positive feedback and it quickly grew into an event that friends and family wanted to watch,” said Howdyshell.

Jeffrey Lynch, Sheraton Suites General Manager, looks out on the Cuyahoga River.

EXPLORE CUYAHOGA FALLS & SILVER LAKE • 2016

“Many people offered their skills to help promote the event as much as possible. That’s when it moved into the public eye.” He added that paddlers from out-of-state traveled to Cuyahoga Falls for the race. Howdyshell said organizers met with Walters to coordinate water release from the city of Akron at the Lake Rockwell reservoir in Kent and worked with the Sheraton to set up viewing areas. The Sheraton was “very welcoming” to the spectators who stopped by to watch the event, said Walters. Jeffrey Lynch, general manager with the Sheraton Suites, estimated there were “at least” 100 people who gathered behind the hotel to watch the race. “Right where we’re at is some of the trickiest part of the river for them to negotiate,” said Lynch. “It’s fun to watch from that vantage point.” The one concern Lynch had was keeping people from getting too close to the river.

In some cases, he said officials had to “shoo” people away if they ventured too close. “We kept them on our property, kept them safe and it worked out fine,” said Lynch. There was an increase in business for the restaurant and lounge on the day of the race, according to Lynch. However, in general, Lynch noted he hasn’t noticed an increase or a decrease in business for either the Sheraton or the Beau’s on the River restaurant (inside the hotel) due to the removal of the dams along the Cuyahoga River. Howdyshell said he was a member of the safety team for the event. To prepare for the race, Howdyshell said he was part of a four-man crew that descended the Staircase Waterfall and Jumble Rapids. He noted the team was “the first group to descend that section of the river in a fourperson guided raft since the removal of the dams.” The Powerhouse Dam was removed in 2013. Lynch said he “worked very closely” with the organizers of the kayak race and noted he would like to

contact them about setting up two races per year. “ T h e re’s a h u g e community around the kayakers …and my hope would be with a couple of events a year, that we would be able to Matt Sloan drove in from Maryland to participate in the first Cuyahoga generate some room night Falls Kayak Race in April 2016. usage and have people come from all over, and stay here and obviously, we’re a great venue to watch any of the races that they would do,” said Lynch. If kayaking opportunities were better known to the public, Lynch said it could “generate a little bit more leisure travelers coming to the area.” Lynch said he’s told city officials he would support installing a takeout point and signage near the Sheraton to let kayakers know “it’s going to get rough ahead.” Walters noted he is hoping to have a takeout point and accompanying signage installed north of the Sheraton late this summer. There already is a sign giving a similar warning further north near Burntwood Tavern. Lynch observed that hosting more events like the kayak race will help leaders “monitor the safety of the river.”

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NEW KAYAKING BUSINESS OPENS The removal of the dams led to the creation of a business offering people a chance to kayak and canoe down the calmer parts of the Cuyahoga River. Burning River Adventures, which opened in May 2015, is coowned by G. Brad and Moneen J. McBride. It is the first business for the married couple, both of whom are biologists who met at Muskingum University. After only operating on Saturday and Sunday in 2015, Burning River Adventures is open seven days a week during the kayaking season in 2016. On Monday through Friday, “any skill level” of kayaker is welcome to try out their paddling arms along the river, said Moneen. For the self-guided tours, customers meet the McBrides at Water Works Park and then the couple drives them upriver to one of three locations for a kayak or canoe trip back to Water Works Park: Brust Park in Munroe Falls (2 mile trip), Middlebury Road in Kent (4 and a half mile trip) or Fred Fuller Park in Kent (6 and a half mile trip). Burning River offers a guided tour on Friday nights to Falls Moneen and Brad McBride River Square for the River-

front Concert Series presented by IROK. For this one, kayakers meet the McBrides at Portage Trail, are transported to Water Works Park and then paddle back to Portage Trail in some Class II rapids, according to Brad. “It’s nothing too intense, but it’s helpful to have someone that knows what they’re doing with you so they can help the paddlers know where to go,” said Brad. Burning River Adventures also hosts a Monday morning kayaking session where paddlers enjoy coffee at Morning Owl Coffee House in Munroe Falls and a Thursday night sunset excursion where kayakers enjoy a concert at Roses Run before venturing on to the Cuyahoga River. Brad said the removal of the dams “definitely” played a role in he and Moneen setting up their business. He’s lived along the river since he was in fourth grade and has driven a motor boat along it for a long time. Brad said the river is now “clean and clear.” “When we were younger, the river was brown and had a stink to it,” said Brad. “Right now, you can see the bottom everywhere. There’s still a couple tires here and there, but people can see the bottom and there’s families getting [in] and wading and swimming and stuff. That never happened when I was a kid.” The McBrides noted more wildlife is now seen along the river. Deer are spotted crossing the water, ac-

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cording to Moneen. Brad added he’s seen minks, beavers, bald eagles, herons and snapping turtles. The kayaking and canoeing offered by the McBrides is drawing people to Cuyahoga Falls from a fairly wide radius around the city, according to Moneen. “We are bringing people into Cuyahoga Falls parks that have never even thought about it,” said Moneen, who noted they recently hosted a group from Cleveland Heights. Brad said he sees a lot of kayaking at Water Works on the weekend and Moneen noted there are people who float down the river on tubes. “There’s been more paddlers on the river within the last couple years than we’ve ever seen,” said Moneen. The McBrides helped provide transportation for the kayakers at the race in April 2016 and said they are interested in staging a race on the calmer stretch from Kent to Water Works Park on the same day as the kayak race in 2017. The McBrides currently operate from Water Works Park, but are working with the city to find a permanent location. One possibility is River Front Park, 2641 Front St., said Brad. The city recently installed a ramp and paved a parking lot for access to the river at River Front Park, and is in the process of setting up another access point under the Portage Trail bridge, said Walters. “Just south of there, there’s a natural eddy in the river to where

if you’re on the right-hand side, it will pull you toward shore. We’re going to modify the boardwalk and add steps all the way down to the river level,” said Walters. While development along Front Street did not directly happen because of the removal of the dams, Walters noted developers are benefiting from the new and improved river nearby. The Wallhouse on the River Hotel that will soon be built will have a restaurant on the top floor with a view of the river. “There’s very few cities — in fact, I don’t know if there’s any — that can say they have Class V rapids in their downtown,” said Walters. “It’s a pretty amazing selling point when we’re promoting our city that we offer all that. Kent doesn’t have a highway 100 yards away with 85,000 cars. Downtown Akron has a canal, but no river. I think we have everything here to help promote our city.” There are currently Class V rapids that extend for about a halfmile behind the Sheraton Suites, according to Walters. GORGE DAM EYED FOR REMOVAL The most exciting economic opportunities for river adventurers lie in the potential removal of the Gorge Metro Park Dam. The Ohio EPA is working on securing financial and in-kind commitments to help pay for both the sediment management around the dam, as well as the removal of the actual structure. The overall cost is estimated at $70 million, said Zawiski, with about $50 million for managing the sediment and $20 million

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associated with removing the dam structure any financial commitments from any of these enand managing debris. tities. Zawiski said the Ohio EPA is “at the State lawmakers recently approved very beginning” of “developing this net$750,000 to help fund the removal of the work of people that want to be a part dam. This money will count toward the 35 of the project, finding out who can percent local match, said Zawiski. Once he do what, and then figuring out who’s has enough commitments, Zawiski said he going to be our accountant. Once we would then approach the U.S. EPA to put have all that done, we’ve developed a together a project agreement. He hopes to structure and … secured commitments do that some time in the fall of 2016. to in-kind, then we can go to the U.S. EPA Walters said the city has offered to provide Photo Special to Explore Gorge Metro Park Dam and say here’s our idea. What do you think?” in-kind services such as space for meetings on the If the U.S. EPA agrees to fund the project, the issue and real time viewing of the removal via dam federal government will contribute 65 percent of the cam, but has not made any financial commitment. cost to remove the Gorge Dam, while state and local govern“They [the Ohio EPA] felt that if it ever was going to happen, ments, as well as private entities, must come up with a 35 perthis was the best chance we’ve had,” said Walters. cent match, said Zawiski. That local match can take the form of If the Gorge Dam is removed, the Cuyahoga River “will be reeither cash or in-kind contributions. Zawiski said he’s received turned to a free-flowing state,” said Zawiski. The water qualiofficial support for the project from the Summit County Metty will continue to improve and many types of aquatic life will ro Parks Board of Commissioners, Cuyahoga Falls City Counthrive. A natural wonder will also likely be revealed, according to cil, Summit County Council and Northeast Ohio Four CounWalters. ty Regional Planning and Development Organization. Zawiski “The original Cuyahoga Falls is thought to be beneath the recently met with Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan to discuss the ishuge concrete dam and will be revealed after removal of the sedisue and is working on receiving official support from Akron City ment and the structure,” said Walters. Council. As of late June, EPA officials said they had not received “If you walk down to the Gorge, immediately downstream,

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you can see that last bedrock riffle,” said Zawiski. “That’s the toe of the great Falls, and we know the rest of the great Falls are somewhere either immediately under the Gorge Dam, or just right there. So you know there’s that 25-foot drop right there.” The kayaking and whitewater rafting community are salivating at the idea of removing the dam to allow for a long stretch of challenging rapids for whitewater adventures. “You’re looking at miles of stream that has a grade drop greater than Niagara Falls,” said Zawiski. “…It’s going to be absolutely beautiful.” Walters is excited about the possibilities for both kayaking and whitewater rafting. If the Gorge Dam is taken out, there will be about 2 and a half miles of Class V rapids, according to the mayor. “They’ve said that it would be amazing,” said Walters. “You could make it as big as you want it to be, as far as the travel and the tourism … I am told it will be one of the premier whitewater kayaking/rafting locations east of the Mississippi.” The McBrides are preparing for this possibility, too. Removing the dam, Brad said, would have “a drastic effect on the entire recreation community … It’s going to draw people in.” The McBrides said while they do not personally have the expertise to offer whitewater rafting and higher level kayaking, they know people who can join their business to provide those

services if the need arises. Once the Gorge Dam comes down, one major question for kayakers is where the take-out point will be downriver. “There’s very few options,” said Brad, who added the take-out point would probably be Cascade Metro Park. Meanwhile, Howdyshell stated that removing the Gorge Dam “creates profound possibilities for river recreation.” Currently the dam is restricting more than 1 mile of rapids and removing the structure could open the door to increased tourism, small business start ups and adventure touring companies, according to Howdyshell. He said it would only take the river “a few years to repair itself enough for people to be flocking to the Cuyahoga River.” Like Walters, Howdyshell is aware of the unique place on the map that Cuyahoga Falls occupies. “Hikers and adventurer seekers will see over 2 miles of constant class II to IV Rapids, waterfalls, and river features unlike anything else,” said Howdyshell. “The fact that this exists within an urban community, where you can run these world class rapids five minutes from all urban amenities, is a unique opportunity Cuyahoga Falls should capitalize on.” “I know I’m excited, and I can’t wait to be one of the first ones to travel down the river after the Gorge Dam removal,” said Howdyshell.

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CITY PLANS TO REOPEN FRONT STREET TO VEHICLES by STEVE WIANDT | REPORTER Plans are in place to close Cuyahoga Falls’ downtown pedestrian mall and open up downtown Front Street to two-way vehicular traffic, something it hasn’t seen since 1978. “The downtowns all started to fail about the same time,” said Don Walters, the mayor of Cuyahoga Falls. “It was roughly 40 years ago, across the country. The reason for that was the latest fad, indoor shopping malls. One-stop shopping, everything under one roof. That was what everyone wanted at the time.” Cities witnessed their downtowns decline as people stopped shopping there, shops closed and buildings were left vacant. In order to revitalize their downtowns, many cities closed off “Main

Street” to cars and established what amounted to outdoor shopping malls. “They thought, ‘Let’s try this: Let’s kick out the cars and make it a pedestrian mall,’” Walters said. “Well, historically only 11 percent of them have been successful in the whole country. And those are mainly college towns and coastal towns, and mostly southern states.” Shopping has changed dramatically in the past 40 years, the mayor said. People are making purchases online to save time and money. Shoppers who go to a brick-and-mortar retail establishment, however, will pay for the experience, he added.

EXPLORE CUYAHOGA FALLS & SILVER LAKE • 2016

“As we have at Giant Eagle Market District, that’s an experience,” with new development at the south end, will hopefully spur Walters said, referring to the grocery-store-and-more at Portage investment in the entire downtown,” she said. “We are excited Crossing. “You go in there and hear a band, there are bars, hot about the possibilities.” food. There are a lot of things to do. People In order to transform its deteriorating downtown pedestrian mall want that experience. Downtowns area in to a prosperous town center, the city of Cuyahoga Falls can provide that if there is has requested $7.6 million in federal “TIGER” grant funding, said accessibility and visibility.” Fred Guerra, the city’s planning director. TIGER is an acronym for Walters said there are Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery. places like Easton in Walters said if the city does not receive the grant, officials will Columbus and Crocker proceed using local funds. Park in Cleveland where In addition, a strong collaboration of 11 public and private developers “make a fake partners will invest approximately $117 million in this project, downtown. We already Guerra said. have a real downtown.” The city of Cuyahoga Falls is committing an additional $5 million The city hosted a series and private developers are pledging $108 Cadence Nichols enjoys a corn dog of public meetings led by million, city officials said. during the Riverfront Irish Festival. urban planner Andrew Overbeck, TIGER and city funds will be principal of MKSK, a consulting firm used to replace the 1970s hired by the city to study the feasibility of pedestrian mall, convert opening up downtown Front Street. one-way streets to two“Pedestrian-friendly, two-way streets have proven to way streets, upgrade be successful in creating accessible, active and inviting retail public transportation environments,” MKSK said on its website. “Today, great streets service, restore through historic downtowns are the unique community places the neighborhood where people want to gather, shop, stroll, and eat.” p e d e s t r i a n Laura Petrella, CEO of the Cuyahoga Falls Chamber of Commerce, connections Guerra said the opening of Front Street will encourage more business said were “hindered” London, 3, and Adam overall with easy accessibility for city residents, tourists and by a six-lane highway Weston enjoy the afternoon at the Riverfront Irish Festival. businesses. corridor, and construct “To have free parking in three city-owned parking decks with bike lanes. Private funds easy accessibility is wonderful,” Petrella said. “We are seeing a will be used to renovate historic continued interest from businesses who want this to happen and buildings and to construct new businesses considering moving to this area.” mixed-use buildings, the planning director Lauren Burge of Chambers, Murphy and Burge Historical said. Architecture, is working to redevelop the Falls Theater building Guerra said a 2016 Retail Market Analysis by Gibbs Planning on Front Street into a brew pub with apartments on the Group identified that reopening the downtown pedestrian second floor. mall to automobile traffic would: On June 28, the Ohio Development • Create 335 construction jobs and 1,793 Services Agency awarded $27.8 million in permanent jobs; Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credits, a • Infuse $60.4 million in new sales $249,999 credit to the theater project. revenue to the local economy; Burge said restoration of the Falls • Refurbish up to 215,350 square feet Theater is one piece of the larger effort to of retail and restaurant development; revitalize Front Street. • Attract 115 new retail stores and Lucas, 3, Nick and Kim Morgan walk together “The opening of the street, a downtown restaurants; and look at cars at the Riverfront Car Cruise. historic district, two great hotels, combined • Sustain redevelopment in the former

EXPLORE CUYAHOGA FALLS & SILVER LAKE • 2016

U.S. EPA Brownfield district; and the Downtown Circulation Plan and a series of public meetings • Support the construction of 585 new housing units over a to gather input. Project partners are in place and matching funds period of 13 years. are committed. The city is currently working on environmental and While located in Cuyahoga Falls, the proximity to state Route survey work and has migrated to a design-build approach in order 8 with a 75,000 average daily traffic count makes this a regional to ensure a timeline for success, according to Guerra. project that will impact a trade area of approximately 307,000 “The award of TIGER grant funds combined with other public residents, according to Guerra. and private investment will result in better connectivity, “The time is right to make this project increased employment opportunities and happen now,” he said. “The partnerships revitalization of the downtown area that have aligned to make the project transforms it into a healthy main street,” successful and TIGER funds will Guerra said. push the project over the finish Among the merchants on Front line.” Street downtown is Kim White, The city is also mindful owner of Flury’s Cafe, located of the tight TIGER grant 2202 Front St. obligation deadline, and “My overall thoughts are it’s as such has been working probably a good idea to open up at an accelerated pace to the street,” said White, adding she bring this project to fruition is still a “new girl” on Front Street with construction beginning in and the more seasoned merchants Cavs watch party at Falls River Square. 2017, he said. The city began this on the mall know the street’s history. process with the development of “Let’s try something new,” she said.

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“We’ve been doing this [pedestrian mall] for awhile. I know that a lot of my customers think it’s a great idea to open up the street … I think we have a few who don’t.” She said she likes to walk but not everyone frequents pedestrian malls, especially during a typical Ohio winter. “I don’t think it’s a big deal to park in a deck and walk a block, but a lot of people do,” White said. “I’m cool with that. But I’m just one person.” White said even with the parking issue, her decision last year to move her business from 1300 Sackett Ave., its home for 21 years, to the corner of Front Street and Portage Trail, was a good one. “I loved my location on Sackett, but just the fact we are able to be seen on Front Street has increased our business,” she said. “The more people to have access to Front Street, the better. The more the merrier.” White said she “loves” being on Front Street, adding she’s happy developers are planning to build a hotel catty-corner across the street from her cafe. “I’m ecstatic about that,” she said. Not every downtown business owner is in favor of letting vehicles travel and park on Front Street. Dick Horn, owner of Silver Eagle Antiques, located at 2215 Front St., said many of his customers have told him they would prefer the street remain a pedestrian mall,

“and I guess I concur with that.” Horn said he’s gotten used to being able to pull his car onto the pedestrian mall from Stow Avenue to drop off merchandise or groceries for the week and then parking it in the deck. If the road were opened up to vehicular traffic, he would have to approach his business from the other direction and “hope there are no cars parked here.” Convenience is key for Horn, he said. It’s particularly important for him and for his customers who want to load purchases into their car. “The green parking deck is close,” he said. “People from here and out of state have told me they like it and it’s pretty here. According to the architect’s drawings of how it could be, that would be pretty, too. But if you wanted to walk across the street without going to the corner, I guess you would be

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EXPLORE CUYAHOGA FALLS & SILVER LAKE • 2016

jaywalking.” Horn said many people wander onto the pedestrian mall from the nearby Sheraton Suites hotel. Cindy Michaels, owner of Harps & Thistles Yarn Emporium, located at 129 Portage Trail, just north of Front Street, said, “I think that, for the city of Cuyahoga Falls, the plan to open up Front Street is an excellent one. The downtown area has so much potential and definitely needs revitalization.” Michaels is one of a number of downtown business owners who banded together to form the Riverfront Merchants, a non-profit organization that sponsors events to attract people to the older section of downtown Cuyahoga Falls. Will opening Front Street improve visibility and business for Harps and Thistles? “I’m not really sure,” Michaels replied. “For one, I’m a specialty shop and don’t rely too much on foot traffic. And I think whether or not I benefit would greatly depend on the types of businesses that go into Front Street (big box vs. boutique).” Would opening up Front Street attract more businesses to locate there? “Absolutely,” she said. “Especially with the new hotel going in.” City Council on June 13 approved plans for an eight-story, 83-room boutique hotel on Front Street near Portage Trail. The Wallhouse on the River Hotel will be built on a site next to the Cuyahoga Valley Art Center. Guerra said as part of the development agreement with the hotel developer, the city was required to open Front Street to vehicular traffic in front of the hotel site. The boutique hotel is an $8.8 million investment and will create 35 new full-time jobs with a $1 million annual payroll, according to project consultant Susan Truby. The construction project will create 20 full-time jobs and 15 parttime jobs for an additional payroll of $950,000, Truby said. The top floor of the hotel will house a fine dining restaurant estimated at 6,500 square feet and with 200 seats.

UPCOMING EVENTS IN FRONT STREET AREA • Aug. 1, 2016 - Riverfront Cruise-In • 5 p.m. • Aug. 4, 2016 - Flicks on the Falls • Dusk. • Aug. 5, 2016 - IROK Riverfront Concert Series • 6 to 11 p.m. • Aug. 8, 2016 - Riverfront Cruise-In • 5 p.m. • Aug. 11, 2016 - Flicks on the Falls • Dusk. • Aug. 12, 2016 - IROK Riverfront Concert Series • 6 to 11 p.m. • Aug. 15, 2016 - Riverfront Cruise-In • 5 p.m. • Aug. 19, 2016 - IROK Riverfront Concert Series • 6 to 11 p.m. • Aug. 22, 2016 - Riverfront Cruise-In • 5 p.m. • Aug. 26, 2016 - IROK Riverfront Concert Series • 6 to 11 p.m. • Aug. 26, 2016 - Falls Better Block • 6 to 11 p.m. (between Portage Trail and Stow Avenue) • Aug. 27, 2016 - Falls Better Block • 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (between Portage Trail and Stow Avenue) • Aug. 29, 2016 - Riverfront Cruise-In • 5 p.m. • Sept. 2, 2016 - IROK Riverfront Concert Series • 6 to 11 p.m. • Sept. 6, 2016 - Riverfront Cruise-In • 5 p.m. (moved to Tuesday due to Labor Day) • Sept. 12, 2016 - Riverfront Cruise-In • 5 p.m. • Sept. 16, 2016 - Cuyahoga Falls Oktoberfest • 5 to 11 p.m. • Sept. 17, 2016 - Cuyahoga Falls Oktoberfest • noon to 11 p.m. • Sept. 18, 2016 - Cuyahoga Falls Oktoberfest • 1 to 8 p.m. • Sept. 19, 2016 - Riverfront Cruise-In • 5 p.m. • Sept. 24, 2016 - First Responders Appreciation Day • 3 to 8:30 p.m. • Sept. 25, 2016 - Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night Walk • 5:30 p.m. • Sept. 26, 2016 - Riverfront Cruise-In • 5 p.m. • Oct. 3, 2016 - Riverfront Cruise-In • 5 p.m. • Nov. 29, 2016 - Falls River Square Ice Skating Rink • noon to 9 p.m. Source: City of Cuyahoga Falls

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photos by AMANDA WOOLF

by STEVE WIANDT | REPORTER

EXPLORE CUYAHOGA FALLS & SILVER LAKE • 2016

was a neat feeling seeing ‘Don Sitts Parkway.’” Sitts took over the car cruise in 2004. Prior to that time it was sponsored by a Front Street restaurant no longer in business. For the first two years, the cruise only occupied the north end of the mall, from the fountain at Stow Avenue to Portage Trail. Beginning in 2006, the cruise-in extended south across Portage Trail to the clock tower at Broad Boulevard. The Don Sitts Auto Group Riverfront Car Cruise takes place at Falls River Square and along the Front Street Mall on Monday evenings from the beginning of May through the beginning of October. In 2016, the Car Cruise was changed to Tuesday on the weeks of Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day. Voted #1 in Cruisin’ Times magazine since 2007, the event features two DJ’s, 50/50 and door prizes. For more information, visit www.RiverfrontCruiseIn.com.

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Local car dealer Don Sitts is planning to find a new home for his Riverfront Car Cruise in 2017 when construction begins on Front Street. “We don’t really know yet how we’re going to move it,” said Sitts. “We don’t want to move it very far.” Sitts said his goal is to remain in Cuyahoga Falls. He talked about city lots that might be available, but none of them would be large enough except the parking lot at the Natatorium between Fourth Street and the police department. On a recent Monday night, Sitts had 180 cars cruise in, which is not uncommon when the weather is good. Often, he’s had much more cars show up. “When it’s 80 degrees and sunny with no chance of rain, you can have 300 cars,” Sitts said. It will be hard to have his car show when construction starts, he said. Construction on a new hotel on Front Street and Portage Trail is projected to begin in the fall of 2017, and the city is planning at some point to tear up the existing pedestrian mall and replace it with a street for two-way traffic. When the project is completed, Sitts said he will bring his weekly car show back to Front Street. “What makes this car cruise nice is the setting. You have trees and shade and it’s very pretty along the riverfront. By the looks of it when it’s all done it will be even nicer, but I don’t know how many years that will take to finish it,” he said. In the meantime, Sitts is looking for a place to have his cruisein where car buffs can drive in and show off their machines or just come and walk around, look at the cars and reminisce. Mayor Don Walters is a “car guy,” Sitts said, and anytime he needs something, he knows he can call Walters and he will help him. Sitts said the only disappointment he’s encountered during this time of change on Front Street was when street signs for “Don Sitts Parkway” were taken down. Sitts said four or five years ago, thenMayor Don Robart had a short street to a city lot that served as an overflow for the cruise-in named in Sitts’ honor. Recently the city sold the lot to the developer of the new hotel. “For the first time in my life I had a street named after me,” Sitts said. “I know it was a little street. It was just down the hill, but it

Metropolis Popcorn owner Brent VanFossen is pictured with students who developed a new popcorn flavor, Butterfinger. VanFossen is a member of the Business Advisory Council.

Business Advisory Council plays role in students’ futures by STEVE WIANDT | REPORTER

The Cuyahoga Falls City Schools works to prepare students for life after high school starting in the seventh grade, and supporting the district in those efforts is the Business Advisory Council. Formed five years ago by District Superintendent Dr. Todd Nichols, the Business Advisory Council is made up of business and civic leaders, as well as educators and a church pastor. Nichols said he found success with business advisers when he was the superintendent of Bucyrus City Schools. “I was president of the Economic Development Partnership in Crawford County where we had a Business Advisory Council, as well,” Nichols said, “and I saw how that functioned and led to the strategic planning process that you hear about in Crawford County … I saw the power of what a business advisory council could do and it fit in with my philosophies in regard to career and technical education and what we experienced in a comprehensive setting down in Dayton.” Nichols said he started to build this council by recruiting alumni. “What I wanted to engage the group in was the pursuit of academic opportunities for kids and for them to be more of an academic adviser,” he said. “We started with one basic question, ‘Are our kids, the graduates of Cuyahoga Falls High School that are coming to your businesses, prepared?’ And the answer was, ‘No.’ So we started asking why.” Answers he got included graduates don’t have soft skills (including

photos by STEVE WIANDT & PHIL KEREN

problem solving, conflict resolution and critical observation) and they don’t demonstrate career awareness. He said an attorney in the group said there were students who approached him on career night seeming to show an interest in becoming a lawyer but “they had no clue what that meant.” So the advisory council began to talk about how things could be improved. It was agreed preparation had to begin before high school. “We really specifically wanted to dive down to at least seventh grade,” Nichols said. “So you can kind of see then five years hence where we are as a result of all that.” Over the past five years, he said, news out of the school district has focused on career clusters, interest-based learning, small learning communities, the vision statement (“The hub of our community; committed to a culture of caring. We innovate. We create. We personalize education for all.”), how all of those things are broken down, how to feed student interest, design challenges and effective learning. “Much of that stemmed from Business Advisory Council,” Nichols said. “And as we move forward, this group has decided that next year, it’s all about image. Not only for the school district but for the city because we have city representatives on the council, as well.” Nichols said branding is important in promoting a positive image. Part of that branding, he said, are yard signs that have the district’s mascot logo printed on them with the phrase, “We are Black Tigers.”

EXPLORE CUYAHOGA FALLS & SILVER LAKE • 2016

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Nichols said for him, “it’s all about making sure our middle school students are then prepared for what we have in place — and is getting better and better every day — at the high school.” One of the founding members of the Business Advisory Council, Bart Mandala of Alco Mandala Products, said who Nichols chooses for his administrative team at the school district is important to the students’ success. “I really like the progressive thinking on their part,” Mandala said, “and their ability to see his vision and what direction he feels education needs to go in.” A 1970 Falls High graduate, Mandala said, “We can’t keep doing things the way we did when I was in school here, or even 10 years ago.” He said he likes the “personalities” Nichols has chosen to work with him to make “this district be recognized as one that cares about kids … I like the way our administrators think outside of the box and are not following the script that previous administrations have followed.” BAC member Jake Ricker, a branch manager for PNC Bank, said school district administration has been more than receptive to the Business Advisory Council’s ideas and everyone worked together to formulate a plan to teach students within a network of learning communities called dens. “… and then obviously the execution and putting it into place has been self-fulfilling,” he added. Cuyahoga Falls has four academies (dens): the Arts and Media Design Den, Engineering and Entrepreneurship Den, Health and Wellness Den and Human/Public Services Den. According to Melvin Brown, deputy superintendent at Cuyahoga Falls City Schools, the four dens are based upon 16 career clusters “while taking into account the industry needs in our area (as determined through conversations with staff and Business Advisory Council) as well as the Six District Educational Compact offerings.” Brown said those “academy lenses” are the basis upon which core content instruction is designed. “For example, in Engineering and Entrepreneurship, students may have the opportunity to experience an emphasis on the mathematics associated with an engineering field/occupation while still meeting the Math Standards,” said Brown. “This allows us to teach the standards while taking into account student interest.” An academy is essentially a “school within a school,” he said, whereby students are clustered into groups that allow teachers and staff to work with them while gaining a better sense of community within each academy. They allow for better proximity of classrooms, the further articulation of the middle school “team” concept with which students are comfortable, and create more individualized educational experiences. Ricker said when he and other business leaders in the community are hiring, they see the skills job applicants possess and what they are lacking and they can advise the educators on what strengths they can build on and any weaknesses they need to address. Nichols noted the school district’s relationship with the Cuyahoga Falls Chamber of Commerce and the city of Cuyahoga Falls is

Pictured with Cuyahoga Falls City School District Superintendent Dr. Todd Nichols (front row, far left) are some members of the district’s Business Advisory Council. In the front from left are: Nichols; Kathy Moffet; Laura Petrella; Bart Mandala; and Ellen McClure. In the back row from left are: Melvin Brown; J.H. Davis; Allen Mangus; Mary Jane Stanchina; Dale Petty; Diane Sheridan; Lou Ciraldo; Bob Gruber; Matt Weiss and David Hoskin.

“essential” in maintaining a strong Business Advisory Council, which he said continues to grow in membership. “We’re not a secret anymore,” he said. The Cuyahoga Falls Schools Foundation and Alumni Association is also instrumental in keeping an active BAC, Nichols added. “Typically you’ll see the superintendent [of a school district] interacting with the business community and that’s it,” said Brown. “Here, that’s not the way it’s done. All of our administrators are engaged and want to be a part of the process.” Matt Weiss brings a number of perspectives to the BAC. Weiss is the owner of Right Brain Design Group, which is under contract with the district to provide design and promotional services. He is also a Cuyahoga Falls parent. “A lot of what I do is selfish because as a parent I want to know what’s going on,” Weiss said. “I want to be a part of it. If I don’t like something, I want to know why, and if I do like something, I want to be able to help promote it.” He said the people in key positions in the school district “know what they’re doing. I like the collaborative idea of the Business Advisory Council but ultimately there’s a trust factor from Dr. Nichols and Melvin Brown on down through the principals and teachers.” Weiss said he was not a good student in school and had the dens been around when he was in school, that program would have helped him. This spring marked the end of the second year of dens at Cuyahoga Falls. Dale Petty, an accountant and the treasurer for the Cuyahoga Falls Schools Foundation and Alumni Association, said he became involved in the district in 2005 when he joined the Financial Forecasting Advisory Committee and then later he served on the Board of Education from 2010-13. During that time, Petty remembers he was “amazed” to learn through the results of a test of middle school students’ interests that less than 1 percent were interested in business. That has changed. Brown said interest inventories the school gives rising ninth-graders have shown it’s now somewhere around 30 percent. Petty said Nichols, Brown and district treasurer David Hoskin have a vision for the district.

“This group gives them feedback: ‘You’re on the track’ or ‘You could change this a little bit,’ he said. “Best practices are being shared with the administration.” Petty said, against the norm, this school district is seeking feedback from the business community. “So often the relationship between the schools and the business community is, ‘Hey, could you give us some pizza? Could you give us 50 bucks? We’re looking for a handout.’ In this case, what they’re getting is our real-life experiences.”

The Cuyahoga Falls City School District Business Advisory Council is made up of the following members: • Gina Baldino, Great Lakes Honda;

• Stephan Linek, Rita’s Ice;

• Allison Bogdan, Falls City Schools;

• Bart Mandala, Alco;

• Mark Bosko, Western Reserve Hospital;

• Allen Mangus, Riverfront YMCA;

• Melvin Brown, Falls City Schools;

• Ellen McClure, Falls City Schools;

• Lou Ciraldo, Summit Construction;

• Amy McDougal, Six District Compact;

• J.H. Davis, City of Cuyahoga Falls;

• Kathy Moffet, Falls Board of Education;

• Mike Dearden, Hartland;

• Catherine Nicholson, Falls City Schools;

• Gordon Griffiths, Hankook Tire Co./

• Jim Pecchio, Probe Technologies;

Cuyahoga Falls Schools Foundation; • Bob Gruber, Wellness & Wealth By Choice; • Tom Haag, SGS Tool Company; • Robert Heydorn, Hoover Heydorn & Herrnstein;

• Dale Petty, Petty and Company Inc. CPAs/ Cuyahoga Falls Schools Foundation; • Laura Petrella, Cuyahoga Falls Chamber of Commerce; • Jake Ricker, PNC Bank;

• Ike Holzapfel, Falls City Schools;

• Kristy Rice, Pure Water Technology;

• David Hoskin, Falls City Schools;

• Rev. Debbie Saxe, First Christian Church;

• Ryan Huch, Falls City Schools;

• Diane Sheridan, City of Cuyahoga Falls;

• Rob Huffman, Travel Centers LLC;

• Mary Jane Stanchina, Six District Compact;

• Ronald Hyre, Farmers Insurance/Hyre

• David Ullmo, Four Corner Promotions;

Insurance Agency

• Brent VanFossen, Metropolis Popcorn;

• Harold Kendrick, Falls City Schools;

• Keith Viers, Ohio Savings Bank;

• Jill Kolesar, Akron YMCA;

• Robert A. “Toshiba Bob” Weinhardt, retired;

• Chuck Lane, Harbor Castings;

• Matt Weiss, Right Brain Design Group.

EXPLORE CUYAHOGA FALLS & SILVER LAKE • 2016

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From left, Luke Rogers, Sam Young and Kyle Ackermann work on equipment in the Six District Compact’s IT program.

Ashley Pitz cuts hair as part of the Six District Compact’s cosmetology program.

Grant Savage performs repair work on a car as part of the Six District Compact’s automotive technology program.

Six District Compact offers much to students story & photos by APRIL HELMS | SPECIAL PRODUCTS EDITOR

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DISTRICT

Antiques • Art • Collectibles Ephemera • Sports • Toys Tue-Sat 12:00-5:00 PM

2215-17 Front St. Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221

Time Zone Nostalgia Shopping Clocks & Antiques

KO-10475478

Complimentary Hot Towel & Neck Shave

330-923-8540

143 Portage Trail • Cuyahoga Falls

William A. Weist NAWCC 081932

Reanimation & Restoration of: Clocks & Watches Authorized Dealer: Howard Miller Ridgeway Fenton Glass

2237 Front St. Cuy. Falls, Ohio 44221

(330) 929-4308

House calls & special showings by appt.

BAR 2209 GRAND OPENING

THE HIDDEN PEARL Fine and Fun Vintage www.HiddenPearlVintage.com

$2 Domestics, $3 Well Drinks 2209 Front Street at Portage Trail

330-928-8230

(330)-945-8187

STORE HOURS: Tues-Sat Noon - 5 PM • 2 nd Sunday of Month - 1-5 PM 2206 Front Street, Riverfront Centre • Cuyahoga Falls

EXPLORE CUYAHOGA FALLS & SILVER LAKE • 2016

KO-10475481

Victorian thru 1970’s clothing (Men’s too!) Jewelry - Costume/Designer, Hats, Purses, Textiles, Neckties, Compacts, Doilies, Glass & Pottery, Furniture, Accessories,

BUY - SELL

KO-10475476

KO-10475477

Men’s Haircuts $12 Mon. - Wed. 9-12

Repair & Service

Come Say Hi To Pete

CHURCH DIRECTORY St. Joseph Catholic Church 2nd & Sackett Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

Rev. Paula J.L. Koch

FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH

www.vlchurch.com

Sunday 10:30 a.m. Worship 3833 Hudson Drive, Stow 330.929.6555

Disciples of Christ 3rd and Stow St.

www.fallsfirstchristian.com

T.R.U.E. Life Classes: Sunday 9:15 a.m. Wednesday Family Night 7:00 p.m.

KO-10479271

KO-10479267

330-928-4098

Sunday Service - 10:45 am Wednesday Contemporary Service - 6:45 pm Handicapped Accessible

KO-10479266

email: Phil@journeycovchurch.org web: www.journeycovchurch.org

KO-10479264

KO-10479260

330-928-2173

WEEKEND MASSES Saturday 5 p.m. Sunday 8:00, 10:00 & 12 Noon Everyone Welcome

Pastor Matthew Skifstad

KO-10479268

THE CHURCH IN SILVER LAKE CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

104 W. Portage Trl. Ext. Cuyahoga Falls, OH

KO-10479272

KO-10479281

Rev. Stephanie Crossland

Sunday Worship Service - 10:30 am Children’s Sunday School during worship Handicapped Accessible • Child Care Available office1@rrbiznet.com

Pastor Brad Jagger Sunday Worship 10:00 a.m. Sunday School & Childcare Available Bible Study Sunday 9 a.m. • O&A LBGT Friendly Special Needs Inclusion Program ChurchinSilverLake@gmail.com

330.928.2991 • www.churchinsilverlake.org 2951 Kent Rd • Silver Lake, Ohio KO-10479278

EXPLORE CUYAHOGA FALLS & SILVER LAKE • 2016

FIRST FIRST United Methodist United Methodist CHURCH CHURCH

HOLY TRINITY

ANGLICAN CHURCH Rev. Dr. Joe Boysel, Rector

KO-10479275

Worship with Portage Trail Trail & 3rd St. Portage & 3rd St. Holy Eucharist and CUYAHOGA FALLSFALLS CUYAHOGA Sunday School 10am KO-10479274

Worship Sunday at Worship Sunday at Nursery Provided 8:30am & 11:00am 330.342.0429 55 Atterbury Blvd.

8:30firstchurchcf.com & 10:30 a.m. Website:

www.HudsonAnglican.com

GRAHAM ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH

BIBLE CENTERED • CHRIST CENTERED Michael Lovett, Pastor SUNDAY AWANA Youth 6:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY Prayer Meeting 7:00 p.m.

330.928.7742 • grbaptistchurch.org • 705 Graham Rd. Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

ED, A SPIRIT EMPOWERVING CHURCH BIBLE BELIE

Sunday 10:30 a.m. KO-10479280

SUNDAY SERVICES Bible Teaching Hour 9:15 a.m. Worship Service 10:30 a.m. Evening Service 6:00 p.m.

330.928.5134 2543 State Road, Cuyahoga Falls www.communityvineyard.org Check us out on Facebook

CHURCH IN THE FALLS A CHURCH OF CHRIST

KO-10479292

David Black, Minister

KO-10479284

EXPLORE CUYAHOGA FALLS & SILVER LAKE • 2016

Worship Services: Acapella 9:00 am • Instrumental 11:15 am Bible Study 10:30 am (all ages) • Wednesday Adult Study 7:00 pm **Visit our website for info on life groups

“Embracing God; Encouraging Others; Engaging the World”

330.929.4717 • 837 Chestnut Blvd • churchinthefalls.org

Thank you Cuyahoga Falls & Silver Lake For letting us provide you with a Large Selection of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, A Wide Variety of Vitamins, Herbs and Mineral Supplements, Organic Groceries, Amish Cheeses, Healthy Deli, Grass Fed Steaks, Organic Produce and Eggs, Amish Pies, etc...

ary s r e v i Ann

Stay Healthy

™

High Quality, Low Prices, Always! ™

KO-10472708

See why your neighbors Shop at Kriegers!

615 Graham Rd. (At the Intersection of Graham Rd., Wyoga Lake Rd, & Oakwood Dr.) Cuyahoga Falls Hours: Mon.-Sat. 9 to 8 • Sunday 10 to 6 • 330-929-2929 EXPLORE CUYAHOGA FALLS & SILVER LAKE • 2016