Showing posts with label Take Action. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Take Action. Show all posts
There's a lot going on across the city of Akron, and this is your chance to find out more about city programs, public safety and the positive changes that are coming to our neighborhood - including Reservoir Park and the Goodyear Boulevard business district. Bring the kids and join the fun as this family-friendly event.
https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/60b044dafaa2baaf94-public1
On Wednesday and Thursday of this week, we will be researching Historical Housing at the Goodyear Library from 10 am to 4 pm. We will show you how simple this can be and we will work together to confirm the style of housing within the historical area.
Friday is our Reservoir Park Pool Party from 4 pm to 7 pm Come and celebrate the artwork done by many of our neighbors and friends along with Mac Love @ play.
GHCAC will be hosting their Cookout on Friday evening from 6 to 9 at the corner of Goodyear and Honodle.
If you are able to volunteer with any of the above activities your help would be most appreciated...there is a lot to do - and "many hands will make it go much more quickly"
We want to clear up any misconceptions that people may have, especially for those who are worried that designation forces you to make improvements to your property. Nothing could be further from the truth; in fact, we chose the approach of National Register designation specifically because it would not add any extra financial burden on homeowners.
That said, we will be providing a wide range of education and informational resources to residents who do want to preserve and restore the historic character of their home and that of the neighborhood. We’ll be offering workshops, booklets, advice and many other resources to encourage our residents to preserve and enhance their home’s value. At some point in the future, we’d also like to work with public and non-profit foundations to offer some additional assistance—like grants and loans for repair and restoration. For additional facts about our effort, you can download a Q&A HERE.
For those who have lived in Goodyear Heights for many years, it’s clear that a lot of the neighborhood conveniences do not exist like they used to—grocery stores being a prime example. But making the most of what we have and encouraging future development on a small, neighborhood scale can go a long way towards enhancing walkability.
How much is that walkability worth?
Having shops and gathering spots like schools and restaurants located within a quarter-mile to one-mile from the homes in your neighborhood can add from $4,000 to $34,000 to home values, according to “Walking the Walk,” a study from CEOs for Cities, a nonprofit that works to improve cities. The rate of increase usually depended on the size of the city, with higher values in larger cities, and more moderate values in smaller cities.
What are walkable communities?
Dan Burden, founder of Walkable Communities, defines them with his a 12-step checklist, which includes:
• Great public places for people to to get together and socialize
• Speed-controlled key streets
• Pedestrian-centric design
• A town or neighborhood center with a wide variety of shops and businesses
To have great walkability, you start with having something worth walking to, such as restaurants, small shops or parks, and a critical mass of people living around those amenities. To make a difference, get your neighbors together and go talk to local officials. Your group can push the planning and zoning board for changes that make your town more walkable, like adjusting zoning to allow limited commercial development where it can do the most good.
Contact groups like the Better Block Foundation, who has organized planning and demonstration projects in North Hill, Middlebury and Kenmore. They are great when it comes to showing residents how they can improve neighborhood commercial areas and make them more pedestrian-friendly. On Twitter, you can connect at @akronbb.
Residents will want to mingle somewhere, too. See how you can support and expand public spaces where you can mix and socialize (think library, park, coffee shop) to increase your neighborhood’s walkability. Goodyear Heights has these amenities available—we just have to make the most of them.
•More and wider sidewalks; bike lanes where practical.
•Lower speed limits; traffic-calming strategies at intersections.
If you’re serious about increasing walkability, gather neighbors and town officials for a walking audit, where the group walks along a particular route and stops periodically to discuss how to improve the walking experience with landscaping, safety improvements, or accessibility improvements. Other things you can do:
•Trim shrubbery that may be blocking the sidewalk in front of your house.
•Pick up trash and litter as you walk along. If you see an eyesore, note it and call the Akron 311 line
•Replace your porch and outdoor lights with LED bulbs and light things up at night. They cost little to use, and it will boost your security and that of the neighborhood.
•Be polite to other drivers and pedestrians when you drive.
And maybe the best walkability tip of all? Just get out and walk.
Responses continue to come in for our Goodyear Heights Resident Survey, and as the weeks go on we’ll be sharing some of the results and highlighting some of the specific questions we asked and the responses we are getting.
As a teaser, we might pass on just a few observations that we gathered on our first look at the results. One thing that stuck out was that a majority of the respondents (55%) have lived in Goodyear Heights for at least 10 years of more—in fact, in our initial 100 responses, 30% of those surveyed had lived in Goodyear Heights for 20 years or more!
 |
| A cartoon that appeared in The Wingfoot Clan during Goodyear Heights' early years. |
Among the first 100 respondents, almost 80% were homeowners. Most lived in what we would consider the “older” part of the neighborhood. Of the issues they would like to see the city address, crime was by far the primary issue—something that is typical in most of Akron’s neighborhoods.
We’ll also note there was a very high degree of interest in a true grocery store, places to eat and hang out, improved parks and a community garden, and maybe even a regulated dog park. Over the next few weeks, we’ll look at some of those things our residents are suggesting, and consider how we can adapt those ideas into an overall plan to improve Goodyear Heights. Stay Tuned!
We want you to tell us: What are our neighborhood's challenges? What things make it great? What would you like to see, in terms of services, retail, amenities, programs or activities?Plans and ideas don't add up to much without the input of our neighborhood residents. Don't be shy...nothing great will happen unless you provide your input and let us know what you think!
The annual event takes place in neighborhoods all over Akron, but the biggest party of all happens right here in Goodyear Heights, in front of the Linda Theater. Local businesses, community groups, entertainers and residents all shared in the fun, with hundreds of people congregating on Goodyear Boulevard. Much of the credit for the even goes to R.I.G.H.T. president Sharon Connor, who helps organize the event and bring it all together.
To read more about it, check out this article in The Akronist.
There was a meeting on July 11, but you can still participate in a community garden survey initiated by Summit Metro Parks. This survey is intended for any resident of the Goodyear Heights, Ellet and City of Akron interested in gardening, socializing, volunteering or coordinating garden-related activities.
A community garden provides a source of inexpensive, high quality food, an opportunity for activities and socializing, and a source of community pride! Please take 5 minutes to help Summit Metro Parks look at your community’s needs and desires. Your responses are welcomed and protected. Please share this link: http://bit.ly/SMPgardensurvey with other neighbors of the Goodyear Heights Lodge which is located at 2077 Newton Street, Akron 44305.
You might be surprised to know that community gardens are not a new thing in Goodyear Heights; during the First World War, many residents worked together to grow vegetables on the allotment's vacant lots. During WWII, a portion of the metropolitan park was also used to grow vegetables in support of the war effort!
Thank you in advance for your assistance in gathering community information regarding community gardens.
Over the past few years, Goodyear Heights has had one of the best turnouts in the city, with hundreds of neighbors coming together to celebrate in a big street party on Goodyear Boulevard, in front of the Linda Theater. Residents are encouraged to come by for games, music, refreshments, community information and a number of other activities designed for all ages.
We understand that residents have questions, too—and we want to be open about the process, what it means for home and business owners, and how this project can have a positive impact on Goodyear Heights over the long term. We also want to hear about your overall vision for the neighborhood; we want to know how you see it today and what you would like to see in the future. We’ll explain the benefits that historic designation and a National Register listing can offer, and explain how the process works.
The benefits include:
Recognition of neighborhood’s historic significance at city, state and federal government levels
A prestigious and honorific designation that will promote housing investment, stabilize and preserve property values
No restrictions or requirements for residents in terms of home repairs, maintenance or improvement
Improves neighborhood’s ability to attract investment and funding from public and private resources, including grants for improvement projects
IN ORDER TO BUILD COMMUNITY SUPPORT, WE ARE HAVING A SERIES OF NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS TO EXPLAIN THE PROJECT, THE PROCESS AND HOW YOU CAN HELP.
TUESDAY, APRIL 25 – 6PM at Reservoir Park Community Room
SATURDAY MAY 6 – 10AM at Goodyear Heights Presbyterian Church
MONDAY MAY 8 – 10AM at Reservoir Park Community Room
WEDNESDAY MAY 10 – 6PM at Seiberling CLC
Join us to find out more!
Questions? Contact the R.I.G.H.T. Committee – 330-784-6623 or sconnor427@gmail.com
Ever since last summer, when we had our Goodyear Heights history walks, organizers on the R.I.G.H.T. Committee and other friends of the neighborhood have been investigating the possibility of having the original allotment officially designated as a historic neighborhood. This designation would include some “branding” by the City of Akron, appropriate historic markers, and providing some helpful assistance in the effort to get a portion of The Heights named to the National Register of Historic Places. It's a critical first step in a process that we believe will lead to a revitalization of this unique Akron neighborhood.
That effort has resulted in new historical research and development of educational information, initial outreach to the community and this website! A preliminary application questionnaire for the National Register is being prepared for submission to the State of Ohio, and a team of volunteers is preparing an action plan to ensure recognition and preservation for the Goodyear Heights neighborhood.
Sign the Petition
One of the best ways you can assist in this effort is to sign our petition requesting the City to provide this official designation, erect appropriate identification signage, and support the effort to secure a place on The National Register of Historic Places. Gathering a large number of signatures will demonstrate that we have strong support in the community and go a long way toward making this all happen! If you need more information about this effort, click here – or email us.
You can sign an online petition, or add your signature to one of the petitions circulating throughout the neighborhood, at R.I.G.H.T. Committee meetings, or at a neighborhood business.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Popular Posts
-
While it was always a great source of recreation and scenic beauty for the neighborhood, Blue Pond also had its mysteries. Located at the ... -
One of the first things people often ask about The Linda Theater is how it got its name. The answer is pretty simple: local builder and deve... -
Vaniman Street, looking north - about 1915-16. One of the first streets completed in Goodyear Heights. We created this website for th... -
Join us for the annual JINGLE BELL CRAFTS BAZAAR sponsored by the Presbyterian Women's Association. On Saturday November 2nd from 9:0... -
An original and well-preserved Goodyear-built Heights home, this English Cottage-style house constructed in 1920 features 3 bedrooms and 1...
Get Involved!
