Cleveland: A Destination?

While listeing to WCPN this morning, a local caller gave his opinion on the discussion of the Medical Mart + Convention Center.

It went something like this:

“No one is going to come to Cleveland for a convention. If I lived in another city, I’d never come here. We need to stop talking about a Convention Center, and start thinking in reality.”

Do you think Cleveland is a destination location?

What about all the conventions that currently come to Cleveland?

Why do Clevelanders think that people don’t want to come here? Why would we chose to live here, and yet think if we didn’t we wouldn’t come visit?

Why do we not want people to come visit?

This kind of attitude goes back to my comments about Cleveland’s negative self-image problem.

I just don’t get it.

WTF!

To most people it is just another news story, but…

Last night Meghan and I were heading back from a lovely birthday dinner (hers) at Three Birds when we run into a police barricade on Triskett. From 145th to 140th was closed off.

Turns out a 20-year veteran police officer chased his estranged wife around the neighborhood while shooting at her car! When fellow police officers tried to intervene, he stopped his car, and killed himself. His wife, apparently, is ok.

Now, I certainly do not know the people involved. And I don’t know what it was like to be them. And I feel for their friends and family to have to deal with such a tragedy.

But what the f*@$ is going on in today’s world — hell, what the F*@$ is going on in Cleveland.

A firefighter shooting his annoying neighbors. A love triangle turns deadly at a McDonalds. And now a cop racing the city streets trying to shoot his own wife. All in the past 7 days.

I know crime happens. And I usually gloss over most of it. The news is nothing but a laundry list of who got shot. I have become disinterested because it is everywhere.

But when it happens 1 block over, and at the driveway of the house that backs up to my backyard, it hits a little too close to home.

Anything can happen.

What I Like About Cleveland: Access

I recently moved from the Heights to the near west side. I know, I crossed the river, how dare I?

When I lived in the Heights, I thought the east side was very accessible. 20 minutes on side streets I could get anywhere and to the highways. No need to drive on the highways. It was great.

Now I live in West Park, and in 30 minutes or less I can be anywhere: the Airport, Avon, downtown, the Heights, Willoughby, Independence.

I like that Cleveland has the feeling of access. I feel like I can get anywhere in the city quickly, easily, and with minimal traffic (aside the highway fender benders).

Drive times are short. Traffic jams are a myth. And many places can be reached with a minimal number of turns, street usage, and stop lights, and speed + stop-light cameras.

Game day downtown? Everyone has a short cut, a back way, a secret parking lot, side street or alley to park.

I like that I can get anywhere in Cleveland, with as little hassle as possible.

What I Like About Cleveland: Neighborhoods

I love Cleveland’s neighborhoods.

These little areas like Cedar Lee, Coventry, University Circle, Kamms Corner, Tremont, and Ohio City are great little areas for people to live, work, and walk.

There is something attractive and intriguing about a neighborhood when there are people walking around shopping, strolling, or just visiting.

In many of these areas there is a great support for local independent businesses such as coffee shops, florists, restaurants, hardware stores, book stores, and niche shops.

If you live in one of these little neighborhoods, I am sure you don’t need to be encouraged to support local businesses, but if you don’t live near one, or haven’t visited one, you should. All of Cleveland’s neighborhoods have something to unique to offer, and many have great restaurants, galleries, and shops that we should all support whenever we can.

Whether its a visit to Lava Lounge or The Flying Monkey in Tremont, or The West Side Market and Great Lakes Brewery in Ohio City, or Tommy’s and Big Fun on Coventry, local neighborhoods are the life line to a healthy Cleveland.

What I Like About Cleveland: The People

When it comes down to it Clevelanders, in general, are just good people.

Everyone who visits always are quoted in the paper as saying how nice the people are.

And when it comes to charitable offerings, we are always generous (this is a perception, I don’t have any actual facts or rankings).

I have met a lot of great people, creative minds, generous and kind people in this town. I never have a problem saying excuse me, and asking a fellow Clevelander for assistance and I try to do my bes to assist those who ask me.

With all the bad karma, bad press, and city self image problems, it is amazing how most of us can be so nice to others.