On February 25, Mayor Tim DeGeeter held his State of the City 2020 address at the Watershed Stewardship Center at the West Creek Reservation. Mayor DeGeeter addressed many issues the city of Parma has been tackling in the last few years as well as some upcoming projects the city is working diligently on to help continue to make Parma a great place to live, work and play.

Missed his speech? Here’s a recap below, as well as a link to watch the Facebook Live recording.  

The West Creek Reservation and the Proposed Parma Dale Project

The city is still working with the West Creek Conservancy for the redevelopment of the 90-acre Parmadale property to create green space which will include a dog park. The updates so far are that 16 buildings have been demolished on the property and the city and Westcreek are seeking state and federal funding to demolish the last three large remaining structures so that Parmadale’s re-envisioning can become a reality.

Initiatives, Organizations and Events in Parma

• The mayor talked about how the #meetmeinparma campaign was designed to showcase city and resident pride and allow people to discover or rediscover aspects of our city that we are all proud of. Remember to use and follow this hashtag on social media! 
• He also mentioned the formation of We are Parma Proud, a non-profit organization that aims to build upon the best traditions that Proud of Parma once held for so many decades beginning back in the 70s, while simultaneously moving forward and writing a new chapter for our great city. The mayor mentioned that the organization is promoting our city and drawing people in through their events such as Picnic in the Park and Frosty’s Fest.
• Mayor DeGeeter discussed the national attention Parma has attracted this past year by the films that have been shot here. One film starting Liam Neeson and another starting Tom Holland and directed by Cleveland natives the Russo Brothers.
• People are coming from all over to visit our city and the day of the state of the city was no exception. Our city was filled with guests from all over coming to pick up their Pazckis for Fat Tuesday in the self-proclaimed Paczki capital. You see how many people come to the city form many great events and businesses such as Polish Constitutional Day Parade & Festival, Treat and Greet, Independence Day Parade, the new Quarry District Square, The Shoppes at Parma, and our new Script Parma Sign project spearheaded by council president Sean Brennan.
• The mayor also mentioned events that highlight the many small businesses that Parma has to offer such as the Young Professionals of Parma’s annual Pizza Bake Off and the Best of Parma Competition started and put on by All of Her Design Studio.

The Parma House Marketing

The Parma housing market has been on the rise and is still going strong. Since 2011 the median house price of a Parma home has risen 60%, from $79,000 to $126,315 for the median value of a Parma home which is a jump of more than $47,000. The sellers of their homes got 98.2% of their asking price. The homes available in Parma are down 14.1% since 2018 so if you are looking for a home in Parma you have to move act quickly!

Roads and Infrastructure Investments

• The city is making a large investment back into our community by investing $365,000 in block grant funds into sidewalks, streetscapes and storefronts. 
• The city’s commercial and property inspectors completed tens of thousands of inspections last year to ensure our properties and commercial buildings are safe.
•  The city has invested into iPad systems for our inspectors to help them complete more reports in the field and save them time at the office.
•  The city is partnering with Cleveland Water to work on water mains this year on Brookdale, Fortune and Grovewood Avenues which will be a total investment of $2.8 million. Another three projects are being designed for Russel, Torrington,and Tuxedo Avenues with a cost of about $2.6 million.
• For the past eight years the city, county, state and federal governments have invested a total of $45 million into our main and local streets. Last year the city improved a total of 21 residential streets and completed a $2.2 million project to repave parts of Broadview Road. 
• This year the city and state will begin a $5 million-plus project in March to repair Ridge Road from Pleasant Valley to Pearl Road. 
• The city has been working with the NEORSD on a master plan which will be ready this spring to identify hotspots in Parma for flooding and find ways to mitigate those issues. The city had replaced more than 250 catch basins, met with the army core of engineers and selected an engineering firm for NEORSD’s master plan so that our city can be first in line for grants and work to be completed once the plan is released. 

City Institutions, Recreation Department and Senior Services

• Institutions in Parma such as The Cleveland Metroparks West Creek Reservation, The Parma City Schools, The Parma Area Chamber of Commerce, Cuyahoga Community College, and the Cuyahoga County Public Libraries play a huge role in our residents quality of life.
• Our recreation department is among one of the best in Northeast Ohio. This year it developed a new youth basketball league for first and second graders to teach them the fundamentals of the game. The recreation department also teamed up with Parma City School to offer indoor winter swimming sessions through April 19th. A $100,000 renovation was also completed on Michael Reis Park’s playground thanks to federal funding.
• Parma Senior Center has continued the Silver Sneakers program which is now in its 5th year. There are also discounts available to seniors for medication, utilities and food stamps through the senior center. Parma and Seven Hills are also continuing their transportation of seniors with the city bus line and have seen great success with that program as well.

City Safety Services

• The police department implemented body-worn cameras last year through a $130,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. Parma PD will continue the program this year to help promote officer safety and transparency.
• The fire department has received a $1 million federal grant to hire eight full-time firefighters and remains on the cutting edge as one of the best in our region.

Parma’s Business and Commerce

• GM has committed to spending another $18 million into upgrading its plant again this year.
• Parma University Hospital is undergoing a $27.5 million expansion of its surgery unit, a $500,000 expansion of its emergency unit, and a  2 million dollar cardiac heart cath center. 
• Metro Health Hospital Parma campus will be completing a rebrand of its facility this year. 
• Pitt Ohio completed its new state of the art trucking terminal which will bring 200 new jobs to Parma.
• Our city will also be getting a new 1 Life 2 Play ESports center in Keystone Plaza on Broadview road. 
• The mayor also gave a shout out to many local small businesses that draw in so many residents such as Rudy’s Strudel and Bakery, Corleones, Little Birdie Wine Nest, Fat Eddies, Sittoos and State Road Meats just to name a few.

 

Mayor DeGeeter delivered a great address to our residents and showcased so many things going on in the city that we call home. If you want to see the video in its entirety check out the video on our Facebook Page here. 

By: Bill Baraona, YPOP VP