5 Great Things about Cuyahoga Falls
Lifetime Cuyahoga Falls resident Don Walters was interested in government long before running for mayor in 2013. Growing up one street over from then-mayor Robert Quirk, Walters studied local government, then served six terms on Ward Six City Council, where he developed a knack for representing his neighbors and helping fix their problems. Now nearing the end of his first term as mayor, Walters shares some great reasons to live, play and work in his hometown.
Safety for Internet Transactions
I realized that our police department lobby is open 24 hours and under video and audio surveillance at all times. It is a perfect spot to do a transaction for something you would buy or sell on Craigslist or any other site, free and open to everyone. If you want to sell something and you tell someone to meet you at the police department lobby to do the transaction and they say no I won’t meet you there, it’s probably a good thing that you don’t sell to that person.
Incentives for Home Buyers
Realizing our homes are the biggest investment we ever make, I started a first-time home buyer incentive packet. It’s worth about $2,600 [and] offers a lot of city amenities for free: a pass to the fitness center, Water Works Park and golf passes. If people get to sample those, they may join. Then I reached out to local businesses and included [their] incentives as well.
Respect for Veterans
We have four cemeteries the city owns. Oakwood Cemetery is the largest and historic with a huge veterans’ section. If you were a vet and were a resident during your service or at the time of your death, you are buried for free in our veterans’ section of Oakwood. What I found was a problem: Spouses are forbidden to be buried in that section. That’s ridiculous. I went to city council and changed the law. Now we will also bury spouses in that section. It sounds small, but it’s a huge deal to be able to be buried with your spouse.
Slowing Down for Safer Streets
I use the funds from the “$5 jeans Fridays” I enacted to buy yard signs that say, “Drive slow; we love our kids and pets.” One of the biggest complaints I heard on city council was speeding in the neighborhoods. The signs are a reminder. When I see them, I slow down.
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Outlook for the Future
There’s been a record number of ribbon cuttings since I’ve been in office, with small businesses especially, so the jobs are being created. The housing market in 2016 [saw] the average price of a home up over six percent and the time on the market down over nine percent. Crime is down over six percent last year. We’ve added a half million to our street paving budget to get our roads caught up to where they should be. Menards is breaking ground on Graham Road. We have a $10 million hotel going up on front street; renovation of the old Falls Theater is slated to happen; we’re going to city council for a final vote on revitalizing the entire downtown. Everything in Cuyahoga Falls is moving in the right direction.
Thriving Businesses Foster a Bright Future
Whatever the weather, the forecast for business in Cuyahoga Falls is sunny. New and existing businesses are thriving in two up-and-coming areas.
“Portage Crossing has been open for a couple of years and has been received very well by the community,” says Laura Petrella, CEO of the Cuyahoga Falls Chamber of Commerce. “It has all the ingredients in a recipe for the community to engage.” Mixed retail and cool eateries between two national chain anchor tenants offer residents a great shopping experience.
Just across town from the State Road area, small businesses—like HiHo Brewery, Pandora’s Cupcakes, and The Office Bistro—create an attractive extension to the Front Street walking mall. And plans to reintroduce car traffic to Front Street mean the sky’s the limit for downtown’s potential. “With it opening again, we feel the excitement,” Petrella says. “Prospective businesses are calling our offices and asking for details to see if they’re a good fit. We know they’re excited.”
Residents are excited, too, as they see the city making the most of the its two biggest assets: a river running right through downtown and a historic district. “When you have a community that has a vibrant downtown area, it encourages new residents to move in.” And that’s great for business. “The future is definitely bright.”