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In Slavic Village, new 'street lace' beautifies streets and calms traffic

Painting street lace in Slavic Village
Ron Calhoun
/
The Cleveland Observer

Slavic Village is comprised of several unique neighborhoods with thriving block clubs. These clubs were formed out of a passion for the neighborhood and building community by residents coming together to help each other and sponsoring events and initiatives.

Joy Cummings stands on a painted section of the street in Slavic Village.
Ron Calhoun
/
The Cleveland Observer
Joy Cummings

The Warszawa Block club is concerned with (1) keeping the neighborhood clean, (2) helping each other beautify, and (3) addressing traffic safety in a highly dense residential neighborhood. There are a lot of children in the area who play on the street and ride bikes, and parents are concerned with cars not stopping at stop signs, speeding, and the lack of basic traffic enforcement.

Tiffany Andreolli talks with Scott Pickering
Ron Calhoun
/
The Cleveland Observer
Tiffany Andreolli, along with help from neighbors and friends including “The Rocker” Scott Pickering.

The group met consistently for almost two years. The result is what the group calls “Street Lace,” beautifully painted curbs and street paintings at various locations throughout Slavic Village.

The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) will supply funding along with materials including paint and ADA ramps from its street supplies program. The City of Cleveland’s Traffic Engineering department helped coordinate and advise the group on the process as well as following city ordinances and obtaining permits.

The Cleveland Observer found Joy Cummings, Anthony and Tiffany Andreolli, and other neighbors and friends including “The Rocker” Scott Pickering, completing the finishing touches on the project.

Andreolli mentioned how drivers are “becoming more aggressive in neighborhoods.”

“Temporary speed bumps over the summer months every year,” Cummings said, “would be a great addition to the Street Lace.”