Avon Girls Volleyball and Boys Soccer win state titles on the same day: Short Takes on Avon, Avon Lake, Bay Village, Westlake, and Rocky River

Short Takes

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Thank you Veterans for your service!

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Avon

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Championship city: Congratulations to the Avon High School boys soccer team and girls volleyball team for winning Div. II State Championships (on the same day). It’s the first soccer State Championship for any Lorain County team (boys or girls), and the first volleyball State Championship for the school.  

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Fenced in: Many have noticed the construction fencing up at the southwest corner of Chester and Detroit roads. The land will be home to a new Speedway Gas Station. For the record, gas stations in the city can only be located north of Detroit Road.

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Flipping good news: The former Smith’s Custom Catering building (37500 Colorado Ave.) will be remodeled to house the Westside Pancake restaurant.

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Plans call for the existing building to be remodeled and for a 7,222-sq-ft. restaurant addition which will include a 360-sq.ft. outdoor patio.

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Turkey Dash: Support a good cause and get some exercise before gobbling up on turkey this Thanksgiving as registration is now open for the annual Karen P. Nakon Turkey Dash set to take place at 9 a.m. on Thanksgiving (Nov. 27) at Avon High School.

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The Karen P. Nakon Breast Cancer Foundation was established on February 22, 2003, Karen’s 38th birthday, to honor her courageous five-year battle against breast cancer.

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In its inception, the Foundation was a small family tribute that sought to make a difference in Northeast Ohio. However, over the past two decades, with the generous help of loyal donors and other non-profits, the Karen P. Nakon Breast Cancer Foundation has grown to be a significant force in breast cancer patient assistance.  

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Creative studio: A new business recently opened in place of Pinspiration (34970 Detroit Road) which closed several weeks ago.

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Creative Loft on Detroit is an independently-owned and exclusive new creative studio for the area offering a creative space for people of all ages to craft.

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Expanded offerings include party packages for birthdays, team building, holiday celebrations, fundraisers, and more. The Splatter Room is also open and ready to book — perfect for anyone who wants to suit up and fling paint Jackson Pollock–style.

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Stop by next door and check out Little Meraki Market. The shop offers wine, charcuterie and other gift items.  

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Avon Lake

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Money, money, money: City officials are pursuing the use of Tax Increment Financing to purchase lakefront property from the Avon Lake Environmental Redevelopment Group (ALERG) at the site of the former power plant, and to support public infrastructure improvements in connection with the Sandridge Run and Harbor Crest developments. Those improvements would include the intersection of State Route 83 and Walker Road.

TIF is a commonly used tool for local governments to fund public infrastructure improvements associated with new development. Although they have been around since the 1950s, they are not widely known or understood.

Want to learn more about TIF and what it means for Avon Lake? Click here.

Light it up: Light Up the Park - Holiday Celebration will take place from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. Nov. 22 at Veteran's Memorial Park. The official lighting of the park is at 6 p.m.

The city is also offering photos with the big guy himself. Northcoast Christmas visit & photos with Santa will be offered from 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. Dec. 5; and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 6 at Veteran's Memorial Park

Santa will be available for family visits and photos. Pre-registration is required on the city’s Parks and Rec website. Family reservations are sold in 15-minute time blocks. Please plan on arriving 15 minutes before your scheduled time.  

ALPS update: It has been the City of Avon Lake's intention to preserve the two original towers to serve as a gateway to the new Avon Lake Play Space (ALPS). According to city officials, the plan was to refurbish the structure and leave it standing as a tribute to the past playground and the work done by so many residents to create it.  However, further evaluation has revealed they are not safe to remain in place.

Because they are unsafe to remain in place, the towers will be removed this week (weather and schedule permitting).  

City officials are still committed to honoring the park's past and will explore other ways to do so.

Bay Village

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Repeat champions: Congratulations to the Bay High School girls soccer team on back-to-back State championships in Div. III.

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The boys soccer team finished the season as State Runner-ups. Thanks for a great ride!

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Snow angels program: Winter is here! Volunteers are needed to be a Snow Angel. As a Snow Angel volunteer, you are paired with a senior for the entire winter season and are responsible to provide them with snow removal.

For more information, go to cityofbayvillage.com.

North Ridgeville

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Coffee chat: Join Mayor Kevin Corcoran in Council Chambers at City Hall from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Nov. 18 for his monthly Coffee & Conversation gathering.  

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Joining him this month is Heather Kaesgen, CEO of North Ridgeville Community Care, who will share practical ways the community can come together to  support local families. Community Care is currently in need of donations to restock its pantry. Attendees are encouraged to bring a donation to support Community Care’s ongoing efforts to serve local families.

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Beautiful resting place: Work is currently in progress at all three North Ridgeville cemeteries – Ridgeville Cemetery, Fields Cemetery and Sugar Ridge Cemetery – to replace aging and damaged fencing, according to city officials.

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As part of the project, the contractor is installing new landscaping that will serve as a natural barrier and enhance the appearance of each site. The North Ridgeville Historical Society will preserve a section of the original Ridgeville Cemetery fence for inclusion in a future display to honor the city’s history while improving its sacred spaces.

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Rocky River

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Grand opening: Celebrate the Senior Center’s transformation during a Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting ceremony from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Nov. 21. The new space includes a lecture hall, cafe, fitness studio, restrooms and dance studio.

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Oh behave: Can’t blame the kids this time as now the adults can’t seem to play nice in the sandbox. The Rocky River Recreation Center recently announced that because adults have been too disruptive, there will be no more pickleball at the Recreation Center for the rest of the year. Take your paddles and go home.  

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Rebuilding: It’s been five months since a fire broke out at Rocky River Brewing Company. The owners recently provided an update which includes plans to reopen the restaurant in early March 2026.

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Westlake

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Nominations needed: The Westlake Town Criers are accepting nominations for the prestigious ‘Mr. & Mrs. Westlake’ award. The honor recognizes individuals who have contributed to the welfare of Westlake's youth and citizens.

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To nominate deserving candidates, please provide an overview of the nominee, highlighting their contributions. Nomination letters can be sent to the Westlake Town Criers, P.O. Box 45224, Westlake, OH 44145. You can also nominate by contacting Rick Grane at 440-829-0974 or info@westlaketowncriers.com.

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High tech leaf collection: City officials recently introduced the Daily Leaf Tracker web app, making leaf collection smarter. Residents can now get real-time updates from the Service Department, email notifications when crews reach your street, and AI-powered guidance on collection rules.

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Collection continues until early to mid-December, weather permitting. Only leaves will be collected; keep branches, grass and trash separate.

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