Community
Report
Agency looking to lead neighborhood's renaissance
New director takes helm, says re-boot already underway
Todd Michney’s wonderful book, Surrogate Suburbs: Black Upward Mobility and Neighborhood Change in Cleveland, 1900-1980 [2017], describes a once-idyllic
mid-2oth century Mt. Pleasant neighborhood. Today, Mt. Pleasant has fallen so far its
name seems an oxymoron, a cruel joke for those residents without knowledge of
the time when the area was solidly middle class, its atmosphere so benevolent
that white people were slower to flee than most of their cross town cousins.
Last night, the community’s eponymously named community
development corporation [CDC], Mt. Pleasant NOW, held a reception to introduce
its new executive director, Nicholas “Nick” Perry, and herald a sorely needed
new day.
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| Nicholas Perry |
Perry, 46, stepped down as board president six weeks ago to
become director. In one of his first acts, he said he has extended the hours of
its community center, located at 13815 Kinsman near the once-vibrant Kinsman
Ave-Union Rd-East 140 St. intersection. It now remains open weekday evenings for
the use of community groups and others until 8:30pm.
Perry also said the agency has redefined its role as a
brick-and-mortar CDC and plans to roll out an array of social services over the
next 18 months. Citing what he said was his favorite Bible verse, Matthew 5:16,
Perry concluded his brief remarks by saying “The Light is on in Mt. Pleasant.”
As part of the program, Mt. Pleasant NOW’s board presented
several awards for achievement. Its Humanitarian Award went to Ella Thomas,
executive director of Thea Bowman Center, one of the
community’s nonprofit anchors.
The business-oriented award went to Akil Affrica, who is putting
finishing touches on a new business, the Mt. Pleasant Café that is scheduled to
open shortly. Mr. Affrica owns several other eateries, including Zanzibar on
Shaker Square.
The Community Involvement Award went to M. Anita Gardner, a
housing advocate and executive director of the Concerned Citizens Community
Council.
The final award, for public service, went to Ward 4 city
councilman, Ken Johnson. In rambling and somewhat unctuous remarks, Johnson,
71, noted that he had been born nearby at the corner East 144 St. and Glendale
Ave. He has been on council since 1980 and was re-elected last week.
One interesting tidbit to emerge from the event was how the Mt.
Pleasant community has been parceled out among four wards — 1, 2, 4 and 6 — and
is served by three CDCs. Three of the council seats have turned over in the
past several months, Wards 1 and 2 by election and Ward 6 by appointment. It
seems apparent that collaboration and communication if not consolidation will
be important if restorative efforts are to have any lasting effect.
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