Pride Day - Saturday, May 20, 2017!

This Saturday, May 20, 2017 is Lorain County Pride Day!  Residents from all over the county will turn out to help usher in Spring and beautify our blossoming community.  Groups are organized around Elyria, committed to activities from planting flowers and gardens to litter pickup and fire hydrant painting.  It is not too late to participate!  A large group will meet in Ely Square, Downtown Elyria on Saturday Morning, May 20th. Festivities kick off around 8:30am.  There is still much to do and everyone is welcome, including the young and the young-at-heart.  Please join us for our annual Spring cleanup!

If you have questions, please call the City of Elyria Parks and Recreation department at 440-326-1500.

Bicentennial Programs from the Lorain County Historical Society

Please join Janet Bird of the Lorain County Historical Society for a FREE entertaining and educational evening on Monday, May 22, 2017 at Monteith Hall (218 East Avenue) .  The program will highlight Abigail Monteith, wife of honored Elyrian and staunch abolitionist John Monteith, and will provide even more background into the rich history of our great City during our Bicentennial year.

You are also encouraged to stop by the Student Center of Lorain County Community College to view an informative Traveling Bicentennial Exhibit, also courtesy of The Lorain County Historical Society.  The display was created in part from a grant by the Lorain County Solid Waste Management District and was designed to provide a mobile history center that can travel around the City, sharing even more information about Elyria's history in variety of locations around the City.

For more information about these and other programs, please call the LCHS at 440-322-3341

CITY OF ELYRIA SEEKING COMMUNITY GARDENERS

The City of Elyria is potentially offering up 14 vacant property sites to residents who may have an interest in developing a Community Garden.  The property is offered up at no cost, but participants are expected to complete a User Agreement and Liability Waiver and commit to maintaining the property for the 2017 growing season.  The City provides raised beds and instructions to the gardeners. 

Interested parties are encouraged to learn more by attending an organizational meeting set for  Tuesday  evening, May 16 at 6:00pm in the third floor conference room of Elyria City Hall – 131 Court Street.  The following sites will be presented.  If there is interest in gardening a site, the City will check with neighbors to make sure they are supportive of the effort before an agreement can be signed.  For more information call Ginny Hawes in the Safety Service Office at 326-1420. 

Potential Community Garden Sites Include:

• 346 ½ 9^th Street
• 233 Gates
• 238 Gates
• 428 Mussey – Taken
• 715 17^th Street
• 518 2^nd Street
• 527 2^nd Street
• North Street – Taken
• 317 Furnace – Taken 
• 442 Louisiana – Taken
• 142 Warden
• 118 Quincy  

Local Business Icon Hands Reins to New Owner

Francesca Gentile, long-time Elyria business owner and proprietor of Coiffures by Francesca in Elyria, is retiring after nearly 40 years in the beauty business.  Originally from Italy, Francesca moved her with her new husband and started her path towards the American Dream.  After a few short years of hard work she had earned her beauty license, studied our history and became an American citizen, and started her own business which blossomed into a tremendous success. Her business model revolved around serving the people of our community, providing low-cost, high-quality haircuts and beauty needs since 1984, and that model will continue with a new owner, Annette Rawlings, under the new name “Francesca’s Unleashed.” 

It was an honor to meet with both ladies at the grand re-opening of Francesca’s Unleashed last Saturday, April 28^th.  Please take some time to stop in and get to know the new owner at 468 N. Abbe in Elyria.

Alvin Brown (Author of Elyria's People of Color) Returns to Elyria this Weekend, May 5-6, 2017!

Author Alvin Brown, writer of "Elyria's People of Color (1820-1920)" will return to the City of Elyria for two great Bicentennial Events this coming weekend, May 5-6, 2017!  On Friday, May 5th, he will be signing copies of his book at the Lorain County History Center (284 Washington Avenue) from 5:30-7:30pm.  Mr. Brown's book is one of the most informative pieces written on the lives of African-Americans in Elyria and Lorain County during the formative years of our area.  Don't miss the opportunity to meet him!  Please RSVP for this event by calling 440-322-6308.

On Saturday, May 6th, Mr. Brown will join Professor Emerita, Dr. Judith Johnson Friedman, Elyrian and author of "White and Black, Together/Apart in a Small City," in Council Chambers of Elyria City Hall from 11:00-1:00pm (131 Court Street, Elyria).  Together they will hold a community conversation and welcome your questions and insights.

Both of these events are sponsored by: Elyria Bicentennial Committee, Elyria YWCA, Lorain County Community Foundation African-American Fund, Elyria NBPW, and The Lorain County Historical Society.

  

For more information contact The Elyria YWCA at 440-322-6308.