If I can get off work and go to this event...(am I just wasting my time?)...my vision would be for "A Cleveland where Diversity works."

To a degree, I see that it works in my neighborhood-- Brooklyn Centre.  I see moms  (and even dads) of different shades of biege, brown, black and tan, who can agree that it is good for their kids to play with each other.  We have a good thing here, if we don't allow outsiders to ruin it with their "poverty equation."

I'm wondering what this 10,000 creation is, who is behind it, how much it has spent to this point, and where the funding comes from. Anybody have any info?

I am  tired of the  kumbayah pretense as well.  Let's all  hold  hands for the picture.  Someone needs to get photos of the administrators getting into their SUVs as they head back to Solon, Bay Village or the other "safe" enclaves.

On a related note, if RTA wants to cut lines--start with the park-and-ride suburban flyers.  Then, we'll start to get the action and funding restored at the state and federal level. 

It appears to be hosted by Cleveland 365 and the GCP. Jeff Buster attended the first such event and reported that it was a diverse crowd unlike some of these other "believe in Cleveland", "let's get busy", WTF's wrong with this place?" events like Cat-Strat, intown brews, MTB, E4S, etc. I think these are sort of like group therapy for people with ideas who are still treading water in a choppy Lake Erie. We want to move forward, but the tide is so strong that we are reaching out for others who share our panic.

The thing about entrepreneurs, though, is that if they are to go ahead, they have to stop treading water and start swimming. They are not likely to succeed in the same portion of the lake treading water and they will most likely start stroking at some point, here or in some other body of water. We like to gather though, to see if someone else is doing the same thing we are.

There was a really good version of this sort of idea once called REI, headed up by Ed Morrison. Roomkin (I mused a while back if he was a roomkin without a view) had a better idea and shut that down - duh - another bad idea coming out of Weatherhead. Ed persists with i-open on a scaled back version since he is in demand elsewhere (swimming in other waters). But Ed's latest venture is one in which we should all participate... Map the Mess. If we keep having these innovative ideas regardless of their number, but remain mired in a government that shoots them down, no matter how much we believe, clap or otherwise fool ourselves, Tinkerbell is going to die just like everybody else. Cleveland - Cuyahoga County - this ain't no fairy tale, it's the real story of 21st century feudal society. Lords with their manors rule the day - they decide who will sow and who will reap, who will serve and who will eat.

After the first 10,000 little ideas event, Jeff, as I recall, referred to it as "10,000 little cuts" which is probably a more apt title - less hopeful, but probably more realistic.

I am in the unique position to have worked with the 10,000 group since late last year. We are an entirely 100% volunteer organizaton -- no fat cats in our SUVs running off to the far away brubs. Most of us live 10 minutes away from downtown -- including our co-presidents. Me, I live on the brooklyn/parma boarder, I worked at E. 40th and Superior for the last two years before starting my own technolgy company... and before that I received my degrees from Cleveland State. (Not exacly in the heart of Cleveland, but not in some far away suburb either.) We are a group of professionals who are doing our best to improve cleveland and Northeast Ohio. We are not insiders... we work from the outside with those on the inside. Contrary to what many believe there are people who are doing their "darndest" to ensure Cleveland has a very bright future. I would hope that before people pass judgment on the 10,000 Visions Event they would take the time to attend it... then decide if it offers value. People all too often seem to think the worst of hard work and good ideas... that saddens me.  Here is a blog I have posted on the Internet, it gives my perspective on the 10,000 Visions Event. Please, attend the event before you decide on its value to Cleveland.

“What is being done to bring economic vitality to Cleveland?”  This is a common question often discussed around town in various social gatherings.  I find the question being asked everywhere -- in homes, at cocktail parties, at bars and coffee houses.  What is being done?  If you know where to look and look very hard, you can find the answer.  However, I fear that the average “Joe Clevelander” is not getting the message.  People are asking the question, but more times than not, they seem to be uncertain about the answer.  What “Joe Clevelander” needs is for someone to take all of tiny mosaic tiles representing individual success stories and assemble them in one place to create a vision of Cleveland’s future.    10,000 Little (micro) Ideas, a grassroots organization of community leaders, and GCP (The Greater Cleveland Partnership), which represents business members from family-run stores to the region’s largest employers, have created the mosaic of Cleveland’s future in a event entitled, “10,000 Visions of Cleveland.”  The event being held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Galleria on September 6, 2008 promises to give “Joe Clevelander” the opportunity to meet with those who are actively in the trenches shaping tomorrow by bringing economic activity to Cleveland today.  At the event, attendees will travel through three themed corridors (Economic Development, Lifestyle and Sustainability) where they will learn first-hand about what the Greater Cleveland Partnership (GCP) and its 40+ Economic Partners are doing to advance the region.  From 2-6 p.m., attendees can take a shuttle bus over to a Block Party on West 6th Street where they can celebrate these “visions of Cleveland” and enjoy Live Bands, Apartment Tours, signature drinks and appetizer specials.   A noteworthy second prong of this event focuses on the collection of new “visions” or ideas.  It seems that GCP and 10,000 are not contented to rest with the visions already in action.  As a part of the online registration process, all attendees are required to share their own positive vision of Cleveland.   To sweeten the pot, all shared visions will then be reviewed and the one voted best will receive a $1,000 cash prize.  10,000 and GCP will help fuel the actions of tomorrow by putting these collected visions to good use.    In recent months, I have read where some have criticized Cleveland for being focused more on idea generation and less on action.  I for one am quite pleased to see this event prove the naysayers wrong by demonstrating that GCP and its partners are actively realizing Cleveland’s future in their actions today.  Cleveland does need action!  For me, this event proves that the region in already in motion.  Hooray, Cleveland! “Joe Clevelander,” grab a friend and head on down to the Galleria on September 6th for an afternoon that will inspire and entertain.  For more information about the event, go to www.10000VisionsofCleveland.com.  See you there!   

The attached photo shows Greensburg PA, which at one time was accessible from Cleveland via train.  Can we make it accessible via train, again? 

That would be one vision.  I also would like to see the City of Cleveland take all the vacant properties (by eminent domain or receivership) owned by banks (now LLCs) OR HUD-owned and offer them to occupants willing to renovate them through their own investment.

I call it the 5/10 solution and certainly it could use refinement, but here it is:

1. City of Cleveland takes vacant bank-owned or HUD foreclosed buildings into receivership or by spot eminent domain.
2. Open application process for eligible home owners. To be considered eligible applicants must show good credit record, debt-management, job security, and savings and preferably, be sponsored by a longstanding employer.
3. Condition of home give away--Owners listed on the deed must live in the home for five years and invest their own money into restoring the property to code, pay utilities and city tax on the property. The new owner will have five years to bring the home up to code. City of Cleveland will put a $5,000 lien and deed restriction on the property.
4. After five years the homeowner can sell the home, but must reimburse the city the $5,000.00. The owner keeps the profit over and above $5,000. If the owner does not abide by the residency clause, the house is immediately forfeited back to the City of Cleveland. The deed will be restricted to immediate family members with an occupancy limit determined by the size of the home.
5. If the owner must sell the house before the five year term, the reimbursement to the city is $10,000. After 10 years occupancy, the City of Cleveland releases the lien and deed restriction on the property and the resident assumes full ownership and title without any obligation other than annual property tax and utilty costs. 

does anybody know what the award-winning vision was, the one that bagged the $1,000 purse?

 
Please see above--I ran into Marty Cader yesterday, who works for the City of Cleveland, and is a bike advocate. The City of Cleveland is installing more bike racks and the garden space across from the market is being spruced for the centennial.

These are positive signs--we need more. I reminded Marty about the Clark-Pershing bridge for pedestrians and cyclists.  We also should consider how we might attract folks to visit CLE by bike (sans car).  One opportunity would be to relocate the Amtrak station from it's forlorn location near East Ninth. 

The Battery Park development in the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood has the rail tracks that carry Amtrak --there is no reason why the train can not allow passengers (and their bikes) to embark/disembark in a neighborhood that enjoys some vitality. 

I hope that the City of Cleveland will look into ways to make coming into CLE (car/care-free).