Aurora
Aurora City Council recently approved the city’s purchase of Geauga Lake and 48 acres adjacent to it. The property will be turned into a public park with water amenities, including swimming, boating and other recreational activities. It will be done in phases over time.
Meanwhile, council approved the city to apply for a grant for the rest of the Geauga Lake demolition at the old park property. The grant is for approximately $415,000. The total cost will be about $550,000, with the city contributing the balance.
The City of Aurora purchased .70 acres at 420 N. Chillicothe Rd. next to the railroad right-of-way where the second phase of the walking trail will likely be. The city bought the property so it can have some options with respect to parking and things like that.
City council is still considering a contract with a company to provide a zoning-code update for Aurora.
“Our zoning code has not been updated in more than 20 years,” Mayor Ann Womer Benjamin said, “so it needs to be updated so there are fewer inconsistencies. It just makes sense with current law.”
City council approved a conditional zoning certificate for MJ Property Group for a storage facility in the industrial park.
“They’ve been working on that facility for a while,” Womer Benjamin said.
Council approved a membership agreement for the city with Metro SWAT, which is a Portage County and Summit County SWAT group that Aurora participates in.
City council is considering changing the meeting times for council and committee of the whole meetings on the second and fourth Mondays of the month. Currently, council begins at 7 p.m., and committee of the whole begins sometime before that depending on how much legislation there is to consider. The starting times might be changed to committee of the whole at 6 p.m. and council following immediately afterward.
Trick-or-Treat will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31. People who want to participate should turn on their front-porch lights.
The Aurora Memorial Library will host “Halloween Storytime” from 11 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Oct. 29. The library is located at 115 E. Pioneer Trl.
Aurora’s annual holiday tree-lighting festival will be from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30 at Bicentennial Park. A holiday tree will be lit and there will be all kinds of activities, including a petting zoo, a bounce house, and the opportunity to meet Santa and movie characters. There will also be food trucks.
The Aurora Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau will have its 2024 holiday luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 6 at the Bertram Inn Hotel and Conference Center at 600 N. Aurora Rd. Festivities will include the annual meeting and annual business and person of the year presentation. To RSVP and for more information, call 330-562-3355, email [email protected] or go to allaboutaurora.com.
The Cleveland Cavaliers’ Aurora Chamber of Commerce Night will be at 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1 as the Cavaliers host the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Tickets include access to a private pregame happy hour in the arena. To purchase tickets, go to cavaliers.group/acc.
The Aurora Chamber of Commerce Foundation will hold an Aurora Night at the Races scholarship benefit at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8 at the Hawthorn of Aurora Clubhouse at 685 Walnut Ridge Trl. Sponsorships are available.
“Breakfast with Santa” will be from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 7 at the Bertram Inn Hotel and Conference Center at 600 N. Aurora Rd. The event is for Aurora residents only. To purchase tickets, go to aurora.activityreg.com. Tickets will go on sale Thursday, Nov. 1.
Letters to Santa can be dropped off at a special mailbox in the parking lot of the Aurora Memorial Library from Nov. 30 to Dec. 15. The library is located at 115 E. Pioneer Trl. Make sure you include the child’s name and address.
There will be a holiday lights tour in December. You must register your home or business by Friday, Dec. 6 to be on the tour. To register, go to aurora.activityreg.com.
The City of Aurora held its annual Fall Festival and Business Showcase on Oct. 5 at Sunny Lake Park. The event featured food trucks, music, kids activities like face painting and balloons, hayrides, miniature golf and businesses that had all kinds of giveaways.
“It was a great event and a beautiful day,” Womer Benjamin said. “We had lots of attendees, and it was really, really nice.”
The annual Turkey Trot and Mashed-Potato Mile will take place Thanksgiving Day Nov. 28. It takes off at Aurora High School at 109 W. Pioneer Trl. The 1-mile run will begin at 8 a.m., and the 5K will start at 8:30 a.m. You can register at auroraoh.com or at 7 a.m. the morning of the races. Early registration costs are $20 for one race or $30 for both races. For those not registering early, the costs are $25 for one race and $35 for both races.
Senior leaf raking will be Saturday, Nov. 2, starting in the morning. Those who want to volunteer or have their leaves raked should call the Aurora Parks & Recreation Department at 330-562-4333.
“This is for seniors who have a harder time raking their leaves,” Womer Benjamin said.
The City of Aurora photo contest is underway. Submit your photos(s) to Amy Martin at [email protected] by Friday, Nov. 1 for your chance to win! The theme is “Capture Aurora.” For more information, go to auroraoh.com/departments/parks.
The Orchid House Winery will be open for Saturday brunch starting Nov. 2. Brunch will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., followed by Happy Hour from 3 to 6 p.m. and dinner from 3 to 10 p.m. The winery is located at 155 Treat Rd.
City council members and members of Womer Benjamin’s staff, including the mayor herself, worked the concession stands at the Aurora High School football game Oct. 18.
“We’ve done that once a year in recent years,” Womer Benjamin said. “It’s a great opportunity to see a lot of people and to help the schools.”
Stacie Riffert won the 2024 NOACC Bright Star Award. Riffert is the president of Empowered Leadership LLC and vice president of the Aurora Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau Board of Directors.
Sand Pebbles Asian restaurant recently relocated from State Route 82 to 340 Aurora Commons Cir. The ribbon cutting was Sept. 6.
“They renovated space in the Aurora Commons, and it’s a beautiful restaurant,” Womer Benjamin said.
Shalersville
A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Crestwood Community Center will be held at noon Wednesday, Oct. 30 at the Buchert Memorial Park Lodge at 4810 E. High St. Everyone is invited. Light refreshments will be available. The lodge will house the center until a new building is constructed down the road.
“Rosemary Krupar has been instrumental in raising awareness of this need in our community and organizing the group and planning activities,” Mantua-Shalersville Area Chamber of Commerce President Randy Ellis said. “She has a core group of friends helping her get this off the ground.
“The CCC was started to fill a void in our area for non-denominational activities and programs for adults living in the Crestwood School District area. This includes Mantua Village, Mantua Township, Hiram Village, Hiram Township and Shalersville.”
The CCC’s mission is to create a welcoming and inclusive space to foster personal growth and community connections. It provides programs and services to support health and adult education. Currently it hosts a weekly SAIL (Stay Active and Independent for Life) balance and fitness class. Residents completed surveys to indicate preferred activities. Book and puzzle swaps happen weekly along with rotating regular bingo, Dominoes and card games.
The CCC plans future lunch programs on the local history of the Headwaters Trail, Everyday Joy, and Senior to Senior technology assistance. Tentative future plans are to increase open times and days with additional classes and activities. Possible programs are pen pals with Bio-Med students, health coaches one to one with NEOMED students, and ballroom chair or line dancing. Anyone interested in indoor pickleball for the winter should email [email protected] or follow the CCC on Facebook: Crestwood Community Center.
The CCC is a volunteer-run organization funded by a $3,500 grant from the Hiram Community Trust, donations from local residents and the Downtown Mantua Revitalization Committee. Mantua Village provides the use of the Mantua Lodge.
The CCC will meet from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays. Feel free to stop in anytime during open hours and stay as long as you want.
The Portage Faith United Methodist Church will host a Bazaar and Country Store from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3. Fresh, homemade soups will be for sale as well as crafts and other great gift ideas. The church is located at 9922 state Route 44.
Paving is now complete for the walking trail in the old and new sections of Shalersville Park. As an added bonus, the parking lot at Town Hall was also paved. All three projects were funded with grants.
The township leases the old elementary school, located at the corner of State Route 44 and State Route 303, to Bio-Med. The roof over the gymnasium is leaking. The trustees approved $300 for emergency repairs and received a quote for $8,000 for a more permanent fix.
HB 47 requires an AED at all parks that have playing fields. Shalersville Township ordered one AED unit to fulfill the requirement and another AED to be placed at Township Hall.
The township trustees held a special meeting Oct. 17 to discuss a moratorium on data centers and related services.
The Crestwood Youth Football and Cheers would like to add a set of aluminum bleachers.
City of Ravenna
Airbnbs are popping up all over the city of Ravenna in areas that are zoned as residential. Technically, it is similar to renting a house.
“The only thing is, they’re running them more frequently,” Mayor Frank Seman said. “We have no regulations covering this. The planning commission is going to be looking at what people should have to do to open up an Airbnb. We think they need to at least talk to the city about what’s going on and what’s required of them.”
Ravenna’s Holiday Celebration (Midnite Madness) will be from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 29. The Holiday Parade will come through Ravenna at 5 p.m., followed by the tree-lighting ceremony on the courthouse lawn. Vendors interested in setting up downtown are to contact the Ravenna Area Chamber of Commerce at 330-296-3886.
The Friends of Juneteenth will be holding a second annual “Guess What” Auction from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 at the Skeels-Matthews Community Center at 4378 Skeels Rd. Bring a wrapped or gift-bagged item to donate and auction. Lunch is included. Proceeds benefit the 2025 Juneteenth Diversity Festival.
Reed Memorial Library will conduct oral history interviews in regard to memories of Ravenna and the library. Interviews will be conducted in the computer room Saturday, Nov. 9; Tuesday, Nov. 12; and Thursday, Nov. 21. The interviews will be from 2 to 4 p.m. each day.
The Shepherd’s House (formerly known as the Haven of Portage County) will host a Dueling Pianos fundraiser with the Cleveland Keys at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15 at the IC Hall at 251 W. Spruce St. Tickets are available at shepherdshouseinc.com.
A Red Cross blood drive will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21 in the Haymaker/Jenkins Room at Reed Memorial Library at 167 E. Main St. Walk-ins are welcome, or you can sign up at redcross.org. The sponsor code is “Ravenna.”
The Portage Community Chapel will be holding its Soup Cook-Off and Dessert Auction at approximately 12:45 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3 after its second service. The chapel is located at 6490 state Route 14.
Fall Pumpkin Sip & Paint by Blue Tree Designs will take place at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14 at the West Main St. Winery & Brewery. The winery is located at 234 W. Main St. Cost of the class is $25.
A Silent Book Club hosted by Books a Go Go will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10 at the Bean and the Baker at 107 E. Main St. Books a Go Go will also host its pop-up bookstore in Bean and the Baker at 9 a.m. the same day.
The Wire Wrapped Jewelry Workshop will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7 at Sandi’s Creative Corner at 1155 E. Main St. The class price is $25, with supplies included. Seating is limited. To register, call 330-541-1117 or email [email protected].
A ribbon cutting will be held at noon Thursday, Oct. 31 for YOI Hibachi Express at the new eatery’s location of 221 S. Chestnut St.
Are you interested in joining the Ravenna Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors? Board members get an opportunity to be involved, volunteer, share their ideas and continue to collaborate on moving Ravenna forward in a positive direction. If you are interested, send a letter of interest stating why you feel you would be a great addition to the board of directors to [email protected]. The deadline is Wednesday, Nov. 13.
Ravenna Township
Ravenna Township’s Trunk-or-Treat will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30 at Ravenna Township Hall at 6115 N. Spring St.
