March 2, 2026
Figure skating competition: Congratulations to Avon Middle School student Katie Coffey who earned an opportunity to compete this week at the 2026 U.S. Synchronized Skating Nationals in Salt Lake City.
Tree commission honors: The Avon Tree Commission was recently awarded the Gold Leaf Award from the Ohio Chapter International Society of Arboriculture at the annual Ohio Tree Care Conference in Newark, Ohio.
The city earned the award because of its shade tree plan in conjunction with the land disturbance fee ordinance. A total of 27 trees were planted last fall throughout the city parks.
Upcoming library happenings: The Friends of the Avon Library will host Book Room Hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 7 at the library, 37485 Harvest Drive.
Find books and DVDs for all ages for a suggested donation of $1 per item.
High school musical: Support the arts in our schools by attending a performance of “Shrek” at Avon High School, 37545 Detroit Road. Show times and dates are 7 p.m. March 6-7; and 2 p.m. March 8. Tickets can be purchased online with reserved and general admission seating available.
Republican club meeting: The Avon-Avon Lake Republican Club will meet at 5 p.m. March 12 in Ragan Hall, 1783 Moore Road. Guest speaker will be Judge Andrew King of the Fifth District Court of Appeals who is now a candidate for the Ohio Supreme Court.
Also speaking is Mia McDougal, northeast Ohio field representative for Turning Point, USA that advocates for conservative principles directly to students. Refreshments will be available. Guest cost is $5.
Academic challenge: Set your DVRs or make plans to watch Avon High School compete on the Academic Challenge game show. The Eagles will take on students from Beachwood and Walsh Jesuit high schools.
The show airs on WEWS TV 5 (check your cable or streaming service for channel) at 11:30 a.m. March 14.
Garden club meeting: The Avon Garden Club will meet March 17 in the Orchid Room at Miller Nature Preserve, 2739 Center Road. Amy Goletz of Avonlea Native Plant Gardens and Inn will present, “What's the Buzz? Discover the Magic of Native Bees.”
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the free program starting at 7 p.m. The public is welcome to attend.
Choo-choo: Check out the model train display by the National Model Railroad Association Mid-Central Region Division 4 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 7, and from 1 to 4 p.m. March 8 in the Waugaman Gallery at the Avon Lake Public Library, 32649 Electric Blvd.
Book sale: The Avon Lake Public Library is hosting a Used Book Sale from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 14, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 15 at the library.
Hundreds of gently used books (best sellers, fiction, mysteries, science fiction, non-fiction, kids books, cook books, etc.), movies, and other items will be available for purchase.
All proceeds benefit library programs, events, and other activities.
For more information, visit alpl.org/friends.
Safety first: Safety Town registration opens online at 9 a.m. March 4 (classes are in the summer). The popular activity is open to children who will be entering Kindergarten this fall. While Safety Town is not required for kindergarten, it’s a fun and valuable way to help your child build confidence and learn important safety skills.
An important registration notice for families, your child’s grade in the Parks and Recreation Department’s system must be listed as PreK in order to register. Please check your account now. If it needs to be updated, email ALRec@avonlake.org before registration opens.
Volunteer teen leaders (ages 13-17) are also needed.
New this year, students now have the option to register their bicycles for free with the Avon Lake Police Department. Bike registration helps officers quickly identify and return lost or stolen bicycles to their owners.
During program registration, you can complete the optional bike registration form and will receive an official bike registration sticker during the program to take home and place on their bicycle. By providing basic information—such as the bike’s make, model, color, and number of speeds—you create a record that can be accessed if your bike is ever recovered.
More information regarding Safety Town is available on the city’s Parks and Recreation Department website.
Preschool perspective: Join pediatric psychologist Dr. Meghan Barlow as she talks about how to help parents better understand their preschooler's behavior and learn practical strategies to guide it in positive directions during a special presentation, “Big Feelings, Little Kids: Guiding Preschool Behavior with Confidence and Calm,” from 7 to 8:30 p.m. March 12 at the Lake Erie Nature & Science Center, 28728 Wolf Road.
Tickets are $15 each. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.
High school musical: The Bay High School Drama Department takes to the high seas March 26-29 for “Anything Goes!” To purchase tickets, click here.
Republican club: The North Ridgeville Republican Club will meet March 5 at North Ridgeville Fire Station #1, 7000 Ranger Way. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the meeting begins at 6:30 p.m.
Support for the theatre: Looking for a unique night out? At Speakeasy Night, in support of the Olde Towne Hall Theatre, guests will be treated to live music, silent auction items, Bingo with prizes, 50/50 raffle, and other prizes.
The event takes place at 5:30 p.m. March 13 at Avon Isle, 37080 Detroit Road. Tickets are available online.
Speaking of the Olde Towne Hall, Mayor Kevin Corcoran recently gave an update during this monthly Coffee and Conversation on the historic building noting that the building will require approximately $4 million in renovations to become safe and ADA accessible. The city will request proposals and evaluate options, though decisions are still well in the future.
Opa (again): After closing for nearly two months, Niko’s To Go, 34167 Center Ridge Road, is under new management and has re-opened.
Another business opening in town is the UPS Store, 34297 Center Ridge Road (Giant Eagle Plaza).
Tech help: Call the North Ridgeville Library at 440-327-8326 to book a 45-minute one-on-one appointment for tech help with your Kindle, iPad, tablet, email and other tech-related products.
The next Geek Squad events are from 1 to 3 p.m. March 5 and March 16.
Kindergarten readiness: Children and their caregivers are invited to attend Kindergarten Boot Camp from 6 to 7 p.m. March 11 at the North Ridgeville Library, 35700 Bainbridge Road, to learn expectations and skills for surviving the first year of school. The camp is open to children who will be entering kindergarten in the fall. Pre-registration online is required.
Native plants discussion: The Garden Club of North Ridgeville will meet at 6 p.m. March 10 at Sandy Ridge Reservation, 6195 Otten Road. The program will be, "Intro to Native Plants," presented by Dave Tomashefski of Meadow City Nursery in Cleveland. For more information, call 440-371-1775 or email Terrilmar@hotmail.com.
Evening coffee chat: Mayor Kevin Corcoran’s next Coffee and Conversation takes place in the evening this month and begins at 6 p.m. March 19 in Council Chambers at City Hall, 7307 Avon Belden Road. Guest is Ludina Mills from North Ridgeville Arts Council.
Arts scholarships: The North Ridgeville Arts Council is offering two $1,500 scholarships to a 2026 graduating senior attending college with plans to study some form of the arts.
The first Scholarship, “The Artistic Endeavor Award” will be for a graduate of North Ridgeville High School. The second scholarship “Arts Scholarship Award” will be offered to a graduate of any other accredited high school, and the applicant must also be an established resident of North Ridgeville. The deadline for both Scholarships is March 9.
All applicants must complete an application form, be recommended by a teacher and submit a written personal narrative explaining their high schoolaccomplishments, who/what influenced them and the importance of the fine arts area they have chosen.
To apply, click here. Applications can also be picked up at the North Ridgeville High School Guidance office. For more information call 440-327-5396 or email: millscards@aol.com
Community survey: Lots of people have lots of opinions about events around town. City officials recently asked residents to complete a Community Survey and 165 participated.
Of those that responded, 97% expressed interest in attending new city-hosted events. To view the results, click here.
Brewing again: There’s been a lot happening behind the scenes as the Rocky River Brewing Company is gearing up for its grand reopening in a few weeks after a fire closed the restaurant last summer.
In preparation for the reopening, the restaurant is hiring. To apply, click here.
In other business news, Mayor Pamela Bobst recently announced that University Hospitals will be building new offices in the Planet Fitness space at the back of Beachcliff Market Square on Detroit Road. The space will be 15,000-sq.-ft. and the renovation has an estimated valuation of $5.4 million. The new location will house Orthopedics and a Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute, along with other offices.
Additionally, there are two transformational projects on Center Ridge Road. She explained that the Szabo Shoes building was razed, but noted that the sign was saved prior to demolition. The location will be turned into a University Hospitals Urgent Care facility.
Also Akron Children’s Hospital has purchased the large office building across from Burger King at 20220 Center Ridge Road. The mayor added that the hospital system now owns everything from AutoZone to the east and they will be renovating that whole area.
City council chats: Hear straight from city officials during a series of monthly chats at the Rocky River Public Library, 1600 Hampton Road. This month’s event is at 6 p.m. March 18.
Officer promotion: Congratulations to Police Detective Mike Asbury, recently sworn in as sergeant. He has served the community for 11 years. During his time with the Division, he has served as a patrol officer, a member of the SWAT Team, and most recently as a detective.
New Mexican restaurant: The wait is finally over as Lopez Taqueria will celebrate its soft opening at 4 p.m. March 3 at 27020 Center Ridge Road. Follow on Facebook.
Good news: The Westlake High School spring musical, "Newsies," will take place March 19-22 at the high school, 27830 Hilliard Blvd. Presale tickets will be available online starting March 6. Tickets are also $12 at the door.
The school district’s annual Senior Citizen Appreciation Event will take place March 22. Westlake residents age 60 and over are invited to attend the Sunday matinee performance of “Newsies” at 2 p.m. Light refreshments will be served starting at 12:45 p.m. in the high school’s rotunda. The deadline to reserve a ticket for the senior citizen event is March 4.
For more information regarding the musical, please reach out to Musical Director Jenn Butler at butlerj@wlake.org.
Indoor pool update: The 2026 Recreation Center Natatorium (indoor pool) improvement project is about to get underway (June) as the Recreation Center approaches its 28th anniversary.
Upgrades to the facility include pool deck resurfacing and new drain covers; interior painting of walls, ceiling and ductwork; new overhead lighting; humidity corrections and repair of rusted metal at the slide tower; new diving board and starting blocks; replacement of translucent panels and skylights at the slide tower; and improvements to men's and women's locker rooms.
The project is expected to last approximately three months.
What about swimming during construction? The city is working on an agreement with Fairview Park to provide Westlake Rec Center members access to the new indoor pool at the Gemini Center during the natatorium construction. Members can also purchase a separate pass for the Westlake Aquatic Center outdoor facility (pass sales begin this month).
Dementia award: The Carolyn L. Farrell Foundation for Brain Health recently announced it has been named a recipient of the annual Ginny Gives Award, presented by the Dementia Society of America.
The award recognizes community-based organizations focused on delivering innovative, practical and scientifically informed care for families and individuals impacted by dementia.
