The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Mayor Whitfield: Stubborn optimism key to Elyria rebound
Being stubbornly optimistic is the key to turning around Elyria in 2021 as the city recovers from the novel coronavirus pandemic, said Mayor Frank Whitfield.
The mayor called for fellow Elyrians to engage their city this year — not least with two new programs led by City Hall for residents to play and work.
ElyLife, dedicated to Leisure, Inspiration, Fitness and Entertainment, will help the city rebound from health and community effects of COVID-19.
Elyria and Lorain County Community College will continue with
the Skill City program to help residents gain the skills they need for new jobs.
“Here’s my call to you all and here’s what I’m challenging myself to do, and that’s to be stubbornly optimistic,” Whitfield said. “It’s so easy right now to say, ‘all right, let’s just retreat, let’s slow down, let’s not look at growth, let’s look at survival mode, let’s shrink our thinking, we’ll just focus on, how do we get through the next day.’
“It’s so easy to do that right now in this moment.”
Whitfield and Lorain Mayor Jack Bradley spoke March 4 in a joint Elyria-Lorain State of the City Address, held in conjunction with the Lorain County Chamber of Commerce, Elyria and Lorain Rotary Clubs and a number of business sponsors.
A handful of people gathered at the Lorain County Community College’s Spitzer Conference Center, but more than 250 people logged in to watch online.
That precaution was necessary to avoid large public gatherings due to COVID-19.
COVID-19
In this year’s address, Whitfield cited his own statement from the State of the City Address of Feb. 18, 2020.
“We’re not intimidated by our challenges, we’re inspired by them,” said the first-term mayor with a little more than six weeks in office.
Using projected slides, Whitfield displayed his administration’s Day 1 Transformation Plan with means to change the city’s culture, economy and neighborhoods.
He called them “big ideas” when he and his staff came into office.
The novel coronavirus pandemic forced Elyria to change starting in March 2020, Whitfield said.
But, he cited examples of the city and its residents rising to meet the challenges.
Assistance ranged from distributing food to helping childcare and youth program providers to training residents to use online technology that maintained communications, Whitfield said.
He was joined on stage by Bradley to present the key to the city to Julie ChaseMorefield, president and CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio.
It was a recognition for that organization’s hard work to ramp up food distribution to those in need for the last year.
Downtown
On Feb. 24, a blaze gutted the former Uncle Vic’s and Mardi Gras night club building at 100 Washington Ave.
Whitfield called it “devastating,” one of the worst fires in Elyria history and in the midst of redevelopment efforts planned with historic tax credit financing.
He cited the plan to add retail and market-grade apartments, along with a downtown innovation center in the former Powerhouse Gym.
That plan has evolved, but construction will start this year, Whitfield said.
He credited the stubborn optimism of businessman Kevin Flanigan, who has committed to continue with his plans for building downtown.
The city will continue to add market level apartments and retail space that will revitalize downtown, Whitfield said.
Skill City
Whitfield announced the Skill City Promise, a first-of-its-kind partnership between the city and LCCC for Elyria residents to earn short-term certificate programs in business, health care, information technology, computer science and manufacturing to land jobs in in-demand careers.
To be eligible, participants must be a resident of the city of Elyria proper, have earned a high school diploma or GED, and enroll into a designated short-term certificate program in Spring 2021 or beyond. Elyrians without a diploma who are interested in Skill City Promise must enroll in LCCC’s free Aspire/GED program or 22+ Adult Diploma program first.
Ely Life
The Ely Life Project will focus on the health and social effects of COVID-19.
For a year, people have missed out on human contact, Whitfield said.
Leisure includes going out for a walk, stopping in a coffee shop or strolling on the city’s five hike-bike trails, he said.
The city will remain committed to safe walking and biking around town, the mayor said.
City staff hope to support and inspire the arts, improve fitness opportunities and bring back entertainment put on hold due to the pandemic, Whitfield said.
“Here’s my call to you all and here’s what I’m challenging myself to do, and that’s to be stubbornly optimistic. It’s so easy right now to say, ‘all right, let’s just retreat, let’s slow down, let’s not look at growth ... we’ll just focus on, how do we get through the next day.’” — Elyria Mayor Frank Whitfield