The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
City offers barrels of fun, education
Keep Euclid Beautiful, conservation district host effort to reduce stormwater runoff
Keep Euclid Beautiful’s first Rain Barrel Workshop & Eco-Friendly Fair faced some challenges on June 9.
First, there was getting to Euclid City Hall, which, at 585 E. 222nd St., was in the middle of a major construction zone.
Second, there was getting the rain barrels to and in participants’ vehicles.
Clevelander Samira Rhodes had three barrels to haul, and welcomed the assistance of Mayor Kirsten
Holzheimer Gail.
“I have a big garden,” said Rhodes, who had looked into ordering barrels online, but said the cost was prohibitive. “To get enough to do what I really wanted to do it would add up pretty fast.”
“I like to support community things because I think they do a lot of good,” she added.
More than 40 people took part in the workshop, offered by Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District. The District’s goal is to advocate and implement best management practices for conservation of land and aquatic resources in a developed environment through education, stewardship and technical assistance.
Each participant was able to purchase materials to build their own barrel for $60. The first 10 people got a free one.
The Eco-Fair drew more than a dozen groups and organizations to share on topics such as Lake Erie, sustainable energy, composting, recycling and native plant gardening.
The event was intended to inspire residents as well as inform about ways they can make a positive environmental impact, said Keep Euclid Beautiful Community Projects Manager Allison Lukacsy-Love. Euclid Mayor Kirsten Holzheimer Gail, right, assists Cleveland resident Samira Rhodes to her car with two of the three rain barrels Rhodes made June 9 at Keep Euclid Beautiful’s first Rain Barrel Workshop and Eco-Friendly Fair.
“KEB is focused on community beautification and health through litter prevention and pick-up, community-led mural projects and general education regarding environmental stewardship,” she said.
“There are multiple organizations working towards creating a more sustainable community, and small changes by individuals, like reducing plastics or composting waste, can add up to a major impact. This Eco-Friendly Fair is an excellent opportunity to provide access to the many ways that each of us can make a difference.”
Keep Euclid Beautiful was formed as an official committee of the city of Euclid in 2017, and has hosted several clean-ups and instituted programs to spread awareness.
Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District has been offering rain barrel workshops for the last decade.
“Rain barrels help to keep stormwater out of the city storm sewer system,” said Elizabeth Hiser, Euclid Creek Watershed Program Manager for the District. “The workshop also helps the city to achieve required stormwater education to its residents.
“When used properly, each rain barrel will keep 55 gallons of stormwater out of the storm sewer system during a rain event. As more rain barrels are installed and used, the cumulative impact could be significant.”
Holzheimer Gail addressed the construction along 222nd Street, which is down to one lane one way. The project, which began this past week, includes new water and sewer connections, sidewalks and repaving.
“It’s an inconvenience, but it’s needed,” she said.