By Abigail Bottar, Ideastream Public Media

Summit County officials, Akron officials and Summit Lake residents celebrated the groundbreaking of the new Summit Lake Trail. [Abigail Bottar / Ideastream Public Media]

Akron’s Summit Lake community broke ground on a new trail today. The resident-led project is intended to bring equity in public spaces to a historically underserved community.

The Ohio and Erie Canal Summit Lake Trail will go around Summit Lake and connect to the Towpath Trail. In the early 1900s, Summit Lake was a recreation hub, but the community had become underserved in recent decades, said Ohio and Erie Canalway Coalition President and CEO Dan Rice.

“Eight years ago, there was only one bench at this lake. There was one bench at this lake, and it didn’t even face the lake,” Rice said. “And usually there’s that nervous comment, there’s that nervous laughter, but think about that for a second. It didn’t even face the lake. What does that say about how we care about this lake and how we care about each other?”

Summit Beach Amusement Park was a destination from the late 1910s until it closed in 1958, but the park, like Akron, was segregated. Mayor Dan Horrigan said he wants the area to be open to everyone.

“All residents regardless of their income, race, education or experience deserve outstanding parks, and none of us probably really remember Summit Lake in its heyday in the 30s, 40s and 50s,” Horrigan said. “But it’s going to have a heyday again, and that’s because of the investment from all of our key partners.”

Akron Civic Commons Donor Committee Co-Chair Bill Considine hopes the trail is the beginning of revitalizing the area.

“We’re going to shine a jewel that has been ignored for several years,” Considine said, “and that jewel is going to be very bright and be welcoming to all the residents here in this neighborhood as well as all the visitors who want to come to this neighborhood.”

This is another step to bringing equity to this community, said Rice.

“Because any place else in this country, and there are wealthier communities. I’m just being very honest here, and they have assets,” Rice said. “They have beautifully designed public spaces but not here. Today we change that.”

The project was spearheaded by the resident-led Akron Civic Commons. The project centered the voices of the people who live in the community, said Summit Lake resident Grace Hudson.

“It’s not somebody coming in and saying, ‘This is what we’re going to do, and this is what you want, and this is what you need,'” Hudson said. “No. It’s stepping back and actually listening to the residents, and I think that is very important, and it’s very empowering for somebody to come along and actually listen to us.”

Hudson said the trail is also vital to connecting the community.

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been out walking my dog and say, ‘Good morning,’ to somebody passing by and next thing I know I’m having a 10, 15-minute conversation with somebody I’ve never met,” Hudson said. “But by the time the conversation finishes, it’s like, ‘Okay, well it was a pleasure to meet you, and maybe I’ll see you out here again.'”

Toqa Hassan is also a resident of Summit Lake and served as a volunteer for the project. She said accessibility was an integral part of it.

“When I attend the Summit Lake steering committee meetings, there are people that are not at the table, and their perspectives are still heard,” Hassan said. “So when we say that we want individuals who need a wheelchair accessibility ramp to access the north shore – there was no one in the room with a wheelchair. No one in the room had crutches, but their perspective was heard. And I think that’s the community coming together.”

The new trail and revitalization of public spaces in the Summit Lake community could spread to all of Akron, Knight Foundation Akron Program Director Kyle Kutuchief said.

“We believe that to build a more equitable Akron, our city needs more places that intentionally invite and connect people of all backgrounds, fostering much needed empathy and understanding,” Kutuchief said.

Rice hopes the new trail can be healing to a community that’s dealt with racism, dividedness and underdevelopment.

“This multiuse recreational trail is more than a physical connection since it will provide a beautifully designed healing space and refuge for neighborhood residents to enjoy nature, exercise and spend time with their family and friends,” Rice said.

The trail is expected to be completed by 2023.

Copyright 2022 WKSU. To see more, visit WKSU.

Northeast Ohio’s only free indoor skatepark adds features to accommodate younger skaters.

After being closed for summer, First Glance’s Skatepark reopened this week with new ramps designed to accommodate younger skaters. Northeast Ohio’s only free indoor skatepark, First Glance’s skatepark is a safe place for any skaters age 11 and up to come skate Mondays and Tuesdays from 6-10 p.m.

“Our indoor skatepark and shop provides a place to connect with other skaters and build their skills and equipment,” First Glance Executive Director Jessica Swiger explained. “Adult volunteers are present to teach skating techniques and tricks and to provide encouragement for daily life.”

First Glance is a youth center that originally opened 22 years ago in the Kenmore Community Center and began hosting a wide variety of programming for students of all ages from all over Greater Akron. In 2007, First Glance moved into it’s current home near the corner of 13th Street at 943 Kenmore Blvd. The skatepark opened not long after.

In addition to the skatepark, First Glance is home to The Alley – a teen nightclub open the second Friday of every month from 7-10 p.m. that has a live DJ, dancing, food, fun, drinks, games, and more. The Alley was created as a drug and alcohol-free safe place for teens from all over Greater Akron to come on a Friday night. Teens must check in and an off-duty police officer is on site at The Alley.

First Glance also hosts Rec Night Thursdays from 7-9 p.m. Rec Night provides Junior High and High School students with a safe and fun environment to participate in sports and activities, such as four square, basketball, and video games with friends and volunteers. Rec Nights also provide an opportunity for students to connect with adult volunteers through conversations, activities, and competitions.

First Glance is always looking to recruit additional volunteers and welcome new students, and additional information about programming and volunteer opportunities can be found at firstglance.org.

For up to date info on the skatepark, follow @firstglanceskatepark on Instagram.

Lee Porter is the general manager of SRINA Tea House & Café located at 975 Kenmore Blvd. His cousin, Monaqui Porter-Young established SRINA Organics in 2002 and spent the past 20 years distributing organic tea grown in the rainforest of Sri Lanka before officially opening her first brick and mortar tea house last month.

An East Akron native, Lee spent the majority of his career in sales and began working with Monaqui about seven years ago to learn the tea business and help run SRINA-catered events in Ohio. When he’s away from the tea house, Lee loves to hike and although he’s not a musician himself (though he tells us he’d like to think he can sing), he loves Kenmore’s rich musical identity.

We sat down with Lee to not only learn a little bit more about him and SRINA Teahouse & Café, but what he thinks makes Kenmore Boulevard unique.

What led to you managing SRINA Tea House & Café? It started with the first sip of tea. Monaqui came to visit after she was a few years into the SRINA Organics online business and I tried her tea and it was the first tea I ever had without sugar in it and I didn’t want to put sugar in it. After I learned where it came from and what she was doing I knew I had to be a part of it. I began learning more about the tea and helped run the SRINA-catered events in Ohio at restaurants, ballrooms, hotels, etc.

I also got to engage with people about an organic, natural product that I believed in. Coming from years in sales that was important. I had to feel like I could stand behind what I was selling.

Now a half dozen years later and we have our first physical location here on Kenmore Blvd. and there are tentative plans to open a second one in The Bronx, as well as offers to open in Harlem and/or Brooklyn.

While you were waiting for construction work on your current building to be finished, you opened inside the Rialto Living Room in 2021. What was that experience like?

The opportunity to operate in the Rialto was a valuable learning time that we appreciate. Being able to have a presence here and run almost like a test kitchen was really important.

What’s the most popular item on SRINA’s menu?

Hands down the Jerk Chicken. Whether as tenders or in a salad or wrap it’s definitely our most popular offering.

What makes SRINA unique?

The food items. We’re bringing healthy food and drink options to a community that might not otherwise have a whole lot of health-conscious dining options.

What’s the most rewarding thing about managing SRINA?

I’m a people person and I like being in a people-driven business. Engaging with customers and seeing they’re happy eating food that’s good for them and tastes good. It’s a win-win.

What is the biggest challenge you have to overcome and how are you managing it?

Inventory and making sure we have the things that are going to sell. Not having too much or too little of anything and managing expectations. It’s a constant work in progress, but we’re proactive about gathering feedback from the community and seeing how we can improve.

Tell us about a time when a customer made you feel like a million bucks.

It’s not just one time, it’s every time I see the way customers respond to the space and the calming ambiance here when they cross the threshold of the front door. Couple that with how they then react to our tea and food and it’s a great feeling.

What are you most proud of?

The reception we’ve had. We’ve been received really well and that is priceless.

What was your background leading up to your position at SRINA?

Mostly sales. I worked at Levin Furniture and Elgin Furniture as a salesperson. I also worked at RED the Steakhouse in Cleveland. We’d have Cavs players like LeBron James and Tristian Thompson and players from other professional teams as guests often. So that experience helped me learn to handle high volume and high expectations in the food service industry.

What’s something people don’t know about you?

I love to hike. Sand Run Metropark is my favorite spot.

What’s something you’re learning that people don’t know about SRINA?

We have a large mural that completely covers one of our walls and it’s a rendering of Paradise Farm in Sri Lanka which is where all our tea comes from. Most customers think it’s just a pretty piece of scenery, but it’s actually a depiction of the farm where every drop of tea we serve comes from.

There’s actually a nice parallel between Paradise Farm and SRINA Teahouse and Café. The farm employs all the women from the village and we’re doing the similar thing here in Kenmore by hiring 18-35 year old women from the community through the JOBS program.

Why did Monaqui choose to open SRINA on Kenmore Blvd.?

The Rubber City Match Program allowed us to come into a neighborhood where we could be part of revitalization. We didn’t want to plug into a community already up and running. We wanted to be in a neighborhood on the cusp of a renaissance and actually help a neighborhood.

What should everyone know about SRINA?

We’re not just a company, or a place to get a cup of tea – we’re a lifestyle.

What do you love about Kenmore? What’s unique here?

The people are amazing. I haven’t met one bad person in this neighborhood. You hear stories about trouble from time to time, but those are things that can, do, and will happen no matter where you are.

What’s your vision for the Boulevard in 10 years?

Crowds walking up and down the street and visiting every unique and interesting business we have. I try to do all my business on the Blvd.

What do you see as Kenmore’s biggest opportunities?

The music obviously. It’s a unique place with all the recording studios and how great the live music is. It’s a lively music area.

What’s your favorite band or musician you’ve seen play in Kenmore?

A Band Named Ashes, Big Pop, Akronauts. The Summit FM brought Seratones to The Rialto and-they were amazing. I’ve seen a lot of really great music here.

Are there any specific musicians or bands you’d like to see play in Kenmore?

The Rialto and The Summit do a great job of bringing some acts in and I like to be surprised. I’ve never been disappointed.

Finally, what’s your favorite Kenmore Pizza?

Pierre’s – that Pizza is amazing! My favorite is the Bella Tia Maria.

SRINA Tea House & Café serves organic tea, healthy food, and delicious coffee Monday – Saturday from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m from its location at 975 Kenmore Blvd. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram for updates and more information.

And don’t miss the Fall Harvest Celebration at SRINA Tea House & Cafe October 27-29! RSVP Here