For years now, the little town of Sliver Lake OH(northeast of Cuyahoga Falls OH, South East of Stow) Has complained about one thing other another. Normally about the State Highway and CR Railline on the west side of town.
Both Highway and Railline were built LONG before houses came up to it. the Railline is the old Cleveland Akron & Columbus route built in the late 1870's, The highway dates to the 1960/70's on the East side of the Highway is Silver Lake and the west side Cuyahoga Falls. well in the mid 1990's Silver Lake's complainging about RT8 had goten so bad that the State of Ohio errected a soundwall, the soundwall was placed before the tracks however because of the fact CR only ran 2 trains a month on the line and was gradually scaling down to the point where the ended use of the line in the late 1990's and sold it to the Summit County Port Athority (METRO) for future possible use as a comutter corridor.
One would think that Silver Lake would be happy the soundwall was errected, but after a short time complaints started again, This time they were complaining about the fact that the Cuyahoga Falls side of the soundwall was built higher than theyer side and sounds were being reflected over they're side. So once again the state of Ohio paid to raise the Silver Lake soundwall.
Advance time to 2000. Metro is considering turning the line into a Commuter line betwen Akron and Cleveland with a future extension to Canton. A committee is formed. Unfortunately none other than the Mayor of Silver Lake becomes the head of this comittee. Despite OVERWHELMING support from most the towns this line would run though (with the lone exception of Silver Lake off course) the Comittee takes a private vote with only a faction of the members and votes the Comutter Rail down. Sighting it would hurt the many to serve the few. Needless to say supporting towns (Cuyahoga Falls, Stow, Akron, Hudson, Kent, and several smaller towns around Cleveland) are angry.
Advance to present day. a Dinner train company decides it wants to run a dinner train over the line. Like usual towns the line goes though (Cuyahoga Falls, Stow and Hudson) are all for this venture. however. once again we have Silver Lake at its act again.
Finally here is a recent news story about it all that was in the Cuyahoga Falls News Press
Village Council engineers opposition to theater train.
by Don Jovich
Reporter
SILVER LAKE - Village Coun-cil is attempting to stop the operation of a dinner theater excursion train on the rail line within the village of Silver Lake.
After two hours of delibera-tion in an executive session Thursday, Council unanimous-ly passed a resolution authoriz-ing solicitor Robert Heydom to commence with legal action in preventing a dinner train theater which would be operated by the Adrian and Blissfield Railroad Co. of Michigan.
"We have a pressing prob-lem," said Council President Duane Scott prior to entering the session.
Earlier this year, Metro Regional Transit Authority passed a resolution to enter into a lease agreement with the Adrian and Blissfield Railroad Co. for the company to operate a dinner theater excursion train on the railway existing on the western border of the village.
According to Council, the operation of such a train would be contrary to the zoning codes of the village. '
"The zoning laws do not allow commercial ventures, with the exception of Silver Lake Florist, within the vil-lage," said councilman Bemie Hovey (At-Large).
Hovey explained the new resolution enacted by village Council would be consistent with the current zoning laws in Silver Lake.
The railway property in question stretches from Cuyahoga Falls to Hudson. The Adrian-Blissfield Railroad has already agreed to pay all of the costs involved to bring the tracks up to standard.
According to METRO offi-cials, there will be some signal repair and needed upgrades to the railroad tracks and some railroad tie replacement to be done by the railroad company.
The cost for the work will be credited against the lease pay-ment.
In the last Silver Lake newsletter, Mayor Dr. Warner Mendenhall said, "AB Railroad expects to begin operation in September 2002 with one four-car train per week. The even-tual plan is to run the dinner train four or five evenings per week with additional trains running as needed for special. events."
A previous resolution passed by Council June 18, 2001, states Silver Lake, "without reservation is opposed to the
commuter rail and any other rail traffic that may restart from the action taken in response to the Canton-Akron-Cleveland inter-regional travel corridor major investment study."
Cuyahoga Falls Mayor Don L. Robart said the city favors the plan and has been speaking with affected parties for about six months.
"We are supportive of the concept," said Robart in response to a question at Mon-day night's City Council meet-ing.
He added the dinner theater plan would not be held to the same scrutiny as the earlier proposal for a commuter rail.
The next regular meeting of Silver Lake Village Council will be Aug. 5 at 7:30 p.m. All meetings convene at Village Hall, 2961 Kent Road.
E-mail: djovich@recordpub.net Phone: 330-688-0088, ext. 3141
Both Highway and Railline were built LONG before houses came up to it. the Railline is the old Cleveland Akron & Columbus route built in the late 1870's, The highway dates to the 1960/70's on the East side of the Highway is Silver Lake and the west side Cuyahoga Falls. well in the mid 1990's Silver Lake's complainging about RT8 had goten so bad that the State of Ohio errected a soundwall, the soundwall was placed before the tracks however because of the fact CR only ran 2 trains a month on the line and was gradually scaling down to the point where the ended use of the line in the late 1990's and sold it to the Summit County Port Athority (METRO) for future possible use as a comutter corridor.
One would think that Silver Lake would be happy the soundwall was errected, but after a short time complaints started again, This time they were complaining about the fact that the Cuyahoga Falls side of the soundwall was built higher than theyer side and sounds were being reflected over they're side. So once again the state of Ohio paid to raise the Silver Lake soundwall.
Advance time to 2000. Metro is considering turning the line into a Commuter line betwen Akron and Cleveland with a future extension to Canton. A committee is formed. Unfortunately none other than the Mayor of Silver Lake becomes the head of this comittee. Despite OVERWHELMING support from most the towns this line would run though (with the lone exception of Silver Lake off course) the Comittee takes a private vote with only a faction of the members and votes the Comutter Rail down. Sighting it would hurt the many to serve the few. Needless to say supporting towns (Cuyahoga Falls, Stow, Akron, Hudson, Kent, and several smaller towns around Cleveland) are angry.
Advance to present day. a Dinner train company decides it wants to run a dinner train over the line. Like usual towns the line goes though (Cuyahoga Falls, Stow and Hudson) are all for this venture. however. once again we have Silver Lake at its act again.
Finally here is a recent news story about it all that was in the Cuyahoga Falls News Press
Village Council engineers opposition to theater train.
by Don Jovich
Reporter
SILVER LAKE - Village Coun-cil is attempting to stop the operation of a dinner theater excursion train on the rail line within the village of Silver Lake.
After two hours of delibera-tion in an executive session Thursday, Council unanimous-ly passed a resolution authoriz-ing solicitor Robert Heydom to commence with legal action in preventing a dinner train theater which would be operated by the Adrian and Blissfield Railroad Co. of Michigan.
"We have a pressing prob-lem," said Council President Duane Scott prior to entering the session.
Earlier this year, Metro Regional Transit Authority passed a resolution to enter into a lease agreement with the Adrian and Blissfield Railroad Co. for the company to operate a dinner theater excursion train on the railway existing on the western border of the village.
According to Council, the operation of such a train would be contrary to the zoning codes of the village. '
"The zoning laws do not allow commercial ventures, with the exception of Silver Lake Florist, within the vil-lage," said councilman Bemie Hovey (At-Large).
Hovey explained the new resolution enacted by village Council would be consistent with the current zoning laws in Silver Lake.
The railway property in question stretches from Cuyahoga Falls to Hudson. The Adrian-Blissfield Railroad has already agreed to pay all of the costs involved to bring the tracks up to standard.
According to METRO offi-cials, there will be some signal repair and needed upgrades to the railroad tracks and some railroad tie replacement to be done by the railroad company.
The cost for the work will be credited against the lease pay-ment.
In the last Silver Lake newsletter, Mayor Dr. Warner Mendenhall said, "AB Railroad expects to begin operation in September 2002 with one four-car train per week. The even-tual plan is to run the dinner train four or five evenings per week with additional trains running as needed for special. events."
A previous resolution passed by Council June 18, 2001, states Silver Lake, "without reservation is opposed to the
commuter rail and any other rail traffic that may restart from the action taken in response to the Canton-Akron-Cleveland inter-regional travel corridor major investment study."
Cuyahoga Falls Mayor Don L. Robart said the city favors the plan and has been speaking with affected parties for about six months.
"We are supportive of the concept," said Robart in response to a question at Mon-day night's City Council meet-ing.
He added the dinner theater plan would not be held to the same scrutiny as the earlier proposal for a commuter rail.
The next regular meeting of Silver Lake Village Council will be Aug. 5 at 7:30 p.m. All meetings convene at Village Hall, 2961 Kent Road.
E-mail: djovich@recordpub.net Phone: 330-688-0088, ext. 3141
