Beekeeping Ordinance
At last week’s City Council meeting, I introduced an ordinance that would permit and encourage urban beekeeping in Lakewood. Beekeeping is currently prohibited in Lakewood, however, according the Ohio Department of Agriculture, we have 23 beehives located in our City. Throughout the process of drafting this ordinance we heard from many interested residents that shared with us their beekeeping experience. We learned that honeybees are quite docile and curious creatures. One beekeeper told us that he doesn’t use any protective gear as he handles thousands of bees in his hive. Another Lakewood beekeeper shared that he is allergic to bees but is not worried about being stung, and told us that his child plays in the backyard and has never been stung.
The ordinance was referred to the Planning Commission and the Housing, Planning, & Development Committee for further deliberations. The goal is to have this completed by this Fall.
Pyke Park Resolution
At last week’s City Council meeting, I joined Councilmembers Tristan Rader and Tess Neff in introducing a resolution that will designate the green space between St. Charles Ave and Belle Ave as a park. This has been a resident driven effort, which included the hard work and advocacy of many, including my predecessor Sam O’Leary.
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The park will be named after Bernice Pyke. Ms. Pyke worked tirelessly for the passage and ratification of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote. She also was one of the first women in the United States elected to public office, winning her seat on the Lakewood Board of Education in 1920. Additionally, Ms. Pyke was the first woman to run for Lakewood Mayor, served as the first female member of a Cleveland Mayoral cabinet, was the first female delegate to the Democratic National Convention, and was appointed Director of Customs Collection for Ohio by President Franklin Roosevelt.
Appropriately, it is planned that the park will be dedicated in her honor on August 18, 2020, the 100 year anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment.