News and Articles

Looking for a fun outdoor activity for children ages 3 to 9? Beginning Friday, Oct. 14, Sheffield Lake’s Storybook Trail opens at Ferndale Park, 4280 Ferndale Ave., between Allen and Rowelyn Avenues. A ribbon cutting will be held that morning at 10:30 a.m., weather permitting, and everyone is invited.

Young children, accompanied by parents, grandparents, older siblings, caregivers and teachers, will have a chance to walk in nature while enjoying picture book stories specially selected for them. As they walk, they stop at one of 17 stations to read a portion of the story, then continue to the next station until the conclusion of both the story and the trail.

It’s a perfect way to combine physical activity with literacy as young children can be encouraged to read aloud or be read to as they walk from station to station. Picture books help beginning readers understand what they are reading.

A collaboration between the city, Lorain Public Library System, Friends of Domonkas Library and Northcoast Rotary, the trail is about a half mile in length.

The story featured during October is “Bonaparte Falls Apart” by Marjery Cuyler. This Halloween-themed story is about a skeleton who is falling to pieces and needs help pulling himself together. Will his pals Franky Stein, Black Widow, and Mummicula have ideas to help him?

Domonkas Library staff will install a new story every month from April through November.

Parking is available on the west side of the park.

The public is asked to report any vandalism immediately by calling the Sheffield Lake Service Department – 440-949-6259.

On Monday, Oct. 10, Lake Road from Elm Street to Harris Road will be closed so state contractors can rebuild two 100-year old culverts. The work is expected to take 45 days. The vast majority of Lake Road is not affected by the construction.

Richelieu, which runs parallel to and just south of Lake, is the best alternate route for passenger vehicles and small trucks.

Alternate route for eastbound traffic – passenger vehicles and small trucks

From Lake, turn right onto Harris, left onto Richelieu, left onto Elm and right back onto Lake.

Alternate route for westbound traffic – passenger vehicles and small trucks

From Lake, turn left at Elm, right onto Richelieu, right onto Harris and left back onto Lake.

Signs will help drivers navigate around the construction.

Semi Truck detour

The state is providing signage to reroute semi trucks around the Lake Road construction via State Routes 57, 611 and 301.

Bi-Rite and Amber Oaks are open for business

Two area businesses are on Lake Road within the construction area. Bi-Rite Express and Amber Oaks Restaurant will remain open. Bi-Rite customers can travel Richelieu and turn onto Lafayette. The store is at the corner of Lake and Lafayette and their parking lot is accessible.

Diners can get to Amber Oaks by taking Richelieu to Treadway. The restaurant is at the corner of Treadway and Lake and their parking lot is also accessible.

Service Director Patrick Hastings said that supply chain issues caused a significant delay in receipt of parts needed to reconstruct the aging culverts. He said he feels as frustrated as others that this happened because it prevented contractors from doing this work before Lake Road was resurfaced this summer. Had the city delayed the resurfacing project, funded largely by state grants, it would have lost its place in line given the large number of other communities’ funded projects in queue. That could also put the entire project at risk as grant funds, approved in the last two-year state budget, needed to be expended this calendar year or returned.

All homes and businesses receive a bill each month for water, sewer and waste disposal services. The bill is sent to the property owner, but owners who rent their properties may also authorize a copy of the bill be sent to their tenants by completing this form: duplicate services bill request.

Abbreviations:

You’ll see several abbreviations on your bill that cover your actual useage as well as costs for maintaining, repairing and replacing the city’s aging sewer and waterlines, some of which are over 100 years old.

CIS (Capital Improvement Sewer) – this fee pays for maintenance of city sanitary sewers, as well as three pump stations that move sewage from your homes and businesses to the waste treatment center in Lorain. In recent years, the city has spent significant time and dollars upgrading the city’s aging system and will continue to make upgrades and maintain the 188,000 linear feet of sewers across Sheffield Lake.

CIW (Capital Improvement Water) – this fee pays for maintenance and replacement of waterlines throughout the city to ensure safe, clean water reaches homes and businesses. This system is also aging and work is regularly scheduled to maintain, repair, replace aging pipes and connections.

STW (Storm Water Utility) – this fee covers the cost of operation, management, maintenance, repair, construction, reconstruction, enlargement and/or replacement of the city’s 101,000 linear foot storm drainage system.

WCIM (Water Capital Improvement Meter) – this fee pays for the installation, replacement and maintenance of the remote water meter at each home and business. In addition, it covers the software and technical supports required to run the automated meter system.

Charges:

Water Water consumption includes a $6.75/monthly base fee covering the first 99 cubic feet of water. Thereafter, water consumption is billed at $2.79 per hundred cubic feet. The City of Sheffield Lake purchases bulk water from Avon Lake Regional Water. On average the city consumes more than 233 million gallons of water a year.

Sewer Sanitary waste sewage treatment includes a $4.20/month base fee and an additional $5.23 per hundred cubic feet of metered waste water. The City of Sheffield Lake pumps all sewage to Lorain’s Black River Wastewater Treatment Plant (BRWWT). On average, the city pumps a little over 300 million sewage gallons a year.

Notable increases to sewage treatment were reflected in the July 2022 bill due to an increase in cost passed onto the City of Sheffield Lake by the BRWWT plant. The last increase was in 2017. Neighboring communities using the plant also saw increases in their fees this year.

Refuse The city contracts garbage collection through Republic Services. In 2021, residents recycled more than 1.5 million pounds in addition to general refuse picked up each Friday through our cart system. If you have service issues such as cart replacement or a missed pickup, contact Republic Services at 440-458-5191.

The city continues efforts to repave streets throughout the city. The following streets have been, or will be, repaved during 2022.

1. Gayle Drive from Erieview to Hawthorne

2. Hawthorne from Lynn Dr. west to Erie Marine

3, Robinwood from Ferndale south to end

4. Hawthorne from Howell west to Stark

5. Stark from Hawthorne south to Ferndale

6. Stark from Forestlawn to South

7. Pleasantview from Walker Road north to end

8. Ivanhoe from Maplewood to Sheffield

9. Lake Road from Avon Lake border to Lorain border

The annual Sheffield Lake Community Days celebration promises fun activities for kids and adults running from Thursday, July 14 through Sunday, July 17. Sponsored by the Sheffield Lake Community Civic Council, Council President and City Councilman Steve Kovach says Community Days is all about community spirit. “It’s a sort of homecoming,” adding residents, former residents and school alumni schedule vacations so they can attend the various events. He added he and fellow Councilman Rocky Radeff and others are working hard to fill the weekend with different kinds of events. He noted the company that provided amusement rides is unable to secure enough workers to handle setup, running and dismantling so the committee is planning several activities in its place.

Here is the schedule as of June 20:

Thursday, July 14

Annual Community Days Parade, 7 p.m.

Dozens of units will make their way from Joyce Hanks Community Center, 4575 Lake Road along Lake Road to Shoreway Shopping Center, 4128 Lake Road. More than ten food vendors will be at the shopping center before and after the parade.

NOTE: If your group or business would like to march in the parade, email Kovach at 1skcouncilatlarge@gmail.com.

Friday, July 15

Fireworks at dusk

The city will sponsor a fireworks display at the Boat Launch across the street from the Shopping Center. Food vendors will be available from 6 p.m. until after the fireworks. Rain date is Saturday, July 16.

Saturday, July 16

Cruise-In – check out cool cars throughout the day, 10 a.m.-dusk

Corn Hole Tournament, 2 p.m.-?

Live on stage: Kool Kat Oldies,WDLW 98.9 FM and 1380 AM live broadcast, 2-9 p.m.

Food vendors on hand 10 a.m. to closing. All events held at Shoreway Shopping Center.

Sunday, July 17

Flea Market and Craft Show, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Food vendors on hand. Even held at Shoreway Shopping Center.

Kovach said all events will be held unless there are severe storm warnings, but added that has stopped just one parade in the 60 or so years Community Days has been held. Just four years ago, a severe wind and rain storm developed during one evening, causing workers and volunteers to scramble to get tents, rides and booths cleaned up and ready for the next day. Anyone interested in volunteering to help with Community Days events, can email Kovach.

Dozens of volunteers fanned out across the city May 21 as part of Sheffield Lake Annual Pride Day.

Residents can appreciate their efforts at the gazebo behind the Joyce Hanks Civic Center where a dozen people from Russell Realty used wheel barrows to haul a truck load of mulch from the parking lot to the gazebo, where it was spread carefully around plantings. Councilman Bill Wtulich and his wife also volunteered there.

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Residents are encouraged to take part in the annual Lorain County Beautiful Day, formerly known as Pride Day. It is Saturday, May 21, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon, unless noted.

Shredding

Residents can safely have sensitive documents destroyed at a mobile shredding unit, courtesy of Domonkas Library. It will be at City Hall, 609 Harris Road, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon.

Household and Yard Waste Disposal

Dumpsters will be available from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the city service garage, 4750 Richelieu. Unwanted items from homes, basements, garages and yards can be disposed of and assistance is available loading the dumpster. Batteries, propane tanks, tires and paint are not accepted.

Senior citizen assistance with yard debris

Trucks will pick up branches and other yard debris from the front curbs of senior citizens’ homes. Please contact the water department in advance or during the event at 440-949-6259.

Clean up projects – volunteers needed!

Please consider donating an hour or two of your time Saturday morning to help clean Lakewood Park Beach and Community Park. Help is also needed to clean up, weed and mulch at the Hanks Community Center and Boat Launch.

Beautification projects – volunteers needed!

Plant sunflowers at the covered bridge or help plant flowers and put down mulch at City Hall.

No need to register, just come! Please bring rakes for clean up, trowels for planting. Flowers, mulch and refuse bags will be provided.

Residents are invited to meet Sheffield Lake police officers and firefighters when they host an Open House Saturday, May 14, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 609 Harris Road.

Visitors may tour police and fire facilities and explore equipment, including the life-saving emergency squad.

The police department will introduce its canine officer, Lenny, and his handler Officer Joshua McCoy.

Metro Life Flight will stage a landing around 12 noon, weather permitting.

Amber Oaks, a local, family-owned restaurant, will provide food for purchase. Complimentary pop and water also will be available.