How do we take a very good community and make it even better? This is an issue that committees and task forces of the City of Independence have examined for many years. As we looked very closely at our city, a few opportunities for improvement became apparent. They are:

1) The desire to improve our downtown area: While our city has had tremendous success in developing Rockside Road, and even in improving the corner of Brecksville and Rockside Roads, we are witnessing a slow but continuous decline in our Downtown District. Every time a shop or a restaurant closes, it makes it less likely that our residents will want to continue to dine, shop, or stay in our “true” downtown area. Fortunately, we had a Downtown Development Task Force that did extensive research into revitalizing our downtown district in 2005-2006. We examined the task force’s work, and agreed with many of the group’s recommendations.

2) The need for a senior community: Each year, residents who have lived in Independence for decades – some even their entire lives – are forced to relocate outside the City. They can no longer live in their homes and there is no alternative for them in town. Some of them move into age-restricted developments or senior communities in nearby cities, only because we do not provide such arrangements in our City. The issue of a senior community has been under consideration in Independence for decades. With about one-third of city’s homes owned by residents over the age of 60, the time to act on this need seems to be now.

3) Connecting our assets: We have a wealth of natural and historical assets in Independence. Our original town hall/theatre, fire department, and other buildings still grace our downtown. We have the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area – park land and a hiking trail – at the east end of our community. We need to link these assets in a way that connects them in the minds of our residents.