THE VISION ISSUE - City of Shaker Heights

of classes, camps, and quick weekend
trips downtown.
Mity says even beyond location, it
is the people that impress her most.
“I love meeting the women in the
International Women’s Group of
Cleveland, and all the people we met
when we arrived who had so many diverse
interests and professional backgrounds.
I was so impressed by their
dedication to community. The more
we talk to everyone we meet, the more
interesting they become.”
Jef ’s co-workers at KeyBank, several
of whom are Shaker residents, also
welcomed them into their homes for
parties when they were figuring out
where to live. Jef says they never heard
the “hard sell,” but their passion about
Shaker was clear, contagious, and
compelling.
Having spent three years in London,
the well-traveled couple was
also in search of a place with a global
perspective, a place where people had
traveled and experienced the world. In
Shaker, the Fowlers felt they found a
city and school system with the global
perspective they desired.
In addition to residents who are
at home in the world, Mity says, “I
felt like the teachers in Shaker also
had amazing experiences themselves.
Teachers here are bringing the world
to the classroom. That is what we want
for our kids.”
After renting for a year on Enderby,
the Fowlers bought a house on
Drummond last summer. In both
neighborhoods, the Fowlers have had
the quintessential Shaker experience.
Within months of moving in to their
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rental on Enderby, Mity saw an opportunity
to contribute to the vibrancy of
the neighborhood and spearheaded the
flooding of the Warrington Triangle
to resurrect the skating rink for all to
enjoy. Despite being a newcomer, she
navigated her way through the City
paperwork to make it happen.
“What a great neighborhood surrounding
the Warrington Triangle!” she
says. “In warm weather, my kids were
out there daily building forts, playing
soccer and for a few short weekends
in the winter, playing broomball and
ice skating. The rink really brought
the neighborhood together.” Even the
adults laced up skates and had fun.
Their new Boulevard neighborhood
is equally active and cohesive with
spontaneous cocktail parties popping
up on weekend nights. If you see the
pink flamingo in front of the house,
the neighborhood is invited and the
party is on. The men on the street
joined together to create an intergenerational
fantasy football league.
The Fowlers are one of several new
families on the street in the last few
years with many houses changing
hands from an older to newer generation.
At a recent party, a map was
created so that everyone would know
who lives where and the names of all
of the kids. At the moment, it is still
a street spanning the generations with
the longtime residents as engaged in
the block parties and events as new
residents, something the Fowlers love
about their new street. And, Mity notes
happily, “In both neighborhoods, you
can hear the Shaker band practicing.
Such fun.”
Jef says their reasons for choosing
Shaker and making it home are really
quite simple: “You can sum it up this
way: location, location, location, people,
people, people.” Same as it ever
was.
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