Gates Mills Improvement Society

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the 2020 Gates Mills Art Show at The Community House was cancelled. We are currently in planning for this year’s spring Art Show with a potential alternate date in the fall should the pandemic effect our spring date.  Please watch The Pink Sheet for news on the show and to learn how villagers can become involved in the show’s production.

Thank you,

Christmas Eve village traditions carried on this year—though not quite “as usual”.

A considerable snowfall began in the early afternoon, setting the wintry scene for a roaring bonfire and Santa’s arrival at 4:15 sharp to visit with children and collect gift wishes.  Close-up contact was not possible, but Santa was able to converse with his visitors and get the important information from a safe distance.  The wonderful carillon bell concert from St. Christopher’s by-the-River completed the festive holiday feeling.

In accordance with Covid-19 guidelines, no refreshments were offered.  Instead food donations were collected from generous villagers to assist the record numbers of people currently in need of food aid.  We collected and delivered several hundred pounds of non-perishable food to the Cleveland Food Bank.

Special thanks to the Service Department for the bonfire and for help with setting up and taking down. Thanks also to Becky Everett for the carillon concert and to everyone who attended. 

Susan Dougherty, chair

The Friends of the Gates Mills Library was not alone in its share of challenges in 2020. Our purpose, to support the Gates Mills branch of the Cuyahoga County Library, was thwarted by on-and-off-mandated closures and cancellations of the library and its events. Still, we were able to hold an ongoing book sale during the summer months which was well-supported by patrons. This December, in lieu of our traditional cookie buffet, “hot cocoa to go” bags were available at our curbside pick-up of reading materials.

Our scholarship gifts to three Mayfield High School students took place via Zoom, as did our election of a new executive board. We welcome Karen Galloway as our new President!

We will miss dearly Diane Welsh, whose legacy will live on through memorial gifts to the Friends. A special committee has been formed to determine how to properly honor her long standing commitment to the Friends.

As a group, we are financially sound and continue to find new ways to remain a vital part of the Gates Mills community.

Respectfully, Suzanne Snelson

The year 2020 was an eventful year for The Gates Mills Land Conservancy, even despite the restrictions imposed by the Coronavirus pandemic.  We continued our monthly Board meetings, by telephone, and kept the business of the organization on track by completing three property transactions.  

In June, the GMLC purchased a 5-acre property on the Chagrin River, well-known by its “swinging bridge” access.  This transaction was a collaboration between GMLC and the Village, which will result in the removal of structures that had become problematic.  This property will be known as the Goldberg Preserve.  Later in the year, GMLC gratefully accepted a property donation of 3 acres on Berkshire Road.  This generous gift was made by Audrey Knight, and protects a steep ravine that is adjacent to another GMLC-conserved property.  In the third land transaction, which occurred at the end of December, GMLC purchased 14 acres of land from Steve Lindseth, most of it descending steeply to the Chagrin River, in a so-called “bargain sale”.  The property was valued at $900,000 but purchased for $120,000, a fine example of GMLC being able to leverage its dollars and of the generosity of Village landowners.

In the coming year, we hope to increase engagement with the Village residents, and we hope to present a renewal of the current 5-year levy in the November election.  There are currently over 140 Villagers who make an annual contribution to GMLC, as its members.

 Rob Galloway, President GMLC