Readers React: 'Solon Is Strip Centers and Ugly'

Does Solon ?

Judging by the responses in our poll and comments to our post on this issue, our readers do think Solon could do better in the community unity department.

As of this writing, we had 80 votes in our poll asking if Solon has a good community feel. Most of those voters, 67 of them, say Solon lacks a feeling of community.

Some readers took to the comments to explain why they feel the way they do. Here's some of them.

Read what they say and then tell us what you think! Take our poll and then leave a comment below!

Use diversity to strength community

Reader brings up an interesting point. Solon is often heralded for its diversity, but perhaps that is also a barrier, as people may feel uncomfortable if they don't understand another's culture. But she has an awesome idea on how to fix it. She writes: 

I think Solon is lovely and there are beautiful people here. I love the cultural diversity and am so proud that my children are being raised in a diverse city. Nonetheless, when I hear friends talk I often hear that the vary diversity that makes it great is also a barrier. I think having culture fairs that educate everyone on our differences and similarities would be awesome. We are so lucky to have such diversity we should capitalize on it more. Solon Home Days should have a celebrate Solon Cultures feel to it rather than just be a big amusement fair. No matter what the town looks like a sense of community comes from people having a connection to one another. That begins with a beautiful understanding of all our neighbors.

Besides schools, community is lacking

Reader said she moved her when her kids were in high school. Once the kids were done with school, there was not much going on. She writes:

Moved to Solon when my kids were in High School in 1988. Chose it for the home values. There was community as long as your kids were involved in school activities. No sense of community for empty nesters until you are a Senior and then have the opportunity to enjoy the Senior Center.

Iris brings up another point: Solon's shopping plazas don't promote community like some other in the area. She writes:

If the new Giant Eagle space is designed like Eton in Woodmere, where there are places to walk, sit, mingle, eat and enjoy beautiful gardens, that would be a wonderful community space - but I doubt that is being planned. Solon is just not designed well and that has been a problem all along.

Solon ain't no Chagrin Falls

Reader is pretty blunt about it: Solon is ugly. He says:

Chagrin Falls has community. People that move there tend to stay. Solon was never a great community. People move in for the Schools, not the community as a whole. Solon is strange. Its not a huge area but any attractions are far apart. In Chagrin many people live in the town and are always walking around. Whole familys getting ice cream and enjoying the area. Solon is strip centers and ugly. Think of all the buildings that have no style. CVS, and then more eyesores all the way down 43.

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