CLEVELAND — Fresh off the clock Wednesday night, Mary Johnson was knocking on doors and getting to work like her future depends on it, she wants everyone living in Euclid Beach Mobile Home Park to unite.
“We’re just going to fight, I don’t know where it’s going to go, we’re going to have to roll with the punches and see where it takes us,” said Johnson.
Back in December, the Western Reserve Land Conservancy bought the property and informed tenants that a 12-month study would be conducted to determine the future of the land.
The mobile home park is just steps from Villa Angela Park and Euclid Beach, so the future could mean moving residents out and redeveloping the land to expand the park and green space.
“I instantly became afraid, literally afraid because I don’t want to move, I shouldn’t have to move,” said Johnson.
Wednesday night we stumbled upon Johnson passing out flyers and talking to residents about a newly formed neighborhood group, United Residents of Euclid Beach, they want to make sure their voices are heard.
“We felt there’s strength in numbers, because we all have the same goal in mind, one purpose is to stay in our homes, we all love it here," Johnson added.
Johnson isn’t the only one who doesn’t want to leave the property, Caroline Smith told News 5 that she just bought her mother’s home in the mobile park two years ago.
“We don’t want to move, we want to stay here,” said Smith. “I purchased this as her forever home, she’s 96 years old. She was grateful to be back on Lakeshore Boulevard because I used to live down the street."
The Western Reserve Land Conservancy told News 5 that the future of the land remains up in the air right now.
“There’s no conclusive evidence on what ultimately will happen,” said Matt Zone with the Land Conservancy. “People have focused in on how can we make Lakeshore Boulevard safer, how can we attract retail to lakeshore boulevard and how can we look at maximizing the lakefront opportunity."
Zone said the group is still in the midst of a 12-month planning process and tenants have the opportunity to voice their concerns at several public meetings, but nothing is set in stone until December.
“We want to make sure the people who live in the community and the greater community are treated with the care and outreach that they deserve,” said Zone.
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