Cleveland Bike Path Plan Leaves Some Locals Unhappy

Mark Naymik writes about the Major Hoopples bar in the Flats neighborhood of Cleveland. The working-class bar is on the Cuyahoga River in an area that had seen little change until recently.

"In the case of Hoopples, change is coming in the form of a bike path that is a part of highly touted and unique trail system slowly moving through the Flats. It will likely force change on the business that’s been largely alone on the street for nearly 40 years," says Naymik.

The bike path would eliminate 12 to 15 parking spaces on the street where Major Hoopples is located, and the owner says the lack of free parking will severely affect his business. "I was drawn to Hoopples and its amiable owner, Norm Plonski Jr., because their story illustrates concerns about gentrification that are being raised in a number of rebounding neighborhoods of Cleveland," notes Naymik.