Run #39: Brooklyn Centre

Run #39: Brooklyn Centre - Part 3

Part 3 of Brooklyn Centre. This run was from Archwood Ave (north) to the Cleveland Zoo (south) and from Pearl Road (east) to I-71 (west).

Notable locations included:

Brookside Stadium: This natural amphitheater was once also a historic baseball stadium. It opened sometime between 1894-1896 and was home of the National Inter-City Amateur Championship in the early 1900s (the 1915 championship game had an estimated attendance of 115,000, the largest for any amateur sporting event). Given its great natural terrain, the intent was to develop a stadium in an attempt to attract the 1912 Olympic Games. This didn't pan out but the site would be used for countless sporting events and other forms of entertainment over the decades. It fell into significant disrepair starting in the later half of the 20th century with the the stadium being demolished in the 1980s. However, the baseball diamond was maintained as part of Cleveland Metroparks improvements to Brookside Reservation. A historic marker was added in 2014. There's also an information sign which talks about the significance of the site in relation to amateur baseball.
Ugly Broad Tavern: While maybe not politically correct by name, this longtime neighborhood bar is popular with locals. Cleveland.com named it one of the Cleveland area's best dive bars. One online reviewer describes it as: "...the diviest dive that ever dived. They allow people to smoke in here. No tabs, cash only, ATM with $3 charge in the corner. Dog is sweet as hell. Customers and staff were friendly." Perhaps the motto on their website says it all: "The Best in Beer and Bullshit".
Denison Elementary School: One of the highest rated schools in the Cleveland school system, the school serves PreK through 8th grade. It emphasizes the importance of college and career readiness.
Art House: This non-profit arts center was founded in 1999 and is located in a 3,000 square foot studio facility which was originally a domed Quonset building built in 1948. It offers studio art classes and workshops, professional development opportunities for educators, trainings for festival-type activities, programing for school students, a culture night workshops in which local artists discuss their lives and work.
Steve's Doghouse: This Cleveland staple has been around since 1953 and is open 24-hours. The current business was originally Sal's Menu restaurant and then The Dog House. And now it's Steve's Doghouse (but all three names are on the sign). Several of the menu items are named after Cleveland steel plants. It has a sister restaurant - Steve's Diner - at Biddulph Plaza. This was the post run meal (see photo below of my hot dog with the works).
Renee Jones Empowerment Center: The center provides free life skills coaching, benefit identification and services as an Ohio benefit bank site, support groups and group therapy, journal writing and art therapy for those experiencing homelessness, referrals from juvenile court, victims of human trafficking, and other vulnerable populations.
LoVellee's Pizza: A colorful, contemporary and female-owned family pizzeria and restaurant established in 1984. They also have 16 flavors of hand-dipped, locally made hard ice cream.
Bethlehem Temple of Praise Church: This church was originally build in 1911 as the Brooklyn Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church and was part of the oldest Methodist congregation in the Cleveland area. According to Case Western Reserve University, the church was "dedicated in 1914...the late Gothic Revival building features twin square towers, square projecting bays, a 6-sided dome with arched windows, and an Akron-style interior with a balcony. A service celebrating the Centenary of Cleveland Methodism was held in the church in Sept. 1918, with former Ohio governor Frank B. Willis speaking."