Cutters Creek History

Cutters Creek's Early Years

Rona Weiss Interview (Conducted by Earnestine Adeyemon)

Earnestine:  Rona, thanks for agreeing to chat with us about our HOA's infancy. Residents' stories add color and background to Cutters Creek's history and those stories are often fascinating.  First, I think most will agree that Cutters Creek has had an incredible 15 years, especially when compared with many other HOAs.  

Rona:  Yes, it has been an incredible 15 years, and they have flown by. 

Earnestine:  So, for context, we know that South Euclid was once home to the historic Bluestone village.  And, intriguingly, it's possible that Cutters Creek was named for the stone cutters who worked the bluestone quarries. Whether this is true or not, the land that now houses our HOA has had a variety of occupants since that era. For instance, Susan Stone  (a font of local history)  shared that the property once housed a mansion. Access to the estate was from Anderson Road via the now decommissioned bridge in the rear of Cutters Creek Road. Later, according to several sources, the property was associated with St. Gregory's (now Sacred Heart) on South Green Road. Then, before it became our HOA, the property was home to a halfway house!  So, Rona, as an early resident, what were those first years at CC like?  

Rona:  Well, the first homes were built in 2007 and the first house was occupied in March 2008. I was the second person to move here, in June of 2008. By the end of the summer (early September) there were six occupied houses, which was the milestone we needed to be eligible for certain services. We called ourselves the ‘Pioneers.’

Earnestine:  It took years for South Euclid to provide Cutters Creek with trash/recycling service. Before then, the HOA had to hire a private contractor.  How did residents cope with this and the lack of other services before the occupancy quota was reached?

Rona:   (Chuckles) We would sometimes send trash home with our visitors, or bring a ladder to dump trash in the huge construction dumpsters on site!  I had recently retired so I would go to the post office daily after 4:15 pm to pick up the Cutters Creek mail. I had written permission from all the CC residents. I then distributed the mail under the appropriate welcome mats, which had been gifted to each new household. We didn't have mailboxes or storm doors yet.

Earnestine:  Wow, although no one had to dig holes to bury trash, or depend on the pony express for mail, this certainly gives early homeowners 'pioneer' status. Aside from the lack of City services, what was the community like? 

Rona:  Interestingly, ages ranged from the very young to retirees. Quite a few young doctors and their families moved here. To boost home sales, the builder promoted Cutters Creek to medical residents  at local hospitals. He offered them substantial incentives. (There was a housing slump around this time.)  We loved it—the doctors had different specialties and gave us free medical advice. And we were delighted when several of the couples had babies. We got to babysit and help out! Understandably, after their hospital residencies ended, the young families moved on.  Of course, like everywhere, there have been a few...interesting...residents over the years. But from the beginning CC was and continues to be an inclusive community of friends.

Earnestine:  Let's talk about the landscape. Construction noise and debris must have been intrusive and ubiquitous. When I moved here, there was a huge mound of construction dirt, a hill really, at the intersection of Cutters Creek and Stonecutters. But amazingly, the area around the hill was like a wildlife sanctuary, with rabbits, birds, butterflies…Residents liked to stop and watch all the activity. 

Rona:  Yes! Every evening at sundown deer would gather there. The stags would climb to the top of the mound and watch over the herd feeding in what was then a meadow. I could watch all the action right from my dining room window. I once counted fourteen deer grazing.  It was memorable.  Luckily, we're still home to a lot of wildlife.

Earnestine:  I agree; we're blessed with amazing wildlife. Speaking of 'memorable' experiences, you must have had many. I remember one activity that some residents (including me) found irresistible. When bulldozers dug foundations for new homes, as soon as the construction workers left for the day, we'd rush out and forage for newly unearthed rocks. You'd think we were prospecting for gold! We used these treasures to enhance flower beds  and yards.  Are there other incidents that come to mind? 

Rona:  Indeed yes. Like the time one of the Pioneers (no longer at CC) got stuck on his roof. I was working in my yard and heard a crash. I thought it was just part of the construction noise. But then I heard a squeaky, “Rona, Rona!” I looked around and there, to my surprise, was my neighbor, on his roof. The crash I’d heard was his ladder falling to the ground. He considered himself quite the handyman, so he was embarrassed about the mishap. But mostly he was grateful that someone heard him over the noise and was on the spot to help.

Earnestine:  I imagine so! Well, on  a sadder note, this wouldn't be a history if we didn't mention some of the deceased residents who poured their hearts into the community.

Rona:  Sadly, yes. Nan and Judy Dorer come immediately to mind. They were mother and daughter who lived in adjacent homes. Their passing deeply affected many of us. Both were garden and landscape design experts who were happy to share tips with neighbors. Nan, with her quiet dignity, was an inspiration, chatting and empathizing with people on her daily strolls through the development.  

Earnestine:  And Judy, in addition to serving as HOA president, assisted with several major initiatives. Like campaigning for SE to provide CC with basic services. A small group had petitioned  City officials for several years without result. Finally, Len Calabrese facilitated a meeting that allowed the  group to make the case that our tax dollars entitled CC to at least trash and recycling service...It would be nice to memorialize Nan and Judy with a bench, tree, or other community feature. 

Rona:  I wholeheartedly agree. I'd also like to mention Kim Segebarth. He was a  Pioneer who, along with Wendy Rapport and Howard Metz, served on the first Board of Trustees, or Board of Managers as it was then called. Kim was an attorney who shared legal insight with the HOA. 

Earnestine:  I’m glad you mentioned the first Board. Kudos to Wendy, Howard, and Kim for their tremendous work in laying the groundwork for the Board and making sure the new HOA met or exceeded all required standards. They are definitely pioneers in that regard. 

Rona:  Absolutely. 

Earnestine:  The development's builder once shared with me that, as part of their exercise routine, a group of residents would gather regularly and do a Euclid Creek Metroparks hike. That must have been fun, and a great way to get in those steps! It would be wonderful to start that again. What other kinds of group activities did people do?

Rona:  Oh, too many to list here, but meals, game nights, and outings—like a guided Playhouse Square backstage theater tour.  And there were a lot of impromptu gatherings. 

Earnestine:  Kind of like flash mob meetings?

Rona:  Exactly! It was almost impossible to walk through the development without neighbors coming out of their homes and chatting. Inevitably, a crowd would grow. A resident once brought home a new dog. It was a full hour and a half before she could get into her house because neighbors (and their pets) poured out of their homes to congratulate her and admire the new pup. How everyone simultaneously got the signal to come outside...who knows?

Earnestine:  That could only happen at Cutters Creek!  Rona, after living here nearly 15 years, has Cutters Creek lived up to your hopes?

Rona:  Absolutely. It's a beautiful community, and safe. Before I purchased my home (doing my due diligence), I visited the ranger station just below us on the Euclid Creek Parkway. One of the rangers assured me that I was making a wise decision in terms of safety.  He pointed out that our district has the lowest crime rate in the City.  

Earnestine:  Well, as an aside, I can say that people (looking at me!) sometimes leave their garages open for extended periods of time. Usually the only thing that happens is they get a call in the middle of the night from a concerned neighbor making sure all is well.

Rona:  Exactly! 

Earnestine:  And finally,  Rona what is your favorite thing about Cutters Creek?

Rona:  The people, most definitely! At the risk of sounding repetitive, it's great to live in a community where people look out for each other. When we travel, neighbors volunteer to care for our pets and collect our mail; when a neighbor is sick we pitch in to bring food and help with doctor appointments. We celebrate each other's good news and commiserate over bad. 

Earnestine:  Wonderfully put.  While the development is lovely, it's the people that help make living at Cutters Creek so pleasant...Thank you Rona. I've enjoyed speaking with you. I'm sure there are many other stories you and other residents have to tell, and hopefully this will be a venue for people to share those stories... Before we end, some may not know this, but not only are you a Pioneer; you've made yourself a CC caretaker. Over the years you, along with several other residents, must have picked up tons of trash—at the CC entrance, along Anderson Road, and in Cutters Creek itself. Thanks to all for helping to keep Cutters Creek looking good. And Rona, thank you for your dedication and insight!