Personal Connection

When I think of SouthPark Mall now, I think about the traffic that stretches from Pearl Road all the way down 82 to the highway. I picture rush hour, when cars lined the off ramp by the mall, backed up the right lane halfway to the precious exit. I think about getting caught at every light, wondering if I'll get in trouble for cutting through the recreation complex to try and avoid even more traffic down by the town square.

Still, I grew up in Strongsville and the mall often felt like the epicenter of town. My siblings and I spent a lot of time there - we loved eating in the food court and going during the holidays the visit Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny. As teenagers, it was the place the hangout even if we didn't have money to buy anything. The reason I chose this location was more than those fond memories though.

My grandparents owned a house just south of the mall on Howe Road, my great-aunt was just a few streets down too. I remember them telling stories, especially my great-aunt, about how different the area was when they first moved in - there were still dirt roads, no highway, and traffic was practically non-existent. I was fascinated by the picture they painted of an entirely different place from where I was growing up. When I was considering locations for this project, I immediately thought about SouthPark Mall because of that contrast between my great-aunt's quiet little dirt road and the seven-lane nightmare I still avoid at all costs to this day.