Mayor's Report

Happy New Year! 2025 was a year of growth, creativity and momentum, particularly in its historic downtown and lakefront districts. Last year the city welcomed two new events in Downtown Willoughby —
Chilloughby, a festival celebrating the winter season, and Nashwill, an all-day music fest hosted by the Downtown Willoughby Bar and Restaurant Association. Both events were extremely well-received by residents, visitors and local businesses, and demonstrated the community’s enthusiasm for new experiences. We thank our Parks and Recreation Department, whose planning and support were key to their success. We continue to create new, family-friendly experiences in our historic downtown and we are actively planning for an exciting 2026.

Additionally, Willoughby supported a new holiday shopping initiative, Shop the Block — Golden Ticket Raffle, which was hosted by the Downtown Willoughby Merchant Association. The city worked closely with local merchants to help coordinate, promote and support the program, which encouraged residents to shop
locally during the holiday season while offering the chance to win cash prizes. The initiative successfully boosted foot traffic downtown and reinforced the importance of investing in our small businesses.

Meanwhile, the city’s Osborne Park Concert Series continues to draw strong crowds with an engaging and a diverse lineup. With ongoing improvements at Osborne Park, we see even more opportunities for events and programming in our lakefront districts.

Willoughby has several major projects and initiatives underway that will carry strong momentum into 2026, and beyond. One of the most significant is the construction of our new police station. Bids were received in January 2025 and the construction contract was awarded to Infinity Construction. The project remains on schedule and we are looking forward to a mid-summer 2026 grand opening of this state-of-the-art facility. The renovated and expanded former Meister Media Worldwide building will ensure the men and women of the Willoughby Police Department have the modern facility they need to carry out their important mission. As construction nears completion, we are also planning a spring ‘Hard Hat Tour’ to give residents an opportunity to see the progress firsthand.

Additionally, contracts were awarded for one rebuilt ambulance and one new ambulance for the Willoughby Fire Department. Both the new police station and fire department vehicles are funded through the recently approved Safety Levy, reflecting the commitment to providing the highest level of public safety services for residents.

The year also marked the start of the planning process for the city’s amphitheater project. We are hopeful that the initial work on this project will begin in 2026 with completion timed alongside the Chagrin River Trail project, funded through a combination of state and federal grants, as well as ARPA funds. The initial phase will include a pedestrian connection to the Chagrin River Trail project and entrance improvements to Todd Field. We are planning our new amphitheater to not impact the existing baseball fields. Construction on the Chagrin River Trail itself is expected to begin in 2026 and continue through 2027.

The city is also preparing for the start of the Osborne Park shoreline protection project, which will include the slope stabilization, erosion control measures and improved access to the city’s lakefront. Additional
enhancements at Osborne Park will include a new monument sign and an electronic reader board, intended to improve communication and enhance the visitor experience in the city’s lakefront district. Funding for the Osborne Park project comes from grants and ARPA funds. The city continues its efforts in providing controlled traffic along the Lost Nation Road corridor with plans for the installation of a new roundabout. These traffic improvements are proven to slow traffic and reduce accidents, and this project is already included on NOACA’s list upcoming funding. Together, these projects demonstrate Willoughby’s continued investment in public safety, infrastructure, recreation and quality of life as we move into 2026, and beyond.

Willoughby is launching a new campaign focused on promoting and re-energizing Downtown Willoughby. To support this effort, the city has engaged Small Nation, a firm with extensive experience in helping small communities develop cohesive leasing strategies and effective marketing
programs that strengthen downtown districts. Small Nation has a proven track record of working with historic downtowns to support local businesses while creating safe, welcoming and positive experiences for residents, and visitors. We are currently reviewing their initial feedback, insights and recommendations, and we look forward to sharing those findings with the community. As this initiative moves forward, Willoughby plans to engage residents, business owners and stakeholders through a series of outreach efforts to ensure this vision reflects the needs, and priorities of the entire Willoughby community. This campaign represents another important step in our continued commitment to preserving the character of our historic downtown while
positioning it for long-term success.
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