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Things do happen 'Only in Solon'
(by Barbara Christian - May 04, 2011)
WINDOW ON MAIN STREET, BY BARBARA CHRISTIAN
Things do happen 'Only in Solon'
"Only in Solon." We used to say that a lot back in the day before that city was as sophisticated as it is now. Before it was a paragon of progress. Before it was the envy of all suburbs its size.
"Only in Solon" was always said with a knowing smile, and those within earshot would nod and chuckle in agreement and repeat, "Only in Solon."
The phrase was used whenever something newsworthy would happen in Comet city -- something out of the norm, bizarre, preposterous, funny, odd or just "off." That stuff seemed to happen all the time back then in Solon.
For an example, we said, "Only in Solon," at a football game at the Comets' stadium, when, after a Solon player scored a touchdown, there came an NFL-style end-zone fireworks display.
However, "Only in Solon" wasn't said much once the city began to grow, become more diverse and interesting. "Only in Solon" became arcane for a lot of reasons, including the school district becoming one of the best in the state. "Only in Solon" wasn't said so much when the city's business and industry expanded and thrived and provided enviable tax revenues.
No one said, "Only in Solon," when new high-end housing developments began sprouting up from one end of that city to the other and when new schools, a library, recreation center, senior center, art center followed. When Solon became the symbol of good planning and prosperity.
Admittedly, a small number of us continued to recite, "Only in Solon," every time city officials opted to raze the city's history in favor of all that enviable new development.
But we also knew "Only in Solon" was gone forever except as an anecdote, a footnote of local history. "Only in Solon" was not a punch line anymore.
That is until we read about yet another debate over yet another solution to the city's persistent deer problem. We guess it has to do with the new homes and industry built on what was home sweet home for the critters.
Last week, we found ourselves recalling those good old "Only in Solon" days at news of the latest attempt to stop the deer from eating or trampling every living plant in the city and disobeying traffic laws, thus posing a danger to motorists and themselves.
Now, food-stocked deer-park cafeterias are the latest idea being advanced by some, to the jaw-dropping amazement of others. But city officials are considering it.
What guarantee is there that the deer will stay in the parks once they have munched the stocked greenery? And won't the deer have to cross Solon streets and gardens to get to the parks? Good questions, no good answers.
For all its successes as a community and in spite of its intelligent citizenry and thoughtful leaders, Solon has not been able to solve its self-inflicted deer problem.
It should be clear by now gunning down the deer or shooting arrows into them are not solutions, just the cause of other more dangerous problems.
Perhaps it's time to consider living in peace with the deer by controlling any future growth in the city then educating its two-legged residents on how to coexist with the four-legged ones. All the other failed and ill-advised strategies should be filed forever under, "Only in Solon."
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