WWW.SHAKER.LIFE | SPRING 2020 37
Rob Ayling
Moved to Shaker
2016
I came to the U.S. in 2002 when I was 19 years
old for a soccer scholarship at Notre Dame College
in South Euclid.
Years later, my wife and I picked Shaker Heights for
our home when we wanted to start a family. We had lived
in Richmond Heights for seven years, and we were attracted to
the walkability, public transport, and the architecture of the houses
in Shaker.
Our experience has been very positive. I love the diversity of people
from different backgrounds, and I am happy for my two-year-old son
Julian to grow up in this area. We live in the Boulevard area, and our
neighbors are very generous and always say hello. We have a couple of
gatherings throughout the year, and it’s fantastic just to socialize.
The locals in Shaker are very friendly, and there is a strong
community feel which I believe is growing stronger with the help of
the Van Aken District. People come together there, especially when
there are events. Plus, the Market Hall has a European vibe where all
ages can be accommodated.
My wife and I
picked Shaker
Heights for our home
when we wanted to
start a family.
Leena Nevalainen-Smith
Moved to Shaker
2002
I came to the Cleveland area for my husband’s
job at Cleveland Clinic. We picked Shaker Heights for
our home because my husband grew up here and had
gone through the Shaker Heights public school system in
the ‘60s and early ‘70s.
My experience has been very positive. After 10 years in
Manhattan, Shaker Heights felt like a paradise with its old trees,
beautiful yards, and wildlife – deer, bunnies, opossums, raccoons,
skunks, foxes, coyotes, all kinds of birds, and fireflies in the summer.
My two sons had an excellent experience in Shaker Heights public
schools, and both are now graduate students. I have the best circle
of friends right in my neighborhood, many of them first-generation
immigrants to United States. I also love Shaker Lakes and Shaker’s
proximity to world class culture.
After 10 years
in Manhattan,
Shaker Heights felt
like a paradise…
Finland
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