West Park Kiwanis

Spring is almost here, West Park! 🌸

Shake off those winter blues and join the West Park Kiwanis for a Spring Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser!

Saturday, April 11 4:30 – 7:00 PM Cretan Party Center 3853 W. 168th St., Cleveland (Behind Chipotle – parking available behind Walgreens)

Enjoy a relaxed evening with great food, friends, and neighbors while supporting causes that make West Park stronger.
Dinner Buffet Includes: 🍝 Spaghetti with Meat Sauce 🥗 Fresh Salad🥖 Breadsticks🍪 Girl Scout Cookie Dessert Table☕ Coffee🍹 Cash Bar
Plus chances to win! 🎟 50/50 Raffle 📺 TV Raffle

Every ticket helps support local West Park charities and the 2026 West Park 4th of July Parade.

🎟 Tickets are just $20 per meal Available through online presale!
👉 Click link in first comment for tickets and details

Bring your friends, bring your family, and help us celebrate spring while supporting our community!

The Perilous Railroad Crossing at West 143rd
by Gary Swilik
Several major railroads run through West Park and at one time they crossed our roadways at street level. In the days when this area was mostly farms and open country this was practical. However as West Park developed into a busy city, not only horses and buggies but streetcars, automobiles and pedestrians were forced to share the highways. The congestion at street-level railroad crossings became extremely dangerous.
The busiest, and therefore one of the most dangerous, crossings was at West 143rd and Lorain Avenue. Accidents were common. On November 14th, 1918, for example, Mary Kasper, age 54, started through the crossing on foot in front of an approaching passenger train. It rapidly became apparent she had misjudged the speed of the train. Railroad employee Joseph Falzarana, a 31-year-old Italian immigrant, was working nearby and realized the peril.
The young man ran onto the track in an attempt to save the endangered woman but both were killed by the train. The West Park City Council issued a resolution honoring Joseph for his heroic action stating "his self-sacrificing deed wakes in us a feeling of admiration for the man and pride in having had him as a neighbor."
The crossing at West 143rd included a watchman's tower manned around the clock, with gates and a bell, but clearly that was not enough. The West Park Kiwanis organization led the campaign to eliminate this dangerous crossing. By the spring of 1938 work was well underway on the $800,000 project. An underpass was dug to carry Lorain Avenue beneath a newly constructed railroad bridge, forever changing the landscape of the area.
Opening ceremonies for the new railroad crossing were held at 2 p.m. on December 14th, 1938. Sponsored by the West Park Kiwanis, with music by the John Marshall High School Band, the speakers were Mayor Harold H. Burton, Common Pleas Judge Lee E. Skeel, and representatives of the State Highway Patrol and New York Central Railroad.
Today the West 143rd railroad bridge and underpass is over 70 years old. Few residents recall the site as it once was. Drivers on busy Lorain Avenue zip by under the now aged railroad bridge justifiably unaware of the once hazardous crossing.

Spring is almost here, West Park! 🌸
Shake off those winter blues and join the West Park Kiwanis for a Spring Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser!

Saturday, April 11 4:30 – 7:00 PM Cretan Party Center 3853 W. 168th St., Cleveland (Behind Chipotle – parking available behind Walgreens)

Enjoy a relaxed evening with great food, friends, and neighbors while supporting causes that make West Park stronger.

Dinner Buffet Includes: 🍝 Spaghetti with Meat Sauce 🥗 Fresh Salad🥖 Breadsticks🍪 Girl Scout Cookie Dessert Table☕ Coffee🍹 Cash Bar

Plus chances to win! 🎟 50/50 Raffle 📺 TV Raffle

Every ticket helps support local West Park charities and the 2026 West Park 4th of July Parade.

🎟 Tickets are just $20 per meal Available through online presale!

👉 Click link in first comment for tickets and details

Bring your friends, bring your family, and help us celebrate spring while supporting our community!

Proud moment for West Park Kiwanis! We earned the Cow Bell Award for achieving a higher percentage of meeting attendance than Lakewood Kiwanis. Strong participation makes a strong club—thank you to our members for showing up and supporting our mission.

Hope to see you at the Annual West Park Kiwanis Clambake! Link for reservations below in comments!

PLEASE NOTE TIME CHANGE: PARADE STEPS OFF AT 9:00 AM/ WEST PARK 4TH OF JULY PARADE ROUTE. STREETS CLOSE AT 8:30 AM. PLAN ACCORDINGLY! HAPPY 4TH!
Here is a link to a google map of the route for your reference.

Kamm's Corners to 17212 Lorain Ave Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

Don't miss out on the fun, Register your organization to march in this year's Parade! Learn More at westparkkiwanis.org.

COME JOIN IN THE FUN AND REGISTER YOUR GROUP OR ORGANIZATION TODAY!

Time to Register Your Spot in the West Park 4th of July Parade! Join the fun on Friday, July 4th in West Park

It is with heavy hearts that the West Park Kiwanis mourns the passing of our dear friend and Treasurer, Ray Vyhnalek. Ray was instrumental in helping us achieve our mission for many many years. Our loss is certainly heaven’s gain. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Ray’s family. Thank you for sharing him with us.

View RAYMOND J. VYHNALEK's Obituary and express your condolences RAYMOND J. VYHNALEK passed away on May 9, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. Funeral Home Services for RAYMOND J. are being provided by Chambers Funeral Homes - Cleveland.