Like many post-industrial cities, Cleveland has been revitalizing its downtown and neighborhoods by investing in parks and trails with a focus on access, equity, and connectivity. After 50 years of investments in cleaning the Cuyahoga River and improving Lake Erie, Cleveland is now enjoying a revitalization of its waterfront and leveraging that access to connect communities, amenities, and infrastructure.
The Cleveland Park Study Tour was a one-of-a-kind experience exploring Cleveland’s innovative approaches to improving the park system and the health and quality of life of its residents. The tour maximized opportunities to network with fellow park professionals during a carefully designed and programmed itinerary featuring local and national experts.
Through the successful cross sector management of public and private spaces available to the public, Cleveland park partners have greatly expanded the accessibility of public spaces that serve a park function, meeting residents where they are.
We learned how Cleveland has leveraged cross agency and cross sector partnerships, particularly with urban infrastructure agencies, such as the Sewer District and Port Authority, to revitalize its waterfront, connect its neighborhoods, and develop its parks as integral urban infrastructure.
We learned about strategies for developing culturally relevant neighborhood-specific programming in collaboration with community development organizations and neighborhood nonprofits, providing equitable access to safe, vibrant, and active neighborhood parks.
We explored public space activation and programming that extends beyond traditional park boundaries and into places like vacant lots, publicly accessible private property, and public transit lines.
The tour kicked off with highlights of how local stakeholders have connected Cleveland residents with nearby water bodies and related recreational opportunities via trails and new lakefront parks. During the afternoon, participants heard about the partnerships behind activating park space that surrounds a local recreation center, as well as hyper-local pocket-park activation on Cleveland’s West Side.
Day two of the tour focused largely on how parks function as green infrastructure and how to develop partnerships for community-driven programming. We heard from a panel of local park partners in the morning about how they have activated parks in Cleveland’s East Side, then explored area preserves, gardens, and greenways. Participants got an exclusive look at park sites in development on Cleveland’s East Side, as well as several successfully established parks unique to Cleveland, finishing the tour downtown at Public Square.
