Yesterday’s Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon saw over 15,000 10k, half, and full runners pass by the cheer zone at Brick & Barrel Brewing on Columbus Road. Spirits were high on an unseasonably steamy day, the warmest since our Pep Club Dance Party at the Tremont Taphouse in 2013. Here’s a look at the scene where the courses crossed the Cuyahoga River.
As we wrapped our Earth Day Happy Hour last night we thought about the events that led to the first Earth Day back in 1970, and the unique role Cleveland and the Cuyahoga River served as the flash point for a nation awakening to its burgeoning environmental crisis.
Our Earth Day Happy Hour was a fun night (who tries to program against Dingus Day?!) spent with supporters, friends, fueled by an amazing “Blazing Paddles” cocktail created by The Duck Island Club’s bartender, Song (ask for it during your visit to this hidden gem of a cocktail lounge). The evening was capped with the ‘69 Cuyahoga River Trivia Contest where the winners took home a copy of David & Richard Stradling’s “Where The River Burned”, a deep dive into Cleveland’s social and political scene leading up to the ‘69 fire. Thanks to Ideastream for putting it together. You can test your knowledge of that fire here.
We couldn’t help but wonder what organizers of the first Earth Day thought on the day AFTER the first Earth Day. Now what?!
The “Blazing Paddles” cocktail
Share the River’s mission and public motion are built upon four pillars:
the importance and demonstrable positive impact of common sense environmental regulations.
the value of public investments in clean water infrastructure (like NEORSD's Project Clean Lake).
the positive impact of engaged, long-term recreational use of our nations rivers, lakes and streams.
the benefit the above three have on waterfront cities' appeal 1) as a place where people want to work, live and play and 2) as a tourism destination.
The large public turnout for recent events like Rails to Trails Conservancy’s Opening Day for Trails reminds us how public use of greenspaces, trails, rivers and the like for recreation demonstrates to public officials, agencies, philanthropic organizations and media the public hunger and support for those natural experiences. Cleveland is uniquely positioned as a historic, urban tourism destination with an expanding network of off-road trails connecting to main arteries that run along the Cuyahoga River like the Ohio & Erie Canalway that’s currently being extended to downtown Cleveland at Canal Basin Park.
Here are a few suggestions of how you can continue yesterday’s Earth Day vibe:
April 27: The 4th Annual Cuyahoga Falls Kayak Race. Is there any better way to enjoy the Cuyahoga River’s resurgence than a whitewater competition in an urban environment? We think not.
Now: Sign up for Western Reserve Rowing Association’s Summer Rowing League. There’s NO better way to experience Cleveland than from 18” above the Cuyahoga River and odds are, after a summer on the river, you’ll become an advocate for the river!
May 11: Canalway Partners Riversweep: Cleveland’s largest done-in-a-day clean-up of the Cuyahoga River corridor.
May 18: River Day - an opportunity to spend some time along the Cuyahoga and its system of wetlands, tributaries and, of course, Lake Erie, where the river ends.
Address our nation’s addiction to plastic by changing YOUR behavior! Campaigns like Ocean Conservancy’s Skip the Straw are admirable but they are the low hanging fruit of the “reduce, reuse and recycle” mantra. Straws are a teeny portion of the single-use plastic pipeline but Skip the Straw DOES start conversations about what else we can do to move needle on reducing plastic consumption. Check out the question we asked Sarah Lowe, the Great Lakes regional coordinator for NOAA's Marine Debris Program during Lake Erie Waterkeeper’s recent Lake Erie Conference. Her answer is a pep-talk for how we can be more mindful and sustainable with our consumption behavior.
June 21-24: Register for the River Network’s River Rally: River Rally provides an inspiring and energy-infused touchpoint for nonprofit groups from across the U.S. and beyond, as well as for agency and foundation representatives, industry innovators, philanthropists, academics, students, and community leaders. It includes over 70 learning opportunities, an awards ceremony, novel social events, and access to thought leaders and change agents.
June 22: Participate in our Blazing Paddle Paddlefest, a public paddleboard, kayak, and canoe celebration of how the Cuyahoga River has risen like a phoenix since the 1969 fire ignited the environmental movement.
No doubt we’ve missed other obvious ways to continue the Earth Day vibe so e-mail us your suggestions to sharetheriver3@gmail.com and we’ll add them to this list!
Yesterday was one of our favorite events, the 39th Annual St. Malachi Church Run. Yes, we like it because it crosses the Cuyahoga River twice, but the REAL reason is 1) it’s a sure sign spring is right around the corner, 2) St. Patrick’s Day is close, and 3) we recognize what a huge impact the race has on funding St. Malachi Parish ministries to Cleveland’s most needy.
Read MoreTo say we were humbled at being nominated for four Academy Awards would be an understatement. But to win an Oscar in all four categories? Well, it’s simply unbelievable.
Read MoreGreater Cleveland public radio (90.3 WCPN Ideastream) listeners and Great Lakes Today’s audience have heard journalist Elizabeth Miller’s reports on all things Great Lakes environment for the last three years. Elizabeth recently accepted a position in Portland to cover the education beat for Oregon Public Broadcasting.
Read MoreLast September we headed to the Sustainable Cleveland Summit where we shared with attendees our experience of hosting Blazing Paddles on June 23, 2018, one year before the 50th anniversary of the 1969 Cuyahoga River fire. If you’re not familiar with the fun that happened at Blazing Paddles this year, check out our blog post Blazing Paddles Paddleboard Race Stokes the Cuyahoga River.
Read MoreWith the Polar Vortex loosening its grip on Northeast Ohio, Sunday was a perfect morning for Cleveland Metroparks’ Lakefront Bird Blitz led by naturalist and birding extraordinaire, Jen Brumfield.
Read MoreChristmas cheer was in abundance along Cleveland’s Lake Erie shoreline yesterday as Nalu Standup Paddle & Surf’s 4th Annual Santa Paddle greeted Cleveland Browns fans before the game. In contrast to last year’s wind-blown affair, this year’s paddle was blessed with sunny skies and no wind as temperatures hovered around the freezing mark.
Read MoreAfter a recent Open House, ODNR’s Tom Arbour reflected on the unique nature of the Cuyahoga River. “What’s amazing about the Cuyahoga River are the diverse paddling experiences it offers. From the calm, forested headwaters, to the raging rapids in the gorge and ending at its mouth at Lake Erie with amazing views of the Cleveland skyline, the Cuyahoga River has something to offer for every recreational paddler.”
Read MoreSaturday's annual Veterans Memorial Bridge Tour, hosted by the Cuyahoga County Department of Public Works, attracted thousands as they celebrated the 100 anniversary of the classic bridge structure.
Read MoreCAN Triennial is a gathering of exemplary contemporary art from Northeast Ohio, featuring new discoveries, rising stars, and the region's most accomplished artists.
Read MoreOur goal for Blazing Paddles was to reframe the Cuyahoga River narrative and we were so pleased media picked up on a paddleboarding race as a perspective-changer for recreational use of a river that formerly served as a cultural reference point for environmental ruin.
Read Mores there a better way to celebrate how far the Cuyahoga River (and Cleveland) has come since the June 22, 1969 fire than a run/walk of the Cuyahoga River trails followed by GREAT music and Fat Head's Brewery beer?
Read MoreLast night's cruise on the Goodtime III reminded us of the old line about a busman's holiday: A holiday in which you spend most of your time doing the same or something very similar to your normal work. Ostensibly we were guests of the Goodtime III's 60th Anniversary Cruise along Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River.
Read MoreHere's a look at the scrum that happens on the Cuyahoga River when the Norfolk Southern Bridge has a lift on a busy day. The Goodtime III Captain's view from the wheelhouse is much different (further back and lower) than the security cam's view (it's mounted higher and looks down).
Read MoreThe Coast Guard collaborated with local Cuyahoga River stakeholders in 1996 to create a safety zone along the Flats east bank to protect boaters when large freighters maneuver in the area.
Read MoreBut the Lake Erie PR pulse from last week's Browns announcement made us realize Lake Erie's ongoing challenges with algae blooms has tainted the public mindset to a point where a spoiled Lake Erie has finally eclipsed the Cuyahoga River as shorthand for out-of-towners to kick Cleveland in the shins
Read MoreSaturday's RiverSweep saw over 700 volunteers fan out across the Cuyahoga River corridor to be part of what Canalway Partners calls "Ohio's largest done-in-a day clean-up". Individuals, students, and organizations descended upon 9 clean-up sites in the Cuyahoga River watershed and after three hours of effort, headed to Hart Crane Park for Sainato's pizza and music.
Read MoreWe'll admit a certain dread when Earth Day rolls around as many well-meaning folks will trot out a 66-year-old photo of the Cuyahoga River as an example of what will happen if Scott Pruitt/EPA/Donald Trump get their way.
Read MoreJoy Machine's Bicycle Shop decide to host a pop-up event called simply enough "Coffee Outside" at the "spoon", Canalway Partners' name for the Scranton Flats pier jutting out over the river.
Read MorePowered by Squarespace
