A panel discussion will be held at Lakewood Public Library tonight giving several waterfront & neighborhood stakeholders an opportunity to weigh in on how waterfront development is paying off for Cleveland and Cuyahoga County. The Plain Dealer's Steven Litt will moderate the discussion with the Greater Cleveland Partnership, Cleveland Metroparks, Campus District Inc. and Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization. Details on the forum are in Steve's recent Plain Dealer article: http://www.cleveland.com/architecture/index.ssf/2016/02/free_panel_discussion_tuesday.html

Ask 50 people what "paying off" means to them and you'll probably get 50 different answers: Improved property values, enhanced quality of life, increased tax receipts, space to relax, creation of jobs, improved health, leveraging local history as a branding element for tourism, increasing waterfront access for residents, and attracting new residents all come to mind. Some organizations have even attempted to quantify the value of green-spaces: in a 2013 study the Trust for Public Land found Cleveland Metroparks generates $855M annually for the local economy. https://www.tpl.org/clevelandeconbenefits

A great summary by seeyourwords.com of a 2014 waterfront forum at the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs

If we were to come up with just ONE answer to the "payoff" question we think it's found in the above See Your Words graphic recording from a 2014 waterfront forum at CSU's Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs. Do you see it? "People want to be connected to our water". Indeed, the reason Moses Cleaveland and his team of surveyors chose Cleveland as the capital of the Western Reserve was its location on Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River.

We're a little envious at the successes Waterfront Toronto and Pittsburgh's Riverlife have fostered so thought we'd share some of our favorite "developments" that have helped connect Greater Cleveland's residents to THEIR water:

Solstice Steps, Lakewood, OH

The City of Lakewood invested $2.2M in a major improvement to Lakewood Park.

Solstice Steps, Lakewood, OH

The curving steps replaced a chain link fence that visually separated park visitors from Lake Erie.

Solstice Steps, Lakewood, OH

The terraced design by Environmental Design Group's landscape architect Jeff Kerr, was inspired from memories of a Canadian canoe trip he took years ago.

Wendy Park

Wendy Park is the only pubic park in Cuyahoga County that provides access to both Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River.

Wendy Park

Since its transfer to Cleveland Metroparks in June 2013 Wendy Park has been a hub for recreational activity on Lake Erie.

Wendy Park

Volleyball leagues playing on the edge of Lake Erie.

Cleveland Rowing Foundation

In late 2011 Cleveland Rowing Foundation established a permanent home for rowing on the Cuyahoga River.

Merwin's Wharf & Crooked River Skatepark

The addition of Cleveland Metroparks Merwin's Wharf and Crooked River Skatepark has added a new facet to the Cuyahoga River's vitality.

Scranton Flats

The Scranton Flats conversion shepherded by Canalway Partners has created a unique park-like setting on the banks of the Cuyahoga River.

Scranton Flats

The paved trail provides walkers, runners and cyclists unique views of Cleveland's waterfront.

Scranton Flats

As the Ohio & Erie Canalway Towpath extends farther into Cleveland, more people will be treated to awesome sights like this.

Flats East Bank

The $750M mixed use project has been a shot in the arm for Cleveland's Cuyahoga River waterfront.

Flats East Bank

A wide boardwalk provides public access to the riverfront that previously was the domain of private business owners.

Flats East Bank

Diners and boardwalk strollers enjoy unparalleled views of Cleveland's unique "Theater of the Waterfront".

That's a few of our faves - clearly in-process projects like The Foundry, a new rowing & sailing training facility on the east side of Columbus Road, Canal Basin Park's 20 acre redevelopment and Cumberland Development's 20 acre mixed-use development project at North Coast Harbor will add to the vitality of Cleveland's waterfront.

There will be many projects discussed during tonight's waterfront forum and we've got one fave that we feel delivers on a number of levels - Irishtown Bend.

Irishtown Bend

Irishtown Bend is a curving 1/2 mile long section of waterfront on the west side of the Cuyahoga River between the Columbus Rd. and Detroit-Superior bridges.

Irishtown Bend

The piece of property earned its name from the Irish immigrants who lived on it during the 1800's.

Irishtown Bend

The hillside eventually became a repository for loose landfill.

Irishtown Bend

Port of Cleveland surveys indicate a portion of the hill is unstable. Estimates indicate it would cost $49M to stabilize that section of the hill.

Irishtown Bend

Stabilizing the hill is a key infrastructure project required to ensure passage of raw materials transported up the Cuyahoga River.

Irishtown Bend

Once the hillside is stabilized, there are plans to establish a park and additional housing, adding to Ohio City's vibrancy.

Irishtown Bend

Imagine taking an out-of-town visitor to a reimagined Irishtown Bend/Lake Link Trail and showing them this view of Cleveland!

Redline Greenway

A powerful complement to a revitalized Irishtown Bend would be Rotary of Cleveland's Redline Greenway providing a direct bike trail link from W. 65th St. to downtown Cleveland.

For now that's a brief wrap of Cleveland's waterfront scene. Check out our Twitter feed tonight for details during tonight's 7-8:30 pm waterfront meeting: https://twitter.com/sharetheriver

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