“I really loved when this was Commodore Club” was a comment on our Facebook post yesterday documenting the progress of transient boat docks located near Cleveland Metroparks’ Merwin’s Wharf. That got us thinking on the eve of Cleveland Rowing Foundation’s 26th Annual Head of the Cuyahoga Regatta (HOTC) just where would Cuyahoga River recreation be had the Trust for Public Land (TPL) not partnered with Cleveland Rowing Foundation to secure the former Commodore Club boathouse property, creating Rivergate Park, a public recreation space on Cleveland’s waterfront.

That transaction created Rivergate Park which begat:

the creation of the first permanent home for recreation, Cleveland Rowing Foundation, on the Cuyahoga River.
established the site for the future Cleveland Metroparks Merwin’s Wharf and public docks.
led to locating Crooked River Skatepark on the property.
the above created the conditions for a second rowing boathouse, The Foundry, being established across Columbus Road in 2017.
provided a home for the new The Flats Platform Tennis Center.
plans for 600 apartments on Carter Rd., NRP’s “The Peninsula” project.
a home for Share the River’s Blazing Paddles Paddlefest, Ohio’s 2nd largest paddling event. We thought Trust for Public Land’s involvement in the Rivergate Project was so essential to recreation on the Cuyahoga River we named the Blazing Paddles Paddlefest’s first ever recreational paddle event in memory of Dave Vasarhelyi, the TPL project manager who made the Rivergate Park deal happen.

When you look at the below gallery and wander the Rivergate Park grounds at the HOTC tomorrow, just think how far Cleveland’s hard-working, historic, and scenic riverfront has come in just a short time!

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Former Commodore Club Gallery (pre 2010)

Transient Boat Docks Being Installed at Merwin’s Wharf