Cleveland waterfront news and information covering the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie.
But 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 MoreWinter's arrival on Cleveland's north coast provides a unique season for hearty nature lovers to enjoy a wide variety of wildlife
Read MoreUsually we prefer to stay in the background when we're covering one of Cleveland's waterfront stories but during Sunday's third annual Santa Paddle, we found ourselves right in the middle of a Cleveland version of "The Old Man and the Sea"
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Read MoreThanksgiving provides a wonderful time for family and friends to gather and celebrate a modern "harvest" together. It's also a time that allows people the opportunity to consider the many things we have to be thankful for. In that spirit, we wanted to reflect on the many things (in no particular order) we're thankful for with regards to Cleveland's waterfront.
Read MoreImagine taking a year off from your job, cashing in a large chunk of your 401K, saying goodbye to your family, and setting off on a journey to achieve one goal but also to show people with chronic illness how to triumph over adversity. Traci Lynn Martin is doing just that in her quest to become the first person to circumnavigate all five Great Lakes
Read MoreThe day before the 4th of July we were treated to the sight of 45 engaged citizens at Cleveland Metroparks Wendy Park participating in All Hands on Deck, a first-time, pop-up event where over 2,000 people from 70 communities in 6 states and Ontario linked hands and boats along the Great Lakes shores to raise awareness of the need to protect the Lakes
Read MoreToday is Cuyahoga River Restoration's River Day, where 29 different events and activities give you an opportunity to spend some time along the Cuyahoga River and its system of wetlands, tributaries and, of course, Lake Erie, where the river flows into
Read MoreThe view of Cleveland's waterfront from the coaches launch was a reminder of the progress that's been made and the potential that remains for future development
Read MoreAs we scanned the river we noticed how it was quickly becoming an aquatic version of rush-hour - and then in the midst of the maelstrom we noticed a single stand-up paddleboarder powering his way into the procession.
Read MoreLast night's opener of the 15th Annual Burning River Fest sponsored by Great Lakes Brewing Company and the Burning River Foundation saw big crowds enjoying a beautiful evening on the edge of the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie
Read MoreFans of Cleveland's waterfront have more than a few options to spectate, participate and enjoy the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie this weekend!
Read MoreWe've come up with a short list of places where you can enjoy Greater Cleveland's greatest asset - its Lake Erie and Cuyahoga River waterfront!
Read MoreHaving had 36 hours to reflect on Sunday night's historic NBA Finals Championship win by the Cleveland Cavaliers, several things struck us. First, we went slightly off Cleveland waterfront format when we rode the Cavs wave but we did our best to graft some Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie DNA onto our Twitter posts
Read More46 years after the first Earth Day we took a stroll along the Cuyahoga River to see how the body of water that helped launch the environmental movement is doing.
Read MoreIs there anything more beautiful than an early morning sunrise over a large body of water? We found out Wednesday morning as we rode along with St. Edward & St. Ignatius High School crew teams for a friendly on Lake Erie.
Read MoreAs Northeast Ohio woke up to a blanket of snow on a late spring morning, a mix of 40 paddle surfers, kiteboarders and surfers turned out to have fun on the Lake Erie surf.
Read MoreLast week the Great Lakes shipping season kicked off as Interlake Steamship Company's Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder ended its winter layover by transporting a load of iron ore from the Port of Cleveland's Bulk Terminal on Lake Erie to ArcelorMittal's steelmaking facility on the Cuyahoga River.
Read MoreThe myriad issues behind disposal of river sediment can be complex and to some, baffling. To others, it's a very simple matter: don't place anything in the lake. With that in mind, we thought we'd provide a few details on this dredging topic.
Read MoreA 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:
The City of Lakewood invested $2.2M in a major improvement to Lakewood Park.
The curving steps replaced a chain link fence that visually separated park visitors from Lake Erie.
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 is the only pubic park in Cuyahoga County that provides access to both Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River.
Since its transfer to Cleveland Metroparks in June 2013 Wendy Park has been a hub for recreational activity on Lake Erie.
Volleyball leagues playing on the edge of Lake Erie.
In late 2011 Cleveland Rowing Foundation established a permanent home for rowing on the Cuyahoga River.
The addition of Cleveland Metroparks Merwin's Wharf and Crooked River Skatepark has added a new facet to the Cuyahoga River's vitality.
The Scranton Flats conversion shepherded by Canalway Partners has created a unique park-like setting on the banks of the Cuyahoga River.
The paved trail provides walkers, runners and cyclists unique views of Cleveland's waterfront.
As the Ohio & Erie Canalway Towpath extends farther into Cleveland, more people will be treated to awesome sights like this.
The $750M mixed use project has been a shot in the arm for Cleveland's Cuyahoga River waterfront.
A wide boardwalk provides public access to the riverfront that previously was the domain of private business owners.
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 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.
The piece of property earned its name from the Irish immigrants who lived on it during the 1800's.
The hillside eventually became a repository for loose landfill.
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.
Stabilizing the hill is a key infrastructure project required to ensure passage of raw materials transported up the Cuyahoga River.
Once the hillside is stabilized, there are plans to establish a park and additional housing, adding to Ohio City's vibrancy.
Imagine taking an out-of-town visitor to a reimagined Irishtown Bend/Lake Link Trail and showing them this view of Cleveland!
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
