Wednesday Sessions
June 9, 2021
Full Agenda
9:00 am-9:30 am
General Networking Rooms (J)
Coffee chat, hallway conversations … since we cannot be together in person, join our virtual morning networking rooms to say hello and chat with fellow summit participants.
9:30 am-10:30 am
Synergies of the Towpath (K)
Speakers will lead participants through a brief history of the Towpath Trail’s development in Cleveland and how this trail has been used as a catalyst to launch additional, coordinated projects, including Canal Basin Park, Heritage Boat Docks, Irishtown Bend Park, Vision for the Valley and Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant projects in and around the Cleveland Flats neighborhood. Updates on these projects will be provided along with information about how they relate to the Towpath Trail.
Learning Outcomes:
- Participants will understand the long history of the Towpath Trail development.
- Participants will learn how layering and coordinating planning efforts over years and decades can be used to position projects to move forward as part of a system or network.
- Participants will learn how partnerships and resources can be coordinated as part of strategic development.
Speakers:
Jessica French
Senior Project Manager, Cuyahoga County
Mera Cardenas
Executive Director, Canalway Partners
Mera Cardenas is the Executive Director of Canalway Partners, a non-profit cultural heritage organization based in Cleveland that has joint responsibility for stewardship of the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area. For more than 35-years, Canalway Partners has worked to develop cultural, historic, and outdoor recreation experiences along the Industrial Valley, Cuyahoga River, and historic Ohio & Erie Canal route in Cuyahoga County. Mera and her husband currently make their home in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland with their pup Daisy and two cats, Mo & Chuck Noll.
10:30 am-11:00 am
Workshop Focus Breakouts (L)
Participate in an interactive breakout discussion to take a deep dive into the topics covered in the “Synergies of the Towpath” summit session.
11:15 am-12:15 pm
The Euclid Waterfront: Innovative Lakefront Development For All (M)
Learn from a 2018 Greater Cleveland Trails & Greenways Conference Showcase award winner at this virtual presentation and Q&A. Participants will learn how the City of Euclid over a period of 12 years took from concept to completion a precedent-setting public-private partnership to create a three-quarter mile public access trail along historically privatized property. The project, designed and engineered by SmithGroup, is hailed as the model for opening up Lake Erie to public access across the region. Currently, the City of Euclid participates in the SmithGroup-led Cuyahoga County Lakefront Public Access Plan as a Steering Committee Member and is one of thirteen communities leading the first Shoreline Special Improvement District in the State of Ohio across two counties. During the session we will take a deep dive into current contexts, opportunities and challenges, strategies, best practices and much more!
Learning Outcomes:
Participants will be able to:
- Identify key benefits of a public-private partnership;
- Identify unique opportunities for funding; and
- Learn about the creation of a Shoreline Special Improvement District.
Speakers:
Brian K. Housh
Policy Manager, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
Brian K. Housh is an avid cyclist and a council member in the Village of Yellow Springs, where his active-transportation lifestyle is supported by living along the Little Miami Scenic Trail—which is part of the nation’s largest paved trail network and the Industrial Heartland Trails Coalition. Brian has been actively engaged in regional economic development initiatives that emphasize strategies to enhance quality of life, create jobs and increase commerce via arts, culture and environmental sustainability. A graduate of the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations and a JD/MBA (Environmental Law/Finance and Entrepreneurship), he brings a community development perspective to RTC’s policy team.
Kirsten Holzheimer Gail
Mayor of Euclid
Mayor Gail has served as Mayor since January 2016 and is a lifelong resident of Euclid. She is a graduate of Kenyon College and earned a Master’s Degree in Social Science Administration from Case Western Reserve University. Kirsten served as a Ward Councilwoman from 1997- 2007 and City Council President from 2008-2015. Prior work experience includes serving as a Faculty Field Advisor at the Mandel School of Applied Social Science at CWRU and Executive Director of Euclid Community Concerns. She proudly represents the City of Euclid on the NOACA Board, Ohio Mayor’s Alliance, Cuyahoga County Mayor’s and Managers Association, Chagrin Valley Dispatch Council of Governments and the Euclid Hospital Community Advisory Council.
Allison Lukacsy-Love, AIA, AICP
Director, Department of Planning and Development, City of Euclid
Allison oversees Euclid’s planning, zoning, economic and community development efforts. Allison joined the City of Euclid in 2016 to steward the $30M Waterfront Improvements Plan. She is a licensed Architect with a professional degree from Carnegie Mellon University. She previously worked with Geis Companies and StudioTECHNE Architects in Cleveland in addition to architecture firms in Pittsburgh and Shanghai. Allison is nationally recognized for public art that partners with non-profits to advance a social cause. Allison serves as a Board Member of APA Ohio, AIA Cleveland, the Green Ribbon Coalition, the first Shoreline SID in Ohio and is Chair of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank’s Young Professionals Council.
12:15 pm-12:45 pm
Workshop Focus Breakouts (N)
Participate in an interactive breakout discussion to take a deep dive into the topics covered in the “The Euclid Waterfront: Innovative Lakefront Development For All” summit session.
In Person Tours
2:00 pm-3:15 pm
From Concept to Completion: Euclid Waterfront Walkshop (Tour 2A)
Learn from a 2018 Greater Cleveland Trails & Greenways Conference Showcase award winner at this “walkshop” along the Euclid Waterfront. Participants will learn how the City of Euclid over a period of 12 years took from concept to completion a precedent-setting public-private partnership to create a three-quarter mile public access trail along historically privatized property. The project is hailed as the model for opening up Lake Erie to public access across the region as well as leading the innovative Shoreline Special Improvement District. The project will be substantially complete by the end of 2021 and part of the walkshop will be a behind-the-scenes construction tour. During the approximately 1.5 mile walk we will take a deep dive into current contexts, opportunities and challenges, strategies, best practices and much more!
Participants will be able to identify key benefits of a public/private partnership, identify unique opportunities for funding and learn about the creation of a Shoreline Special Improvement District.
Lead by:
Coordinator:
Andrew Stahlke
646-784-6973
Additional Information:
Tour is outdoors in a partial construction area. Please dress accordingly. Closed-toed shoes are required. Safety vests will be provided. Bringing water and sunscreen is also recommended.
As we continue to follow the best guidelines from the CDC, State of Ohio and public health officials to institute precautionary measures to help prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), face coverings are required to be worn during the site visit and groups of 10 must stay at least six feet apart. Please help us by following these precautionary measures. We look forward to seeing you!
Location:
Sims Park, 23131 Lakeshore Blvd, Euclid, OH
Please meet at the east entrance to the Henn Mansion off of the east parking lot in Sims Park.
Required Waiver:
All tour attendees must fill out and return this signed waiver (https://ihearttrails.org/trailsconfwaiverw_covid/) to Dan Sahli at dbs2@clevelandmetroparks.com.
2:00 pm-3:15 pm
Hemlock Creek Trail Site Visit (Tour 2B)
The Hemlock Creek Trail is one of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park’s community connector trails and a critical segment in the overarching West Creek Greenway – a 21+ mile intercommunity trail system, extending through Parma, Seven Hills, Brooklyn Heights, and Independence. The site visit will include a hike into the valley, through public-private-federal land, including two municipalities. The trail includes adaptive reuse of former right of ways, closed roads, as well as bridges. Highlighted on the tour will be the former Haydite mine, the complexity of crossing the Cuyahoga River, interfacing with the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, as well as present and future opportunities.
Participants will be also to understand be able to identify the criticality of public-private partnerships and how important each of their respective roles are. Additionally, recognizing the value of reusing historic infrastructure and creating ‘place’ opportunities along a trail that provide multiple benefits (e.g. resting place, leisure, picnic, viewsheds, safety/maintenance access, etc). Lastly, participants will introduced into a project where the trail/greenway is the groundwork for future opportunities versus a trail in the mix of a development –essentially, how the trail will be the catalyst to additional opportunities (e.g. adaptive reuse of the former Haydite mine, an access point for the Cuyahoga River Water Trail, entrepreneurial opportunities, etc); and how we can cooperatively leverage interagency funding, resources and missions/goals.
Lead by:
Coordinator:
Dan Sahli
dbs2@clevelandmetroparks.com
216-800-7010
Additional information:
Tour is outdoors and will include a hike, approx. 2.5 miles. All purpose paved trail, yet terrain on the return trip is moderate due to incline(no restrooms/water on site yet). Dress accordingly, bring water, wear appropriate footwear; ideally, based on the pace, it would be opportunistic to introduce participants to the former Haydite mine, to full understand the complexity, yet inherent opportunity of the project/site. Bringing water and sunscreen is also recommended.
As we continue to follow the best guidelines from the CDC, State of Ohio and public health officials to institute precautionary measures to help prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), face coverings are required to be worn during the site visit and groups of 10 must stay at least six feet apart. Please help us by following these precautionary measures. We look forward to seeing you!
Location:
Cleveland Clinic Business Operations Center
6801 Brecksville Road, Independence OH 44131
We will meet in the back SE corner of the parking lot.
Required Waiver:
All tour attendees must fill out and return this signed waiver (https://ihearttrails.org/trailsconfwaiverw_covid/) to Dan Sahli at dbs2@clevelandmetroparks.com.
