Tuesday Sessions
June 8, 2021
Full Agenda
9:00 am-9:30 am
General Networking Rooms (E)
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
Akron Civic Commons: Co-Creation, Co-Design and Co-Stewardship of Accessible, Equitable and Welcoming Parks, Trails and Public Spaces (F)
Since 2017, community residents, City of Akron officials, community partners and Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition have been working together to create accessible, equitable and welcoming parks, trails and public spaces along 3 miles of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail in Akron, Ohio. Guided by the principles of relationship building, socioeconomic mixing, value creation and environmental sustainability, Akron Civic Commons is leveraging over $20 million in private, local, state and federal resources in the redevelopment of Lock 3 and Summit Lake Parks along the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail and the center of the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area.
Speakers:
Andrea Irland
Outdoor Recreation Planner, National Park Service
Dan Rice
President and Chief Executive Officer, Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition
Daniel M. Rice is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition (OECC). OECC is the regional non-profit organization working for the conservation, development and interpretation of the natural, historical and recreational resources along the Ohio & Erie National Heritage Canalway from Cleveland to New Philadelphia, Ohio. Since 1994, Mr. Rice has worked with over 150 community partnerships and raised over $75 million in development funds for the development of the 101-mile multi-use Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail and the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area and received numerous regional and national awards.
Kyle Kutuchief
Program Director, Knight Foundation
Kyle Kutuchief is Program Director in Akron for the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The foundation invests in journalism, the arts and the success of cities where its founders once published newspapers.
To help move Akron towards stabilization and growth, Knight invests in public life and the public realm to attract and engage new residents, with a focus on downtown and surrounding neighborhoods. Akron is also part of Reimagining the Civic Commons, a Knight-supported national initiative that seeks to counteract economic and social fragmentation by revitalizing and connecting public spaces.
10:30 am-11:00 am
Workshop Focus Breakouts (G)
Participate in an interactive breakout discussion to take a deep dive into the topics covered in the “Akron Civic Commons: Co-Creation, Co-Design and Co-Stewardship of Accessible, Equitable and Welcoming Parks, Trails and Public Spaces” summit session.
11:15 am-12:15 pm
Embrace the Lake: CHEERS for Access, Equity, and a Resilient Future in Cleveland (H)
The Cleveland Harbor Eastern Embayment Resilience Study (CHEERS) area sits at the intersection of social vulnerability and environmental risk. CHEERS seeks to expand habitat, increase resilience and connect area residents to the lakefront. Working with community partners and local organizations, the team created flexible and approachable engagement strategies to reach the most vulnerable residents. This strategy toolkit evolved as they learned more about the community and found new ways to overcome challenges. Findings include the importance of walking tours and other short-term engagements to build park and trail users as partners seek to create long-term improvements to the lakefront.
Learning Outcomes:
- See the inner process of a partnership working to retrofit and expand access to Lake Erie as a foundational and resilient community amenity.
- Discover the lessons learned from community engagement during COVID-19, social unrest, and political change and the importance of local organizations in the process.
- Explore how resiliency projects align to improve public and ecological health, support community and economic development goals, and provide opportunities to bridge long-standing, historic divides between communities and underutilized assets.
Speakers:
Kelly Coffman, PLA, ASLA
Senior Strategic Park Planner, Cleveland Metroparks
Kelly Coffman coordinates the Cleveland Harbor Eastern Embayment Resilience Study (CHEERS) partnership and grant reporting. She works with more than 150 project stakeholders representing local agencies and organizations, with a focus equitable connections for neighborhoods adjacent to the east side lakefront.
Freddie L. Collier Jr.
Director of City Planning, City of Cleveland
Freddy L. Collier, Jr. was appointed by Mayor Frank G. Jackson to serve as the Director of Cleveland City Planning Commission in 2014. Collier has over 20 years of experience in community lending and urban planning. As Director, he works with a team of professional planners who enlist other City departments, community stakeholders, and agencies to promote and implement planning initiatives throughout the City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County and Northeast Ohio. He has fostered local and national relationships to advance the development of Cleveland’s neighborhoods, and is a leader in promoting the connections between planning, equity, and health outcomes in the community.
Mary Morton, AICP
Urban designer and planner, WRT
Mary Morton has been with WRT’s Philadelphia office since 2013 and manages a consultant team of ecologists, landscape architects, and engineers. Mary developed CHEERS’ innovative outreach strategy and will present the work to engage the community and craft a responsive plan that meets the goals of the partners and the intent of the grant funding.
12:15 pm-12:45 pm
Workshop Focus Breakouts (i)
Participate in an interactive breakout discussion to take a deep dive into the topics covered in the “Embrace the Lake: CHEERS for Access, Equity, and a Resilient Future in Cleveland” summit session.
In Person Tours
2:00 pm-3:15 pm
Red Line Greenway Tour (Tour 1A)
Join staff from the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority and Cleveland Metroparks (and LAND studio) to learn how the Red Line Greenway developed from a Rotary Club project more than 40 years ago to a conceptual plan to a trail being built in part through a federal USDOT Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant. This linear greenway provides needed park space, recreation, and active transportation options in a portion of the city of Cleveland with few of these amenities. Staff will cover how this trail could be enhanced to further connect the neighborhoods in the near future.
- Learn how to the project partners worked together to overcome initial obstacles to building a trail alongside a well used commuter heavy rail corridor.
- Understand how the partnerships were leveraged to receive a federal TIGER (aka BUILD and now RAISE) grant, Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Grant (CMAQ), and a State of Ohio Clean Ohio Trails Fund to help construct this project.
- Identify the major project development steps for a federally funded trail project.
Lead by:
Additional leads:
- Michael J. Schipper, P.E.
- Joel Wimbiscus
Coordinator:
Nancy Desmond:
216-372-0469
Additional information:
This will be a walking tour outdoors. Tour will proceed on foot along a route that will be approximately 3.5 miles in length along the paved trail. At the end of the tour one can choose to continue along the very north section of the trail that slightly exceeds a 5% grade or end at the place of beginning. 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:
Main trailhead entrance at the NW corner of Columbus Road and Abbey Avenue in Cleveland, OH.
This area is accessible by bike or car with on-street parking along Columbus Avenue. Nearby parking is also available at West Side Market.
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
Bicycle Tour of the Towpath Trail & Canal Basin Park (Tour1B)
Participants will enjoy a 2-mile guided bike ride along the newest segments of the $50 million Towpath Trail Extension Project. The tour will start at Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood and finish at the Towpath Trail’s northern terminus at Canal Basin Park by the Cuyahoga River. When completed in early summer, the project will cap a $50 million effort by project partners including the City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Cleveland Metroparks, and Canalway Partners to extend the Towpath Trail six miles from Harvard Ave. to the entry-point of the historic Ohio & Erie Canal. Canal Basin Park will serve as an interpretive park and connective hub to nearby trails, including the 101 mile long towpath trail connecting to Zoar & New Philadelphia.
- Participants will learn how the Cleveland neighborhood of Tremont is incorporating the Towpath Trail as a differentiating brand for residents and visitors.
- Participants will learn how Canal Basin Park was funded and how the project is being designed in phases to leverage available short-term funding as an interim step towards the vision of a larger interpretive park that will be the northern terminus of the Ohio & Erie Canalway Towpath Trail.
- Participants will be able to list how to engage partnerships to complete a project
Lead by:
Coordinator:
Rory Robinson
330-741-1721
Additional information:
This is a bike ride tour, bring your own bike! 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:
1201 University Road, Cleveland OH 44113
Please meet on the path directly across from Sokolowski’s University Inn in Tremont.
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.
