Planning for a review of greens space and parks and recreation assets in Ward 14

The Ward 14 office, together with staff from the Metro West Community Development Organization and  Cleveland Planning Commission, are continuing to review the conditions of our community greens spaces and parks.  This past year we were able to plant over 120 trees along the Denison Avenue area from Brooklyn Centre, through Clark Fulton, and Stockyard neighborhoods.

Johanna Hamm was instrumental in the tree plantings and also led an initiative to install a reading garden and pocket park adjacent to the Fulton Road Library - see the article on that project posted here.  In addition, the Ward 14 office has also worked to have two traffic median strips installed on the ends of the Pearl Road/W. 25th Street bridge over I-71.  The median strips have been planted with trees and grasses to soften the entrances and exits to the freeway as well as to the Clark Fulton and Brooklyn Centre neighborhoods.

We'll be continuing with this work this year in reviewing the conditions and opportunities for improvements to the following parks and green spaces:

• W. 73rd St/Berry Avenue;
• Historic Brookside Stadium;
• W. 67th Street Park; 
• City and County Land Bank Lots situated in the area of W. 54th, W, 55th and Storer Avenue;
• Cleveland Public Library Fulton Road Branch - reading Garden - Phase II.

Our work is being complemented by the City's Planning Commission efforts to develop maps demonstrating where there is or not access to green space and recreation facilities.  They've begun work on mapping all city parks and recreation facilities and will be working to add school playground and play fields to better demonstrate and visualize are greens space and parks assets and where we should consider strengthening and adding amenities.  We also plan on adding to the maps the locations of active community gardens.  Although there are not a lot of resources for green space and recreation facilities improvements, with the City's enhanced budget it is expected that each of the 17-wards will be receiving $75,000 that can be used for such improvements.

It is expected that this summer we'll be scheduling community meetings for the areas of the neighborhoods closest to these sites to get input from residents on improvements and amenities they would like to see.  In meetings over the past few years there has been a lot of debate about the possibility of installing new basketball courts, or advocating for a soccer-field and even mini-skateboard-park amenities as well as more standard playground equipment for younger children as well as benches and seating areas.

If you have any questions, suggestions or concerns regarding green space and parks please call our office at 216-664-4238.