Green Space + Parks
Perk Park - Photo Bob Perkoski
Public parks offer more than convenient refuge from the pressures of urban existence; they create a sense of community by bringing people of various backgrounds together in an informal setting. For that reason, parks matter now more than ever, some could argue. As large public works projects finally begin to take shape in and around Cleveland -- from the Medical Mart and Convection Center to the Lakefront and Flats East Bank projects -- its imperative that meaningful public spaces be part of the local conversation. "The quality of open spaces is a measure of the desirability of a city," Greg Peckham of LAND studio notes. "Parks and park systems really matter to people."
The Cleveland Leadership Center's 12th Annual Accelerate: Citizens Make Change pitch competition awarded its $5,000 grand prize to LanguageBridge, an extension designed to help K-12 English learners master the language. Finalists were chosen in four other categories, and in the Technovation and Teens Make Change competitions.
The Cleveland Botanical Garden is planning a vibrant spring season with more than 3,000 tulips planted in an interactive Dutch-inspired display and the return of daily butterfly releases in the Costa Rica Biome. Visitors can enjoy assorted early spring blooms with special events throughout April that include Orchid Rodeo, a spring egg hunt, tulip painting workshops, and a free Arbor Day community celebration.
Canalway's annual Towpath Trail Lantern Parade brought the city together last Saturday for a celebration along the Cuyahoga River in Tremont. Five commissioned artists created illuminated works of art from upcycled materials to celebrate the Ohio & Erie Canalway's history, while others crafted their own lanterns at a free workshop led by Upcycle Parts Shop.
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Sustainable Economies Consulting helps Northeast Ohio conservation organizations develop communications plans and strategies to share positive environmental impact stories. Founders Elizabeth Schuster and Marissa Ferrari work with park districts, museums, and land trusts to tell their stories of how they are quietly fighting climate change on thousands of acres of protected wetlands, forests, and prairies.
Cuyahoga County's Fresh Water Institute, launched in 2024 by County Executive Chris Ronayne, is training a new generation of environmental stewards to protect the Great Lakes. The institute has reached more than 10,000 residents in its first year, teaching students about water safety, environmental justice, and career opportunities in the region's blue economy.
The American Institute of Architects Cleveland and Cleveland Metroparks have launched Parkitecture—a lecture series that explores the intersection of design, ecology, and public space within the Metroparks system. The inaugural winter program at Brecksville Reservation examined the evolution of park architecture from the 1939 WPA-era Nature Center to contemporary facilities.
Rid-All Green Partnership's Fresh Fest Cleveland, now in its sixth year, will transform the Kinsman neighborhood into a vibrant celebration of food, art, wellness, and music this Saturday, Sept. 13. The free festival, headlined by hip-hop legend MC Lyte, will feature more than 80 local vendors, 12 food trucks, and a variety of activities at the revitalized Rid-All Farm and Otter Park.
Canalway will host its annual Cuyahoga River Rally on Saturday, August 9, at Hart Crane Memorial Park in The Flats. The free event features a variety of activities to connect people to the Cuyahoga River, including boat tours, kayaking, live music, and educational programs.
The annual Garden Walk Cleveland Heights showcased 54 private gardens for self-guided tours last weekend. Visitors experienced a wide range of garden styles, from traditional English gardens to contemporary art displays, and even a treehouse, highlighting the creativity and diversity of Cleveland Heights' gardening community.
Holden Forests & Gardens is celebrating the achievement of its five-year goal of planting and caring for 15,000 new trees to increase Cleveland's urban tree canopy with a People for Trees Celebration Week during Arbor Day Week, April 21 to April 26. The week features activities at Holden Arboretum and Cleveland Botanical Garden.
The Nature Center at Shaker Lakes will be celebrating Halloween today, and all weekend long, with plenty of spooky kid fun at the welcome desk. Stop in wearing your favorite costume and celebrate the season!
AutumnFest: Fairytales in the Forest, a free family-friendly event, is set to enchant visitors at the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes this weekend with a variety of activities, storytelling, s'mores, craft-making, and food trucks. Guests can also check out the annual bird seed and perennial plant sales.
Holden Forests & Gardens will host its only annual fundraiser, Harvest Moon, on Sept. 13 at the Cleveland Botanical Garden. The Friday the 13th event will be an evening where mysticism meets philanthropy among Cleveland's top chefs.
This Saturday, the Doan Brook Watershed Partnership will host a day of relaxation, kayaking, canoeing, and yoga on the Lower Shaker Lake. Dr. Roy Larick will lead an informative hike around the lake to learn about the region's history and geology.
Nature is a foreign place to many urban young people who may not have the exposure, money, gear, and guidance to enjoy nature more. Several local groups, like Footpath Foundation, Sankofa Circle International, and Children & Nature Network, introduce Cleveland's urban youth to the wonders of nature.
A new park on East 60th Street and Prosser Avenue in the St. Clair-Superior neighborhood—now home to "Manny" the sea monster—adds community greenspace and gives kids a place to play, thanks to the efforts of Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry, Emmanuel Promise of Hope, Ingenuity Cleveland, and numerous additional community partners and donors.
Built on 254 acres in Rockefeller Park, the Cleveland Cultural Gardens opened in 1916 with what is today known as the British Cultural Garden. Today, 108 years later, there are 35 gardens that celebrate a world of ethnicities and cultures. As the World on Stage series starts this weekend, and with One World Day in August, contributing editor Grant Segall looks at the history of Cleveland's cultural gem.
The City of South Euclid has more than 60 acres of parks in its four square miles, each with a wealth of recreation options. South Euclid Parks and Recreation director Daniel Subwick wants to add healthy eating to the menu at Bexley Park—the city's largest and most popular park.
The Nature Center at Shaker Lakes recognizes that many people’s green thumbs are itching to get outside and dig in the soil during this cold, dreary period of winter. So, it is hosting a Winter Seed Sowing Workshop, using seeds from the Nature Center's Native Seed Library, to get people ready for spring plantings.
For the fifth year in a row, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is bringing back Wild Winter Lights—its biggest holiday celebration that transforms the zoo into a winter wonderland with musical light shows, an enchanted forest, and Santa Claus himself.