Strengthening Connections to the Lakefront
Most Cleveland residents would agree that our lakefront is our city’s greatest natural asset, but after decades of prioritizing cars and industry over people, it has become inaccessible and vastly underutilized. Cleveland residents and stakeholders are now presented with the opportunity to reimagine our connections to Lake Erie and its waterways to create public spaces for all to enjoy.
Voinovich Bicentennial Park
Our lakefront has been integral to the culture of Cleveland’s City Center dating back to 1895 with the opening of the Cleveland Yachting Club and the 1936 Great Lakes Exposition. Since then, North Coast Harbor has been further developed through the grand openings of Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Voinovich Park, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and the Great Lakes Science Center.
In 2013, the City of Cleveland entered into a contract with Downtown Cleveland Alliance (DCA) to oversee the maintenance, management, and activation of properties at North Coast Harbor. Currently, DCA is advocating for the passage of the North Coast Harbor Improvement Plan in Cleveland City Council, which would provide necessary infrastructure improvements to bulkheads, bollards, lighting, and irrigation. This also serves as a chance to refresh the Harbor for the 21st Century, with enhancements to lighting, a reimagined performance stage, additional trees, and new landscaping.
Since being awarded this contract, DCA has improved the pedestrian experience by providing clean and safe services mirroring the well-known Ambassador program in the Downtown core. DCA has also produced signature lakefront events such as Light Up the Lake, North Coast Namaste, Lakefront Leagues, Fish CLE, Tall Ships, Cleveland Coco Run, and Ice Fest. Although these events have successfully attracted over 2 million people to North Coast Harbor in 2022, there is still much room to improve our connection to the shore.
The City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Greater Cleveland Partnership, and other community stakeholders have joined forces to advocate for $62 million from the State of Ohio to fund the development of the North Coast Connector, a pedestrian land bridge that would connect Mall C to the Harbor, stretching over railroads and the Shoreway. City leaders are holding ongoing community visionary workshops for residents to provide feedback on the proposed master plan. In addition, DCA is advocating for $5 million from the State of Ohio to fill funding gaps for the planned expansion of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
As these large planning efforts make progress, DCA will continue to be a tireless champion of our Downtown lakefront. We encourage community members to join us at North Coast Harbor for a full calendar of events this summer, including North Coast Namaste weekly outdoor yoga, Harbor Hustlers Running Club, several live music events like Symphony at Sunset, and more. Registration is also still open for Season 2 of Lakefront Leagues sand volleyball. We hope to see you on the Downtown shore of Lake Erie this season.
Your voice is important to help shape the future of Cleveland’s lakefront. Feedback will be reviewed and incorporated into the planning process. Please take just five minutes to answer these questions to help shape the transformation of Cleveland’s North Coast.