Citizens provide input into The Euclid Beach Vision Plan

Neighbors consider the best use to make of Euclid Beach Park.

On July 31, residents and stakeholders met to review the conceptual design for rethinking the Euclid Beach State Park. The plan currently being conducted by MKSK Landscape Architecture + Urban Planning, is being funded and supported by a grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, City of Cleveland, LAND Studio, Northeast Shores Development Corporation and Neighborhood Progress Incorporated. Three months ago, the consultants conducted a listen and learn exercise. Chris Hermann, AICP with MKSK stated that the next steps will pull together the vision and scoping into what the park can be in the future.

The feasibility study involves improving the park from its current state and three concepts were presented at the meeting. The goal is to review the three concepts, move to a more preferred concept, then get more exacting into the detailing of the proposed changes to the park. A power point presentation was viewed, and the stakeholders and meeting attendees gathered to comment on the three concepts prepared.

Seven Goals for Euclid Beach include:

• Provide a 21^st Century Park meeting the needs of the neighborhood and the region
• Establish one primary destination through proper connections
• Exploit Lake Erie beach access as a cherished park amenity
• Promote multi-modal neighborhood accessibility
• Euclid Beach Park history is remembered, not memorialized
• Allow bold Ecologies and sustainable landscapes to define the park
• Develop the Euclid Beach Park District as catalyst for neighborhood development

 The finished plan would list the menu of options available within the selected plan as well as projected costs associated with the concept plan. The ultimate would be to build the park today for the future for those who utilize the park, as an individual, couple, family and as a community.

Gary Obermiller, from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources stated that “Euclid Beach is one in a series of gems along the Lake Erie Park System. Villa Angela Beach as well as Wildwood State Park are certainly venues in themselves, but lack the needed connectivity needed in the outdoor park experience today and in the future.”

Fred Collier, Planner with The Cleveland City Planning Commission stated that, “the beach is critical as a magnet within the park to build off of. It is also an environmental piece for  recovery. In a few short years, the combined sewer overflows will be reduced and will hopefully eliminate pollution issues with the construction of the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District tunnel project. Ideally we should treat the area as a campus, as extensions of each other with different physical relationships.”

Stephen Love, Euclid Beach Clean-up Organizer and volunteer stated that, “the landscaping planned for the park could mitigate some of the storm water issues of the existing large parking lot that the park currently has.” Mr. Love also stated that he would like to see a park design and associated signage that encourages visitors to respect the park.  

The meeting provided input from Chris Hermann, AICP, and Jeff Pongonis from MKSK who has been retained for this project. Jeffery Pongonis stated that, “the final product would present the basic menu of the wants for the park from stakeholders and citizens and the financial numbers attached to the menu. The potential to raise funds for individual projects that can be folded into the project over time would be revealed. Recommendations and a priority for implementation would also be created. The study also looks at some long range planning options including: expanding the park boundaries, extending the boardwalk: connecting Euclid Beach Park to Wildwood Marina, strengthening internal connections, connecting the five public amenities through pedestrian pathways and trails, developing a parkway connector, and developing a new streetscape and economic infrastructure.” 

City of Cleveland Councilman Michael D. Polensek, of Ward 11, who also attended the meeting stated that, “It is my hope that the parks would see a new day, and future with an agency such as the Cleveland Metroparks at the helm that can actively promote its usefulness and beauty through programing, while giving the park(s) the resources and attention needed to continue to blossom for all citizens to utilize.” 

With the completion of the conceptual plan, it is hoped that working with the community, the many review agencies, Councilman Polensek, State Representative Kenny Yuko, Governor Kasich, as well as Representative Marcia Fudge, we will be able to find the resources to redesign Euclid Beach State Park.  

If you would like to provide comment regarding the Redesigning of Euclid Beach Park, you can direct them to jboksansky@northeastshores.org.

John Boksansky is Commercial Projects Coordinator at Northeast Shores