Saw this in the Beacon Journal a couple of days ago.
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Site purchased for new park at end of trail
Trust for Public Land buys 1.43-acre parking lot in Flats area of Cleveland, then transfers it to city
By Bob Downing
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Thursday, Apr 17, 2008
The park in Cleveland that will be the northern end of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail has moved closer to reality.
The Trust for Public Land on Wednesday purchased a 1.43-acre parking lot in the Flats area of Cleveland and then transferred the land to the city of Cleveland for the proposed Canal Basin Park.
The park will be the northern terminus of the 101-mile Towpath Trail, which runs south through Akron to New Philadelphia. The park and the trail are key features in the still-developing Ohio & Erie National Heritage Canalway.
The Canal Basin Park was first proposed in 2000, located near where the old canal emptied into the Cuyahoga River.
The land purchased is on Merwin and West streets, adjacent to the historic Flat Iron Cafe and to Heritage Park along the Cuyahoga River. The property has been used for parking since three vacant buildings were razed in 2005.
The .3 million acquisition was made possible through federal and state grants and money from the city of Cleveland. The plan was developed in cooperation with the grass-roots Ohio Canal Corridor.
The purchase marks ''a landmark day as we take the first step toward building Canal Basin Park,'' said Tim Donovan of the corridor group.
Said Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson: ''Extending the Towpath Trail to Canal Basin Park in Cleveland's Flats neighborhood is another example of the city investing in its assets to create neighborhoods of choice. Linking Cleveland neighborhoods, the Towpath Trail and Canal Basin Park will provide Clevelanders with a unique recreation and transportation amenity.''
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Akron is busy at work too extending the trail. Right along the Innerbelt, Route 59, they are in the middle of construction of running the path OVER Rt 59 with a bridge. It's looking good so far. W00T!
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