Brian Cook, a real estate developer who lives in Shaker Heights, has always had a passion for Doan Brook. It's a little slice of wilderness that cuts through the otherwise urban environments of Shaker Heights, Cleveland Heights and Cleveland, and nowhere is that respite from the concrete world more apparent than on the western part of North Park Boulevard. Here, the brook cascades down the hill from the Heights, while informal pathways allow residents and visitors to take a stroll and escape into nature.

One day, Cook was hiking with his son, talking about big dreams and plans. They stopped by the falls to take a rest and enjoy the view. Wouldn't it be neat, Cook wondered aloud, if they could somehow rebuild the historic footbridge that once spanned the gorge, linking the three cities of Cleveland Heights, Shaker Heights and Cleveland?

That was Father's Day of last year, but Cook didn't focus on that dream until his son approached him two weeks later. "He says, 'How is that bridge coming, Dad?'" Cook recounts with a laugh. "I said, 'Oh, I’m actually going to have to do this.'"

Since then, Cook has talked with officials from all three cities, met with nonprofit leaders such as Victoria Mills of the Doan Brook Watershed Partners, and begun to recruit a committee of a dozen or so volunteers. The next step is to develop a conceptual proposal for the new footbridge, including an estimated budget, and begin the process of seeking funding, partnerships and approvals.

"Everyone we've talked to is very interested," says Cook. "This is a legacy project."

The original bridge was torn down in the late 1950s or early 1960s after it fell into disrepair. The footers are still in Doan Brook, causing occasional problems when it floods. Cook's proposal is not to build on the existing footers or recreate the original; rather, he wants to find a cost-effective means of spanning the gorge to allow cyclists and walkers to easily travel between North Park and Fairhill.

"People from Cleveland Heights tell me they'd go to Shaker Square more often if there was an easier way to get there," he says, citing the fact that Coventry is the nearest cut-through street. "There are many ways this would benefit the area."

The footbridge also would create a recreational amenity for walkers, runners and cyclists, and offer a picturesque point for photos. Cook had his holiday photo taken here, and many people couldn't believe the falls were in Cleveland.

The bridge also could offer opportunities for environmental education, and history markers could educate visitors about the legacy of the Doan Brook.

Cost estimates are not yet available, but an earlier proposal developed as part of the Lakes-to-Lake Trail study suggested that a new footbridge could cost $1.5 million.

Cook is hosting the first meeting of the footbridge committee this week, and hopes to use the meeting as a springboard to further develop the proposal. If you're interested in getting involved, email Brian Cook here.

Source: Brian Cook
Writer: Lee Chilcote