Green Space + Parks

Hemlock Creek Trail will connect Independence to CVNP, Towpath Trail
After more than a decade of planning, the Hemlock Creek Trail in Independence is finally becoming a reality, with a public groundbreaking planned for this Saturday, June 2. The 1.7-mile asphalt Hemlock Creek trail’s western terminus will begin at Brecksville Road and Selig Drive in Independence, traverse through parts of historic Independence and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and ultimately meet up with the Towpath Trail at its eastern terminus.
Something wild: Local startup CampRents delivers outdoor gear on demand
Brunswick resident Jennifer Owens thinks the Midwest is a “highly underrated hiking destination,” and she founded CampRents to help make it easier for outdoor enthusiasts to explore it—and beyond. The Northeast Ohio-based startup seeks to make adventuring more accessible by delivering rentable gear on demand.
Spring has sprung: Four ways to get outside and enjoy the month of May
Warm, sunny weather has finally arrived in Northeast Ohio, and folks are eager to shake off those winter blues. Clevelanders know how to take advantage of the summer months like no other, and Cuyahoga Arts & Culture meets that need with a wide range of outdoor activities offered by their grantees. 
The Cuyahoga River is now two steps closer to being eco-friendly
Environmental action group Cuyahoga River Area of Concern celebrated a victory last weekend by checking two items off a list of 10 Beneficial Use Impairments that must be addressed before the river is delisted as one of the most polluted waterways by the Ohio EPA.
A Clevelander's field guide to hugging a tree this Arbor Day
Anyone who’s heard of the Cleveland Tree Plan knows the city has big things in store when it comes to greening our urban spaces—namely increasing the tree canopy from 19 percent to 30 percent by 2040. Mayor Jackson announced the goal last year on Arbor Day, and efforts continue as we approach Arbor Day 2018. Looking for ways to help Cleveland get from Point A to Point Tree? Here are four ways to help reforest The Forest City.
Cleveland Metroparks declares 2018 "Time to Explore"
From climbing the Fort Hill stairs to golfing at Manakiki to hiking Sulphur Springs, Cleveland Metroparks has compiled a Top 10 summer activity list that would make David Letterman proud. It’s all part of the new Metroparks campaign “Time to Explore,” a three-year effort designed to reflect its core pillars of recreation, conservation, and education—and shine a spotlight on the diversity of activities available throughout the Emerald Necklace.
Free Stamp: All things free in the #CLE for April 2018
Fresh Water's monthly "Free Stamp" feature rounds up the freshest free events in Cleveland.
Shore thing: Show your #LakeErieLove by entering the Tour the Shore contest
It may take 80 days to go around the world, but lovers of Lake Erie can get all the greatness of our Great Lake in just seven days and seven nights. Enter the second annual Tour the Shore contest, which squires the lucky winner around seven destinations along the Lake Erie shoreline—providing overnight accommodations, tickets to historic attractions, and reservations for local fine dining.
Is Euclid quietly becoming the city's next biking hotspot?
For many people, the question “Where do you see yourself in five years?” can be a real brainteaser. But Bike Euclid president Kath Sonnhalter knows exactly what she wants—especially as it pertains to creating a safer and more inviting environment for local biking enthusiasts.
 
Heights Libraries decides to give Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Campus a chance
The Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Campus and the nonprofit groups working out of the building will remain in the former Coventry School building after Heights Libraries opts to buy the property from the Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District for $1, saving the grounds from possible commercial development.
Beer marks the spot: Mappy Hour debuts for Cleveland adventure lovers
The great outdoors + beer + community = one compelling equation. That’s the basis for Mappy Hour, a new network of adventure and travel enthusiasts who are passionate about the outdoors, maps, guidebooks, and physical activity.
Back to nature: Cuyahoga Arts & Culture has diverse programming down to a science
Nearly a dozen nature and science organizations receive support from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, and they provide an integral foundation for exploring the county’s rich variety of resources—from the Great Lakes Science Center on Lake Erie’s coast to suburban nature centers, downtown community gardens, and grassroots nonprofits.
Public input will help shape Cuyahoga County's plan for a linked green network
The vision for Cuyahoga Greenways would connect every community in the county through a network of greenways, trails, parks, transportation routes, and neighborhoods. A joint plan between the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission, the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACCA), and the Cleveland Metroparks, the project has entered its second phase with officials asking for public input on the concept and initial plans.  
Cuyahoga Valley National Park to break ground on new visitor center

Feel like going for a hike? How about canoeing, horseback riding, or even a round of golf? Of all the natural resources available for play in Cleveland, residents are lucky enough to have one of 69 national parks right in their own backyard with the Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP).

All of these activities—and much more—can be found in the 33,000 acres that make up the park, which boasts the heart of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail, an area rich in industrial history and rife with natural wonder. The CVNP is the only national park in Ohio, with the closest national park at least a four-hour drive from Cleveland.

In early January, the CVNP will break ground on a new $5.9 million visitor center to welcome the two million people who visit the park annually. Get the details here.

'Tis the season: Holiday tree goes up today in Public Square
Let it snow, and let it glow and sparkle. That’s what the Downtown Cleveland Alliance (DCA) elves have in mind this week as they busily prepare Public Square for the holidays and the upcoming Winterfest on Saturday, Nov. 25.

Decorating is already in full swing, but will officially kick off today, Tuesday, Nov. 14, with the arrival of the holiday tree. The evergreen, donated by the Hlavin family, makes its debut on the north end of Public Square around 2:30 p.m.

Read more about the tree and Winterfest here.
Irishtown Bend project takes a step forward as Port, NOACA apply for grant to stabilize hillside
In another step forward on the Irishtown Bend project, The Port of Cleveland and NOACA applied for a federal $11.5 million Infrastructure For Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant earlier this month. The grant would install bulkheads and stabilize 1,400 linear feet of the hillside along Irishtown Bend and save maritime commerce along the Cuyahoga River from shutdown if the hill collapses.

Read more about the grant application and what it means for Irishtown Bend here.
Volunteers team up to beautify neighborhood around 2100 Lakeside shelter
Ohio's largest homeless shelter just became more of a home. On Saturday, Nov. 4, more than 50 volunteers and organizers gathered at 2100 Lakeside—the men’s homeless shelter run by Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry (LMM)—to build a gazebo on land donated by the Cuyahoga Land Bank at 2138 Lakeside Ave. and clean up the surrounding neighborhood.

Read more about their efforts here.
Over the River: An all-night horror movie marathon, a Day of the Dead fiesta in Gordon Square & more
Our latest events listing includes a legit tribute to the Fab Four, an all-night horror movie marathon, a vibrant Day of the Dead celebration in Gordon Square, and more. See what's on tap for the rest of October here.
Surfin' #CLE
Some may think the end of summer may spell an end for enjoying Lake Erie, but this scrappy group of Cleveland surfers is just getting started.
Local artists help beautify NEORSD green infrastructure project in Buckeye

Buckeye trees rooted to Woodland Hills / water flows as cascading streams / Lake Erie awaits clean raindrops” reads a passage of Dawn Arrington’s poem, which will be inscribed on a wall along E. 104th Street within the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District’s (NEORSD) Buckeye Green Infrastructure project.

Set for completion by January 2018, the project is part of Project Clean Lake—a 25-year plan to reduce pollution in Lake Erie by four billion gallons per year. Learn about the public artists involved in the project here.