The Cuyahoga River bank seeps into downtown Cleveland, Ohio, like a snake in long grass. The shoreline, which once hummed with longshoresmen and cargo ships, has been incrementally transformed from derelict brownfield into usable public space for some time now.
In 2021, Wendy Park was finished, as well as Canal Basin Park which converted 30,000 square feet of asphalt into green grass and bike paths. Both Wendy and Canal Basin Park are connected to the Towpath Trail, a 101-mile path for hiking and biking.
Now, Merritt/Chase is working with city and state officials to redesign Canal Basin Park, just below the elegant Detroit-Superior Bridge. The Indianapolis-based landscape architecture office was tasked with reimagining 20 acres along the Cuyahoga River, a water source that’s so polluted, it catches fire.
“Canal Basin Park will be a signature destination park that reflects the history of the site and Cleveland’s development along the Cuyahoga River,” shared Chris Chase, cofounder of Merritt/Chase. “The park is the northern terminus of the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail connecting the Cuyahoga Valley National Park to Lake Erie.”
Shore-to-Core-to-Shore
You might not know it today, but the Cuyahoga River bank has had a foundational role in Cleveland’s growth—one could even call it the city’s raison d’être. Mera Cardenas, the executive director of Canalway Partners, noted that the site was the “western boundary of the United States” where Moses Cleveland first landed in 1796. Legend has it that Alexis de Tocqueville took his “first steps” in the U.S. where Canal Basin Park is located.
The initiative to upgrade Canal River Basin and tell its history is part of Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb’s Shore-to-Core-to-Shore program which is delivering the North Coast Lakefront Connector, the Bedrock Cuyahoga River Redevelopment, and the future Irishtown Bend Park.
“Canal Basin Park is also located at the historic site where the 1832 canal met the Cuyahoga River,” Chase continued. “The design incorporates this history of the site by revealing the original canal basin through an interpretive stone stormwater feature connected by a series of river gardens and accessible riverfront spaces. The design celebrates the identity of the site by revealing stories of the river, ecology, and cultural and industrial heritage.”
Completing the Towpath Trail
Looking ahead, Canal Basin Park’s riverfront boardwalk will be redone by Merritt/Chase, all the way form Settler’s Landing to Center Street. There will also be a new square, Mile Zero Plaza, for runners and cyclists, marking the last mile of Towpath Trail.
To tell the site’s story, designers have ideated a Canal Stormwater Basin made of Berea limestone situated where a 19th century naval throughway once stood. This will coalesce near a dog park, playground, and events lawn.
The project is being shepherded by the City of Cleveland Mayor’s Office of Capital Projects with partners including Cuyahoga County, Canalway Partners, Cleveland Metroparks, Downtown Cleveland, and Flats Forward. Development partners on the project include OHM Advisors, ThirdSpace Action Lab, Partners Environmental, KS Associates, Algebra AEC, and Riverstone.
Construction on Canal Basin Park should finish in 2034.
