Cleveland, Ohio is not often associated with outdoor grandeur and scenic beauty. With its rather harsh climate and long snowy winters, Cleveland is often shroud in a rather negative light. However, the city is perched right along the shore of Lake Erie, which during peaceful weather can be be extremely scenic. The lake is so large that one can not see the other side from the shores of Cleveland. This gives the illusion that Cleveland is located along the coast. The city, along with the state of Ohio, has realized the potential that exists with this location and has preserved a considerable amount of shoreline as a park for public use. Multiple paths, large green spaces, and white sand beaches dot the shoreline for the public to enjoy, all within close access to many of the most developed and populated sections of the city.
It must be stated that Cleveland does not claim the stature it previously held at the peak of its population and economic might. In 1950, the city had a population of over 914,000 people and was a crown jewel along Lake Erie and the industrial corridor of the Great Lakes region. However, as is all too common among cities in the northern industrial United States, the city's population had dropped to less than 400,000 by the 2010 census. Jobs and industry that had long sustained the city had largely left town and left whole swaths of eviscerated neighborhoods and cityscape in its wake. Much of the city had become a running joke nationwide in regards to pollution and urban decay. However, the city, in partnership with the state of Ohio can lay claim to preserving a spectacularly scenic stretch of Lake Erie shoreline.
In the 1970s, Cleveland was mired in consistent and perpetual economic and population decline. This crisis prevented the city from being able to maintain many services to its residents besides the most necessary. Therefore, the state of Ohio agreed to oversee the maintenance, development, and improvement of park areas along the Lake Erie shoreline within the city limits of Cleveland. It was in the best interest of the state and the city to overtake this mission to prevent further deterioration and pollution of this resource from occurring. Now, the park is a highlight of the city that both residents and visitors alike immensely enjoy when weather allows.
The present condition of the park is the result of positive benefits that can occur in a partnership between two public entities. The city of Cleveland was able to preserve and improve a prized section of the city while redirecting valuable funds to other pressing needs. The state of Ohio now administers and maintains a valuable section of land in one of the largest cities in the state, ultimately reaping the benefits of continued presence and development within the immediate area. A largely untouched, beach-like area exists within the boundaries of one of the hardest-hit sections of the Rust Belt all due to the wonders of partnerships and preservation. Who knew?
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