It’s mid-afternoon on a sunny weekday in June, and Sims Park in Euclid is bustling: young kids are running down the lakefront trail, senior citizens sit fishing at the end of the pier, a middle-aged couple is walking hand-in-hand, more kids play on the sand. Young and old and from diverse backgrounds, they are all here, engaging with the lake and beautiful park in an All-American scene that could be straight out of a movie.

It’s quite a change from 15 years ago when Euclid had little public access to the lake, the trail was private land and erosion was claiming lakefront properties.

Thanks to a unique public-private partnership, lakefront access has been opened, the eroding land has been stabilized, and the park has brought vibrant new life into the neighborhood – and city.

This feature is the second case study in a series on the transformational impact of public-private partnerships in and around Cleveland’s waterfronts. Long-term commitments and engagement are essential to the success of these complex visions. We look forward to sharing other stories of redevelopment and growth in upcoming chapters that will include:

• Vision for the Valley and Bedrock’s Cuyahoga Riverfront
• CHEERS! (Cleveland Harbor Eastern Embayment Resilience Study)
• North Coast Master Plan

 Learn more about waterfront development in Greater Cleveland