2019 OECA Strategic Initiatives Awardees

Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad: Renovation of Coach 6217, $15,000
Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad is converting the standard Coach Car 6217 to an upscale coach with more comfortable seating, tables for serving drinks, new carpeting, paint, curtains, restroom upgrades, and electrical improvements. The renovations are also intended to improve the versatility of the car for use in a variety of excursions, serving individuals/families, businesses and community organizations.

Western Reserve Historical Society: Steeple Restoration, $10,000
The Meeting House steeple, which is of wood frame construction, is in need of preservation/restoration to prevent water infiltration from deteriorating the framing structure and intern the interior finished. This is necessary to ensure the structure can be used for educational and community opportunities for years to come. Traditionally, a Meeting House was centrally located on a village Green and was a multi-purpose structure, serving as a town hall, public works building, and gather space. The Meeting House provides several interpretive uses for Hale Farm & Village’s Education Department, particularly during the Kids in Communities from Long Ago and the Genius of Freedom: A Living History Timeline programs. It is used to interpret community life in the Cuyahoga Valley in the 1800’s. A place for residents and those who traveled through the valley to connect, share and find solace.

Historic Gateway Neighborhood Corporation: Take a Hike 2020 season, $13,000
Grant funds will be used to support the Take a Hike Heritage Tourism program in Downtown Cleveland and University Circle. The award winning program offers interpretive tours in six historically significant Cleveland neighborhoods: Gateway District, Warehouse District, Playhouse Square District, Civic Center, Canal Basin in the Flats and University Circle. The tours highlight history, architecture, current attractions and future development plans in the tours areas. The hikes blend education and entertainment as they integrate cast experience. Historic figures included: Adella Prentiss Hughes, John D. Rockefeller, Linda Eastman, Carl B. Stokes, Daniel Burnham, Mrs. Alfred Kelley, Alan Freed, Garrett Morgan, Levi Johnson, Paul Brown, Mayor Tom Johnson and others.

Historic Warehouse District Development Corp: Lighthouse Park, $13,000
Lighthouse Park will be a pocket park in the Historical Warehouse District near the site of Cleveland’s original lighthouse. The park will be located on W. 9th Street near Main Avenue along the property of The Archer – an apartment building in an adaptively reused warehouse place-making plan that connects the Warehouse District with the Flats East back. The park elements feature a sculptural light bar, seating, swings and the conservation of the historic wall and steps that once led to the lighthouse.

Land Studio, Inc.: Irishtown Bend Park Phase I, $23,000
Combined with other privately raised funds, the OECA funds will be used to pay for a design and engineering team to do full detailed design and engineering plans for the hilltop park (phase I).

West Creek Conservancy: Cuyahoga River Water Trail Signage, $7,000
Funds will be utilized to create a wayfinding & signage strategic plan for the Cuyahoga River Water Trail that runs 93-miles through 4 counties and 26 communities; in concert with the Cuyahoga River Water Trail partnership.

Boys & Girls Club of Cleveland: Morgana Bluffs Nature Preserve and Learning Center, $46,230
Design and create signage that tells the story of the Nature Preserve (former Wollen Mill site). The funds will also be used to create a boardwalk into the wetlands and for invasive species control.

Canalway Partners: Hulett Ore Interpretive Display, $50,000
The funds will be used to develop needed design/engineering details and cost for Hulett Ore Unloaders Concept Plan that will ultimately install a Hulett bucket/leg within interpretive setting alongside of Mather Ship. This addresses a major interpretive story of Cleveland’s steel industry/shipping in the Cuyahoga River Valley.

Summit Metro Parks: Towpath Trail Interpretation & Fencing, $30,000
The funds will be used to help complete two projects on the Towpath Trail. One project will be to update interpretive signage in downtown Akron and north into Cascade Locks. The other project is to replace handrails from wood to plastic lumber on all bridges, boardwalks and add safety rails and fencing between Botzum Trailhead and Mustill Store.

Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park: Stanford Trailhead Construction Documents, $35,000
Under a Design and Construction Agreement between Cuyahoga Valley National Park and the Conservancy, the Conservancy will complete the following work leading up to construction of a new Stanford Trailhead: Conduct a selection process and hire an engineer to prepare construction drawings, specifications, and bid documents for implementation of the Stanford Trailhead, including all necessary survey, testing and compliance work. Secure bids from qualified construction contractors, conduct negotiations for contract award in accordance with NPS standards, and execute construction agreement. Conduct a series of community engagement activities to inform the public about the new trailhead project and to solicit their input. Design and prepare for implementation a wayfinding system to direct users to the trailhead and other Boston identity strategy. Wayfinding within Boston is considered a critical component to strengthening the identity of the district as a primary destination along the Ohio & Erie Canalway.

Summit County Historical Society: John Brown House Phase III, $35,000
In 2019, the Society will complete work for a professional survey, civil engineering and landscape architectural service estimate for the John Brown House site improvements. This work will provide the plan for a paved parking lot with entrance off Diagonal Road that will be usable for school buses, vans and personal automobiles as well as motorized wheelchairs and carts. Architectural drawings for an ADA compliant ramp and entrance into the western door of the John Brown House will also be completed as well as drawings for a handicap accessible restroom.

Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition: Summit Lake Loop Trail Design and Engineering Plan, $25,000
Working in partnership with the City of Akron and Summit Metro Parks, Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition is working on the development of the Summit Lake Loop Trail which will connect to the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail.

City of Canal Fulton: Horse Trailer, $8,000
To purchase a new horse trailer for canal boat rides.

Village of Zoar: The Zoar Connections Plan, $3,250
The Zoar Connections Plan identifies the key recreational resources of Zoar, including the Towpath Trail, Zoar Wetland Arboretum, Lime Kiln Lake and Wilkshire Trail, and proposes multi-use recreational trails linking the resources to the Village of Zoar.

Zoar Community Association: Fort Laurens Storyboards, $6,200
To create and install new storyboards on the grounds of the Fort Laurens Museum. The storyboard panels help to tell the story of the fort and the American Revolution to the general public when the museum is not open. They are also used by school groups and by visitors using the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail. One of the new storyboard panels will be about the history of the canal on the fort grounds.

Historic Canal Dover Association: Dover Downtown & Riverfront Revitalization Master Plan, $5,000
Funds will be used to compete a new phase of the Dover Downtown & Riverfront Revitalization Master Plan, which began in 2015. This new phase to the strategic plan will incorporate a portion of the city linking the downtown central business district and the adjacent riverfront area to the future expansion of the towpath trail south along Tuscarawas Avenue by the Tuscarawas Fairgrounds to the southern boundary with New Philadelphia.

Lawrence Township Trustees: Lawrence Township Steiner, $10,000
To be used to purchase a Steiner tractor/mower to help maintain Ft. Laurens historical grounds, an instrumental Ohio Erie Canal Towpath Trailhead, River Community Park, trailhead River access and local youth organization ball fields and township cemetery.

City of Dover: Canal Dover Park Wooster Ave Access Engineering, $31,000
Front-end portion (all pre-bid, pre-construction) of planning, engineering and related items for the riverfront connection from the Canal Dover Park up to street level at Wooster Avenue and Front Street, as proposed by CT Consultants, Engineers, Architects and Planners as an adjunct to the City of Dover’s Downtown Master Plan, which CT has approximately 70% completed.

Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition: McDonnell to Bolivar Towpath Construction, $50,000
Funds will be used to complete the Towpath Trail in Tuscarawas County from the McDonnell Trailhead to the boarder of the Village of Bolivar. This .25 mile segment will complete the northern connection of Stark and Tuscarawas Counties and allow hikers and bikers to avoid the busy traffic on Rt. 212.

City of New Philadelphia: East High Trail Connectivity Plan, $4,000
Funds will be used to assist with the completion of the East High Trail Connectivity Plan. The Plan will provide the County and local stakeholders with a complete and cohesive vision of potential connectivity ideas and alternatives to link Downtown New Philadelphia with vital community assets south of the City center along East High Street as well as provide opportunities to link these local assets to broader, regional bike networks.