Group Launches Initiative For Activity Park In Cleveland Heights

Press release from People for the Park:

Oct. 6, 2021

People for the Park, a group of Cleveland Heights residents started an initiative several weeks ago, to put on the ballot that the city builds an activity park on the 1.07 acres of city-owned greenspace along Lee Rd between Tullamore and Meadowbrook. Our petition is gaining momentum and the more we speak to members of our community, the more convinced we are that our fellow residents believe the Park is a great idea. People for the Park provided the initial leadership.

Cleveland Heights residents embraced the petition and the crucial shift occurred; the petition is now Our Petition. The effort now belongs to everyone who lives here and cares about democracy and our community’s values and success.

WHAT Our proposed “activity park” would include a stairstep waterfall, a small stage, public restrooms, water fountain and free Wi-Fi, small area for children, shade, small gardens, and a space to be used for farmer's market, flea market or festivals.

• The Park has been identified by the Trust for Public Land as a location that needs a park for social equity, environmental justice, and public health reasons.
• In September the Park was used for a successful music festival showing that the Park would be enjoyed and bring economic development to the Cedar Lee District, just as the Coventry Peace Park does for Coventry. People go out to see people: the Park will provide entertainment and activities to draw people from the region to the Cedar Lee restaurants and shops.
• The Park would support the apartment and retail that the City and Flaherty &Collins propose for the 3 acres of surface parking behind the Cedar Lee Theater–a proposal whose success hinges on large public subsidies and incentives–our tax dollars. (Subsidies include the city renting F&C the 4 acres of city owned land for $10 a year for 100 years with the option to buy it in year 40. Since F&C won’t own the land, they pay no property taxes on the land. The new buildings will have 100% tax abatement for 15 years, the city is proposing a TIF which would reduce tax payment to the schools, is giving F&C the parking garage, and assisting in acquiring the former Beauty School and Veterinary Clinic for their development.) The City has received no guarantees of income from F&C in exchange for these subsidies.

WHEN About 3600 signatures (approximately 10% of Cleveland Heights registered voters) are needed to put the Park on the ballot. Officially signatures are not due until January, but the City and the developers seem to be in a panic and are rushing this project through. So, signatures should be gathered and submitted ASAP.
People for the Park had no choice but to start an initiative to put the Park on the ballot.

• People for the Park asked City Council 8 times to put the Park on their meeting agenda; they refused. City Council has abdicated the political process to the developer.
• City Council passed a non-binding memorandum of understanding for the $50 million highly subsidized Flaherty &Collins project on an emergency basis. Passing the non-binding MOU on an emergency basis instead of using the customary 2 readings excluded citizens’ participation.
• Some people have asked us, “How can we build a park? Isn’t that project already decided?” Rushing through the approval process is common practice to convince communities that the project is a “done deal” and to discourage people from participating in initiatives, such as ours.
• The City and F&C are confusing the public by telling them that “a park” is already part of the project. The “park” is 1/3 acre that the developers cannot use as it is on one side of a 5 ft. wide AT&T easement. Research shows that these kinds of “community benefit” parks do not work; the tenants are uncomfortable sharing the space with the public and vice versa.
• The F&C proposal is not a done deal.

WHY should Cleveland Heights residents care about this initiative?

• This initiative is an exercise in democracy– this vote will be as powerful a vote as anyone in Cleveland Heights has ever had.
• Residents are putting this on the ballot to be able to vote for "yes" or "no" about building Cedar Lee Park.
• Cleveland Heights voters elect public officials, who do as they wish.
• Cleveland Heights voters can vote for a tax levy. But they have never been able to vote up or down on a city project.
• Residents could not vote for the Top of the Hill project at the top of Cedar Hill– being built by the same developers Flaherty &Collins, who propose to build on Meadowbrook-Lee.

If you would like to participate in direct democracy and sign the petition or circulate a petition to put the Park on the ballot—contact us at cedarleepark@yahoo.com or call 216-381-5356. Thank you!

People for the Park

This press release was produced by People for the Park. The views expressed here are the author's own.