NURTURING
EQUITY
The plans for Irishtown Bend Park intentionally reflect the needs and desires of those who live closest to it — many of whom are people of color, older adults, and people whose incomes are below the federal poverty threshold.
Where everyone belongs
A Committee of Champions, comprised of Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority residents and broader community members, helped shape the future Park — improving accessibility, equity, use, and enjoyment — and served as neighborhood ambassadors — engaging residents from different cultural, generational, and socioeconomic backgrounds and abilities. Their voice and vision will continue to inform every aspect of Irishtown Bend Park.
An engaged community was essential in the design of Irishtown Bend Park and can be used as a model for inclusive urban planning through the lens of social justice.
Diversity Considerations
Accessibility is a primary consideration for Irishtown Bend Park, including the ability of individuals to get to this Park and to use its amenities.
Irishtown Bend Park, near one of the largest transit hubs in Cleveland, is accessible by bus and rapid transit from both the east and west sides of Cleveland.
This Park will incorporate recreational and rest areas that are fully accessible for individuals with disabilities, including walking trails and play spaces.
Accessibility Considerations
Irishtown Bend Park will provide nearby residents — regardless of their social or economic status — with equitable access to a large, waterfront Park.
This Park will help reconnect parts of the Ohio City community that were splintered when a freeway was built through the middle of the neighborhood, disconnecting residents — many of whom are people of color — from the waterfront and downtown Cleveland. Irishtown Bend Park will restore the connection to the water.
It will also provide green space, trails, and accessible play areas — amenities that have not been available to many residents, including the 2,000+ public housing residents now directly connected to the Park.
Creating Irishtown Bend Park — versus developing the land for profit — is an intentional decision by a committed group of partner organizations dedicated to the long-term vitality of this community.
Where Social Justice Occurs Naturally
“As a foundation, we look for projects that lift communities and address pressing racial and social justice needs. Irishtown Bend Park is an outstanding example of such a project. It’s righting a historical wrong created by the decision to locate a highway through the neighborhood, disconnecting residents from the waterfront and downtown Cleveland. The entire process has shown deep respect for the community and will result in a spectacular asset for generations to come.”
— John Mitterholzer
Program Director — Climate and Justice, The Gund Foundation