by Erik Ault

     On Tuesday, June 20th, Ohio City Incorporated hosted a meeting to update the community about plans to stabilize and revitalize the hillside around the Cuyahoga River.

     The area focused on is called Irishtown Bend. This is the area of the river east of W. 25th in between Detroit and Columbus roads. It is called this because it housed the Irish community in the 19th century. Over the years, the neighborhoods have been demolished and replaced with industry.

     However, this hillside has not been maintained, and erosion is a major threat. The solution is to re-cut and re-grade the hill and install bulkheads to stabilize the hillside. Complementing this stabilization is a proposal for a park, turning this area into a greenspace with a trail connecting Edgewater Park to the Towpath trail.

     Demolition has already begun on W. 25th north of Franklin Ave. This has allowed views of downtown Cleveland. The plan is to construct a new sidewalk and bike path from the Detroit intersection down Franklin, including many green areas and a replanting of over 1,000 trees.

     Construction to stabilize the hillside is anticipated to start in the fall and will last two years. Franklin Boulevard east of W. 25th street will be closed during this time. Construction of the park can start once the hillside is stabilized and is projected to begin in the summer or fall of 2025. The target completion date for the entire project is fall of 2027.

     Those who are interested can sign up for updates at: http://www.courbanize.com/projects/irishtownbendpark