PHOTO BY CHUCK HOVEN

Saturday, September 6, 2025; Storer Park, W. 67^th and Storer Avenue: Betty Jo Palmer celebrates at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the redesigned and refurbished Storer Park. Palmer initiated a “Light up the Park” campaign five years ago and worked persistently to build a coalition of supporters to see a community vision for the park come to light.

by Chuck Hoven

   (Plain Press October 2025) Stockyard area residents, representatives of Building Hope in the City, staff of MetroWest Community Development Organization, City of Cleveland staff and Ward 14 Councilwoman Jasmin Santana and her staff gathered at W. 67^th and Storer Avenue on September 6^th for a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the newly redesigned and refurbished Storer Park.

   Neighborhood resident Betty Jo Palmer organized Light Up the Park events at Storer Park since 2021 to bring attention to the park and to encourage the City of Cleveland to invest in playground equipment, amenities and lighting for the park. Palmer, greeting those attending the celebration that have helped with her crusade over the years, said with pride “my vision has come to play.”

   Light Up The Park can now be seen as an example of community organizing and persistence resulting in real change. Storer Park even has lights at night now. Cleveland Public Power successfully installed lights at the park the day before the ribbon cutting ceremony.

   Ward 14 Councilwoman Jasmin Santana acknowledged the effort it took. She said, “The new Storer Park demonstrates the power of community partnership. Together, residents and the City of Cleveland have created a safe, beautiful space where families, friends and neighbors can come together.”

   Santana said Storer Park was originally created in the 1960s as a baseball field. She said when she moved into the neighborhood at age 14, there were just a set of rusty swings in the park. Residents had to take their children outside of the neighborhood to find a safe beautiful place to play.

   The newly redesigned park now includes a swing set with six swings, picnic tables, a pavilion, an inset chess and checkerboard and a walking path. Other amenities include tree plantings, ornamental fencing and sidewalk repairs. Councilwoman Santana’s Office is working to secure on street parking near the park. Currently the streets by the park are filled with no parking signs.

   Councilwoman Santana singled out residents Betty Jo Palmer and Diane Morgan as being instrumental in efforts bringing attention to the park. Santana also praised Building Hope in the City for their help over the years with Light Up the Park events, for funding other events in the neighborhood, and for their efforts to build fourteen new homes in the Stockyard Neighborhood for low-income families.

   Councilwoman Santana also noted the contribution of City of Cleveland staff from a variety of departments in accomplishing the goal of redesigning the park. City staff from Capital Improvements, Parks and Recreation, Public Works, and Cleveland Public Power were among the city workers contributing to the project.

   MetroWest Community Development Organization Executive Director Emily Lee thanked all for coming to the event to celebrate great things happening in the neighborhood with the addition of a new gathering place and safe area for children.

   City of Cleveland Landscape Architect Jim McKnight, who designed the park, said federal American Rescue Act dollars were used to refresh a park in every Council Ward in the City of Cleveland. McKnight let residents know that six laps around the walking track at the park equal a mile. He said residents can also use the track as they cut through the park on their way to and from the shopping area on Denison Avenue.

   Councilwoman Santana said that this investment in Storer Park is just a start of efforts to invest in the Storer Avenue area. She invited all present to come to The Art Garden Festival at W. 50^th and Storer following the ribbon cutting ceremony.