Ohio & Erie Canal Association Current Initiatives March 2011

Current Initiatives Inventory of the current initiatives in the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area in the areas of: Cultural Conservation Cultural Education Preservation & Stewardship Marketing Heritage Tourism River Protection Natural Resource Management Cultural Resource Management Community Revitalization Strategic Engagement Currently, there are at least 250 initiatives in the National Heritage Corridor.

Cultural Conservation Currently, there are at least 38 cultural conservation initiatives in the National Heritage Corridor. Historic Tremont Neighborhood Cleveland, OH This is one of Cleveland's oldest neighborhood with architecture dating back to before the civil war. Many historic Victorian homes, churches and community buildings still exist here. It will be a point of emphasis in showing Cleveland's heritage now and in the future. Michael McGarry

Cultural Education Currently, there are at least 35 cultural education initiatives in the National Heritage Corridor. Cascade Locks Park & Howard Street in Akron, OH The Cascade Locks Park is an industrial park which tells the story of Akron from the early frontier days to canal days through the industrial rise of the city. Cascade Locks Park is an integral part of the Ohio & Erie National Heritage Canalway and has sparked the revitalization of Akron’s downtown neighborhood. Howard Street is the place to experience trails, the train, the scenic byway, parks, shops, the arts, clubs, and restaurants, all within a stone’s throw from downtown. Hannah Belsito

Preservation & Stewardship Currently, there are at least 48 preservation & stewardship initiatives National Heritage Corridor. Peninsula & Hale Farm & Village Peninsula is located directly on the canal and retains much of the appearance of what it would have looked like in the canal days. It is a mecca for people who are using the towpath. During summer weekends it is bustling with bicyclists and other people using the trail. There is stop located here for the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad. Hale Farm contains structures built in the 1820’s and is a living history museum with a glimpse of Western Reserve life. There are a whole host of preservation organizations in the area. Jon Baughman

Marketing Heritage Tourism Currently, there are at least 20 marketing heritage tourism initiatives in the National Heritage Corridor. Signage new Ohio & Erie Canalway byway signs and interpretive signage in key locations Primary organizations -- Ohio & Erie Canalway Association, Ohio Canal Corridor and Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition Parks organizations Historical organizations Tourism organizations Delilah Onofrey

River Protection Currently, there are at least 13 river protection initiatives in the National Heritage Corridor. River Sweep US and Ohio EPA Ohio Department of Natural Resources Watershed groups Parks organizations Civic groups Delilah Onofrey

Natural Resource Management Currently, there are at least 54 natural resource management initiatives in the National Heritage Corridor. Office of Sustainability, City of Cleveland in Cleveland, OH The City of Cleveland’s Office of Sustainability was established in May 2005 to help the city save money and reduce its ecological footprint. The Office of Sustainability leads and empowers Cleveland to be a global leader in urban sustainable living, commerce, operations and community. They focus on the areas of green building, energy, health & environment, and recycling & waste. Hannah Belsito

Cultural Resource Management Currently, there are at least 22 cultural resource management initiatives in the National Heritage Corridor. Barberton Historical Society Barberton, OH This grassroots, non profit organization was founded back in 1974 out the community opposition to the proposed demolition of the Anna Dean Farm Buildings that were and still are one of Barberton's most vital cultural and historical treasures. Their successful effort has paid off with the renovated farm buildings being one of the most sought after tourist attractions in Barberton. More recent revitalization efforts have been met with mixed results. Michael McGarry

Community Revitalization Currently, there are at least 18 community revitalization initiatives in National Heritage Corridor. Lock 3 in Akron, OH Lock 3 is located right in the middle of downtown. There is a history center located there with historical information on the site. More importantly there is year-round use of the park that has been created on the site. In the winter there is an ice skating rink and in the summer it is the site of weekly concerts called Rock the Lock. There is entertainment from the region and around the country. These events are very popular in the Akron area and most are free. Also, along Main Street in front of the park, there are street festivals in the summer. Most notably the hamburger festival and a rib burn off. There are many restaurants and bars located in the vicinity that take advantage of the people downtown for events at Lock 3 Park. Jon Baughman

Strategic Engagement The Ohio & Erie Canal Heritage Corridor Management Plan (2000) Chapter 4: Implementation Strategies & Responsibilities Advocating and supporting Corridor-Wide partnership efforts Providing grants to partner entities to implement specific capital projects Providing grants to support programs and activities related to heritage resources Providing technical assistance in preservation and interpretation of Corridor resources Developing staff capacity and sources of funding support for the broader Corridor wide organizational initiatives Michael McGarry

© Baughman, Belsito, Onofrey, McGarry Video: The Ohio & Erie Canal: "Reinventing the Canal“ Questions?