PRESS RELEASE
www.portofcleveland.com
Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority Opens Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve
Connecting People and Nature on the Waterfront is integral to Port’s Strategic Action Plan
FEBRUARY 6, 2012 – The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority officially opened the Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve today, providing public access to a unique 88-acre urban wildlife habitat.
The Preserve is a man-made peninsula on the Lake Erie shoreline and a haven for a variety of migratory birds, butterflies and animals. Located at the northern end of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard on Cleveland’s East Side, it is open during daylight hours and provides one-of-a-kind recreational and educational opportunities for children and adults. Admission is free.
“The Nature Preserve is an extraordinary asset complementing our ongoing efforts to realize the full potential of the Lakefront,” said City of Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson.
“The development of this unique nature preserve located in the heart of our capital city - Cleveland - is a perfect example of how we can redevelop our lakefront property and create an oasis in the middle of an urban metropolis,” said Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald. “After years of use as a dumping ground, this site will now be used to enhance the health and wellness of all of Cuyahoga County’s residents living in the area known as the ‘Western Reserve.’”
Speaking at the formal opening of the Preserve were: Cleveland Councilman Jeffrey Johnson, Port Authority Vice Chair Marc Krantz, Cleveland Metroparks Executive Director Brian Zimmerman, County Executive FitzGerald’s Chief of Staff Matt Carroll, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s Director of Wildlife Resources Harvey B. Webster, and Port Authority CEO Will Friedman.
The Nature Preserve is a land mass that was created over time as sediment dredged from the Cuyahoga River and Cleveland Harbor was placed within dike walls along the lakeshore. From 1979 to 1999 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers managed the site – then known as Dike 14 – as a sediment disposal facility.
After the site was closed to dredge material in 1999, nature took hold, resulting in diverse habitats that
include grasslands, a forest area, meadows, mudflats, shrub lands and wetlands. The environment drew birds and animals – and people who wanted to see the site opened to the public on a regular basis, particularly for bird-watching and hiking.
“I am delighted that the residents of the Ward 8 community will now be able to experience and enjoy the Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve,” said Councilman Johnson. “It is a unique opportunity for us.”
Last May the Port Authority Board voted to officially rename Dike 14 and open it as the Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve. Managing the Preserve to connect people and nature is also one of seven key policies in the Port’s new Strategic Action Plan.
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