Engaged Citizens. Innovative Ideas.

WELCOME TO THE RESOURCE PAGE FOR OUR CROWDSOURCED CONVERSATION FORUM ON THE TOPIC OF OUR PUBLIC PARKS

On Thursday, August 29, around 40 Heights community members gathered at Forest Hill Park for our third Crowdsourced Conversations form of 2024.  Thanks to Eric Yarham (Friends of Cain Park, Gather Well Cleveland Heights) for his insightful opening remarks!

ACTION STEPS: Each group identified meaningful action steps they could take, either individually or as part of the collective.  Here are some highlights from each group.

BLUE/PINK GROUP: This group would like to see more wayfinding in our parks that help people learn more about the trails and the features they are encountering.  Additionally, signage about the plant-life could be educational.  Signage could make residents feel more comfortable in the parks and could possibly lead to greater overall usage.

GREEN GROUP: This group would like to advocate for the return of police on bicycles as this could help support residents feeling safe in the parks and also allow police officers more opportunities to interact with residents. Additionally, making wayfinding a project for community members to help improve signage and even mapping (perhaps drone mapping!) allows for residents to feel more comfortable in the parks. Thinking about our parks as year-round assets is also critical.  Winter walks/activities help keep parks vibrant even in colder months.

ORANGE GROUP: This group would love to see a more comprehensive depiction of the parks and what they have to offer on the city’s website.  Emphasis on both trees and native plantings would be appreciated and are also areas where residents can get involved.  That said, volunteer burnout is a real thing, so establishing supports for volunteers would help make the work sustainable.

PURPLE GROUP: This group would love to see community-driven “Friends of [Each Park]” groups who work directly with the City’s Parks & Rec departments to keep an open dialogue between residents and the city while also being able to support each other in efforts to amplify our parks as a resource and an asset for the community.  Groups (grassroots/neighborhood or larger entities, like the libraries or our schools) could use the parks to host events/gatherings as a way to bring more people and perhaps introduce them to these spaces.

RED GROUP: This group thought using a resource like the Heights Observer could be beneficial.  Through citizen journalism, individuals or groups could focus on one park at a time and talk about the attributes and assets of each.  Residents can also use their voices to express their thoughts regarding our parks by making public comments at City Council meetings or connecting with city or elected officials to share their ideas.

Here are some additional ideas for action steps:

  • Host your own small group action-oriented discussions with your family, friends, and neighbors.  You can even use our small group discussion questions from our “Our Public Parks” forum to get you started!
  • Write articles or op-eds — or maybe even inquire about being a columnist — for the Heights Observer.
  • Join us for the next Crowdsourced Conversation forum to meet other engaged Heights residents.

 

Resources

City of Cleveland Heights

City of University Heights

Grassroots/community groups

Gather Well Cleveland Heights

Survey Data Report

Access the Complete Survey Report – CC’24 Our Public Parks

 

FutureHeights




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