August 15: Board of Park Commissioners, Cleveland Metroparks
Covered by Documenter Nani Faye Palmer (notes)
Metroparks to acquire more land in Parma
Cleveland Metroparks reached a deal with the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland over a 1.9 acre piece of land – known as Carmelita’s House – next to the West Creek Reservation in Parma. For reference, one acre is roughly the same size as a football field. The $250,000 purchase is one of the most “strategic pieces of real estate” acquired by Metroparks, according to CEO Brian Zimmerman. He said the move will improve access to the park.
“We were essentially landlocked in all other areas with no real way to get into that portion of the park,” he said. Zimmerman said Metroparks has been eyeing the land for at least 14 years.
The purchase opens up possibilities for a strategic redesign of West 29th Street and additional parking, said Zimmerman.
Metroparks also plans to eventually acquire another .65 acre piece of land in Parma through an agreement with West Creek Conservancy (WCC), a separate land conservancy nonprofit serving Northeast Ohio. WCC will buy the property – with $100,000 of support from Metroparks – and eventually transfer it to Metroparks to continue expanding West Creek Reservation.
The land – also known as Olson Property – is considered a missing link in the greenway corridor that would extend the future West Creek Greenway north from West Ridgewood Drive to Grantwood Drive, according to Zimmerman.
Breaking ground for Metroparks Gorilla Primate RainForest
The Metroparks Board of Commissioners also approved adding $19.7 million to its original contract with a construction company to build its new Primate RainForest addition at the Cleveland Zoo.
The total contract is valued at just over $30 million and includes pre-construction stage and design services from The Albert M. Higley Co., a construction company with two locations in Ohio.
The project is expected to break ground within the next 30 days, according to Metroparks officials.
Read the notes from Documenter Nani Faye Palmer:
