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Cleveland faces a number of specific challenges in the area of Recreation & Open Space that need to be thoughtfully addressed:
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A 2003 report by the Trust for Public Land titled “The Excellent City Park System” showed that, compared to other medium-high population density cities, Cleveland had approximately 6 acres per 1,000 people compared to the average of 12 acres. For many years the City of Cleveland has had a policy of no new parks; but some established cities such as Denver and Seattle have actually increased their parkland by over 44 percent over the last 30 years. In many cities, however, a higher percentage of park lands are made up of so-called “natural properties”, which cost less to maintain. By contrast, most of Cleveland’s recreation facilities are “designed” landscapes that carry a higher operating cost. In addition, the City has limited resources. Through forming creative partnerships with other groups and organizations around specific opportunities, however, it may be able to identify new sources of revenue and find ways to make better use of existing staff and facilities.
A number of opportunities currently exist to develop recreational settings that take advantage of certain natural features, as well as some very promising projects that fall outside the traditional scope of City of Cleveland parks. To see these, go to the Alternative Recreation Opportunities Map.
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