Final Report

Report Cover	Table of Contents	Final Framework Plan
Appendix A Principals for Recreation Framework	Appendix B Recommended Actions	Appendix C Focus Group Summaries
Appendix D Public Outreach	Appendix E Public Workshop Summaries	Appendix F Case Studies and Best Practices
Appendix G Field Data	Appendix H Cuyahoga County Greenprint	Appendix I Thornton Park Pool Survey
Appendix J Skate Park Working Group Report Appendix K Maps of the Horseshoe Lake Master Plan

 

Summary: The Recreation and Leisure Assessment Task Force delivered its preliminary recommendations at the final public session on October 21, 2004.  Three public meetings were held and input from over 525 residents of all ages and from all neighborhoods was received. A summary of the process follows. Click here to read a letter from Mayor Rawson and Councilwoman Holmes in response to some resident questions. The Process: Early planning meetings included numerous focus groups comprised of volunteers and leaders from the City’s major sports, recreation, and community groups. Neighborhood associations and area churches were contacted as well. Over 120 middle school and high school students participated in sessions held at their schools and roughly 250 residents attended the public sessions. The 12-member task force included six citizens and two elected officials each from the City and Schools and two appointed representatives from the Library. The task force was co-chaired by citizen members Mike Shinn and Warren Wright. One thousand flyers and over 300 emails were sent advertising the public meetings. Flyers were posted and distributed at both libraries, Thornton Park, the Community Building, City Hall, and various stores including all coffee shops, hardware stores, and grocery stores.
At the first meeting on May 18, 2004, residents worked in small groups to create a list of ideas and initiatives. The top 14 were:  Fields Outdoor Performance Space Walking, Hiking, Biking Trails Fitness Center Skateboard Park Teen Meeting Place Multipurpose Recreation Center Community & Cultural Center New and Improved Pool Dog Park Basketball Courts Ice Skating Rink Parks Tennis Courts	Over 100 people attend the second public meeting.
At the second meeting on July 14, 2004, residents rated and ranked the various initiatives, considering their preference for the location of each. Based on this exercise, the possibilities fall into roughly three groups.  The top tier includes the Fields, Pool and Walking, Hiking, Biking Trails. The second tier includes the Skateboard Park, Ice Rink, Basketball Courts, and Multipurpose Recreation Center. The third tier includes the Outdoor Performance Venue, Parks, Dog Park, and Community & Cultural Center.	Residents rate various ideas and their impact on the community.
At the third meeting on October 21, 2004, the Task Force presented preliminary recommendations and took public comment. Input from this and earlier meetings was incorporated into a framework to guide the City over the next 10 years. The final Recreation and Leisure Framework Plan includes, as appendices, all data that informed its recommendations. The Task Force and Council met jointly to review the recommendations and to agree on priorities for further analysis. The final report reflects the following guiding principles:  Providing facilities and locations for recreation that serve users of all ages and who have multiple interests. Improving existing facilities. Including all neighborhoods in the recreational framework. Ensuring a connection between various recreation facilities and locations. Leading the way in regional collaboration, including working with the Shaker schools and surrounding municipalities.	Residents rank various ideas and choose three they like best.

Recreation & Leisure Newsletter, June 15, 2004
Recreation & Leisure Newsletter, May 14, 2004

Learn more about the Recreation & Leisure Assessment in Shaker Heights.