About Us
Canalway does not work alone. As a non-profit focused on connecting people to place, we work with community, government and business leaders on projects and programs in Cuyahoga County and throughout the National Heritage Area.
We are proud of our collaborative relationships with elected officials, community leaders and organizations, the City of Cleveland, Cleveland Metroparks, Cuyahoga County and local businesses and corporations. We work closely with these partners to create community engagement opportunities and to preserve natural and cultural experiences for the future.
As part of a National Heritage Area, we also work closely with the National Parks Service and the Alliance of National Heritage Areas.
Canalway is one of the two founding organizations of the Ohio & Erie Canalway Association (OECA). OECA is the 501(c)(3) non-profit designated by the U.S. Congress in the Ohio & Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor Act of 1996 as the management entity for the National Heritage Area.
Canalway Partners works to develop the Ohio & Erie Canalway in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County; while our partner the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition focuses on Summit, Stark and Tuscarawas Counties.
The two founding organizations collaborate through the Ohio & Erie Canalway Association Board, a body consisting of founding organization appointees and independent representatives. These members are appointed to govern the decisions on federal funding, while meeting the obligations of planning and local match required by the legislation.
The National Park Service provides technical, planning and limited financial assistance to the Ohio & Erie Canalway. The National Park Service is a partner and adviser, that leaves decision-making authority in the hands of the management organizations Canalway Partners and the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition.