It feels like merely a blink ago we were eagerly awaiting warmer temps and making our summer plans. Now, as we’re past the dog days of summer, we are looking back and smiling at the fun we’ve had and the unforgettable memories made.
Big THANKS to all our collaborative partners, and the community members who join us.
Decades of visionary thinking, strategic planning, collaboration, and lots of hard work by the entire Canalway Partners team along with our partners at Cleveland Metroparks, City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and NOACA was celebrated on Wednesday, June 9th. With the scenic backdrop of the downtown Cleveland skyline, we gathered together in Camp Cleveland for a ribbon cutting and community celebration, marking the official opening of Towpath Trail Stage 4! Since it’s completion, the 1.5 miles section from Literary Road in Tremont to the future Canal Basin Park in Cleveland’s Flats has been buzzing with excitement. Whether you run, bike, or simply enjoy a leisurely walk, we hope visiting this new section of the Towpath Trail is on your summer bucket list
One of the very best parts of summer is exploring by bike! Our Cycle Canalway program celebrates biking the Towpath Trail throughout the entire month of June. Cycle Canalway offers free on-demand access to 13 self-guided mapped leisure Towpath Trail bike rides for ALL experience levels. To help you plan a full and fun day, we created Cycle Canalway Adventure Guides which include everything from directions and where to park, to mileage and terrain, descriptions, and links to the incredible historic and natural sights you’ll experience, activities to enjoy on the trail, and nearby attractions. During the program, weekly prize packages were awarded to participants. Sunday Social Group Rides were a new program addition in 2021. Each week we spotlighted a section of the Towpath Trail with a Sunday ride led by a special guest hosts from the cycling community. And if that’s not enough, we kicked it all off with a complimentary Bike Tune-a-Thon event, offering free bike safety inspections, minor repairs, and helmets to keep you rollin’ safely!
This years Towpath Twilight Ten-Ten took on a new format as we celebrated the coming Summer Solstice with an early evening run. The new 10 mile and 10k courses allowed runners to experience the sweeping views of the Cuyahoga River Valley through the newest sections of the Towpath Trail in Tremont including Camp Cleveland, the Towpath Mounds.
Friendly reminder — The Towpath Marathon is right around the corner. Join us at the future site of Canal Basin Park on Sunday, October 10th! Marathon, Half-Marathon, and 10K course options are available. Register Today!
The Towpath Marathon was established in 1992 to introduce the Towpath Trail as a new recreational amenity and to promote the establishment of the Ohio & Erie Canalway. Since its inception, the Towpath Marathon has grown to become one of Northeast Ohio’s premier marathons, attracting an average of 1,200 participants and 3,500 spectators from more than twenty-seven states.
Lace up your running shoes and help support Canalway Partners! All proceeds from the race benefit Canalway Partners, and help us actively develop events and projects to preserve, promote and educate the public about the National Heritage Area in Northeast, Ohio. The NHA consists of many wonderful assets right here in Ohio, one of the most popular being the Towpath Trail. REGISTER FOR THE TOWPATH MARATHON TODAY!
“A river is more than an amenity, it is a treasure.”
Cuyahoga River Rally celebrated the progress of the Cuyahoga River and the recreational and lifestyle enhancements clean water provides. The day-long event in Hart Crane Park offered something for everyone — complimentary river tours by boat, bike, kayak, and walking tours, live music from local favorites, outdoor yoga classes, and a festival village filled with hands-on activities. Thank you to all the amazing organizations that helped us create an amazing day –
PHASTAR Corporation, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, City of Cleveland Water Pollution Control, Take a Hike Walking Tours, Onetreelove, Trash Fish Cle, Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District, Ohio City Bicycle Co-op, Holiday Boat Charters, Cleveland Metroparks, Upcycle Parts Shop, Burning River Adventures, Cleveland Amateur Boat Builders, and Axon Creative Agency. We can’t wait until next years celebration!
In the summer of 2020, we introduced this self-guided tour as part of our annual Cleveland History Days program to provide a safe, socially-distanced outdoor activity . The response to the tour was so overwhelmingly positive, we brought it back in 2021.
The 90-minute self-guided tour which starts in Tremont’s Lincoln Park highlights many of the churches and other institutions built by (and for) successive waves of immigrants from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century. As attendees walk through the neighborhood, they learn about the central role Tremont played in the Cleveland’s story of immigration. Throughout the tour, local artists create beautiful and thought provoking chalk artworks inspired by Cleveland immigration stories, which were provided to us by our friends at Global Cleveland. In 2021, we added additional artist stops as well as live music from the band Harmonia. The band performed outisde the Ukrainian Museum Archives and their setlist was comprised of Ukrainian music, traditionally played at weddings both in villages in Ukraine and among Ukrainian immigrants in the United States. Undoubtedly this music was frequently played in Tremont during its heyday as a center of immigration.