Cleveland Metroparks today officially revealed plans for the Patrick S. Parker Community Sailing Center, a community center coming to the East 55th Street Marina in Cleveland. The Sailing Center will be the first of its kind along Lake Erie in Ohio, providing unprecedented public access and sailing opportunities to the region.
The project, first reported by NEOtrans in 2022, was the result of major funding support of project partners including the Parker Hannifin Corporation and Madeleine S. Parker, the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Supporting Foundation and The Cleveland Foundry.
The two new facilities that make up the center will feature multi-purpose learning spaces, indoor and outdoor community areas, concessions and dining, a rooftop deck, overlook tower, and a boathouse that will serve as the sailing hub. The Patrick S. Parker Community Sailing Center will be fully accessible, from adaptive equipment to wheelchair-accessible facilities, going beyond ADA compliance and incorporating universal design.
Construction on the $15 million Patrick S. Parker Community Sailing Center is expected to be completed in 2026, Metroparks officials said in today’s announcement. To date, project funds have been raised through leadership gifts from multiple sources.
They include the Parker Hannifin Corp. and Madeleine S. Parker, Pam and Don Washkewicz, the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Supporting Foundation, and through other significant gifts including those from Cleveland Foundation, Mike and Gina Trebilcock, The Foundry, The Dedinsky Family Charitable Fund, other private funders and state and local grants.
Photo Caption: An early rendering of the sailing and community center, as viewed from Lake Erie, shared by NEOtrans in 2022 (file image).
“We are thrilled to announce the Patrick S. Parker Community Sailing Center, which will redefine access to our lakefront and open new recreation and educational opportunities for everyone in our community,” said Cleveland Metroparks CEO Brian Zimmerman in a written statement.
“This state-of-the-art facility will be a beacon for inclusivity, equity and access along our lakefront, and build on our ongoing collective efforts to serve east side communities, including the CHEERS project, Mandel Community Trail and enhancements to Gordon Park South,” he added.
Also nearby is the former Energy Harbor Lake Shore Power Plant property, 6800 S. Marginal Road, which sold in December to site clean-up firm IDA Power LLC. This 62-acre site is just across I-90 from the Port of Cleveland’s and Cleveland Metroparks’ $300 million Cleveland Harbor Eastern Embayment Resilience Strategy, or CHEERS project. It is of roughly equal size to that of the vacated power plant property.
The Patrick S. Parker Community Sailing Center will serve as a year-round community anchor and lakefront destination for sporting and community events, education, retail, marina operations, recreation and dining. The facility will offer public programs to bring the benefits of sailing to those who have historically faced economic barriers to participate in the sport.
“The Patrick S. Parker Community Sailing Center will allow residents of our hometown to access new recreational opportunities, build skills and connect with our region’s lakefront,” said Jenny Parmentier, chairman of the noard and CEO of Parker Hannifin Corporation.
Photo Caption: A map of significant lakefront parks and projects in the city of Cleveland, with the East 55th Street Marina the subject of today’s announcement (Google-NEOtrans).
“This investment is also about strengthening our community through participation in the sport of sailing, something Parker Hannifin has a strong connection to dating back to the son of our founder and former Chairman Pat Parker,” Parmentier said. “This new innovative community asset has the potential to positively impact generations.”
The Sailing Center will also connect the City of Cleveland’s harbor to the city’s cultural hub of University Circle through its location along the Mandel Community Trail that is commencing construction along North Marginal Road from East 9th Street to East 55th Street. Despite being situated along a major river and a great lake, many Cleveland residents have never experienced direct water-based recreation as over 90% of Lake Erie’s shoreline within Cuyahoga County is privately owned with no public access.
“Lake Erie is one of our greatest regional assets and this innovative effort is a continuation of our recent investments to strengthen community connections and opportunity along our lakefront,” said Dr. Jehuda Reinharz, president and CEO of the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation.
“Together, we are breaking down physical, economic and social barriers to enhance the quality of life for our region, particularly in our neighborhoods closest to the lakefront who have been historically disconnected,” Reinharz added.
The Sailing Center will host year-round Sailing STEM programming for schools & community partnership organizations under operation of The Cleveland Foundry, including Youth Learn-to-Sail, Youth Learn-to-Race, Interscholastic Racing, Adult Basic Series, Community Dinghy Race Nights, Family Sailing Basics and more.
Photo Caption: Progress is continuing on developing the Port of Cleveland’s and Cleveland Metroparks’ $300 million Cleveland Harbor Eastern Embayment Resilience Strategy, or CHEERS project, to create more lakefront recreational land and greenspace (Metroparks).
The Foundry will offer Ohio Boating Safety and Education Classes and Water Safety Certifications classes to the community. By expanding the reach of sailing instruction and hands-on educational experiences, the Foundry brings to the public a progressive pathway of learning opportunities designed to safely grow knowledge and access to the sport of sailing for all of Cleveland.
Since 2016, The Foundry has partnered with Cleveland Metroparks across its locations to expand its sailing operations, break-down socio-economic barriers and improve public access to the sport and lakefront in general.
“The Foundry’s mission is to make rowing and sailing programs accessible, remove financial and experiential barriers and build a community that can fully embrace our great lakefront,” said Foundry Executive Director Gina Trebilcock.
“The Patrick S. Parker Community Sailing Center, inspired by Patrick S. Parker, former Chairman and CEO of Parker Hannifin, who was an avid sailor and Cleveland philanthropist, will provide our community direct lakefront access, grow our reach to schools, neighborhoods and community centers and make Cleveland a leader in the sport of sailing,” Trebilcock explained.
“Giving back to the community was important to him,” reflected Madeleine Parker about her late husband Patrick Parker, who died in 2005. Patrick Parker’s legacy of sailing, innovation and philanthropy moved Mrs. Parker to give the lead gift in his name. “He would be happy to have his name on this sailing center.”
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