Congresswoman Brown Announces $14.1 Million in Federal Park Funding for Irishtown Bend, Cuyahoga Riverfront, and Cain Park

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11) and the National Park Service announce today $14.1 million in federal funding for three Northeast Ohio parks through the National Park Service’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Grants Program. Cleveland Metroparks will receive $10,813,000 for Irishtown Bend Park and $2,950,000 for new park space on the Cuyahoga Riverfront. The City of Cleveland Heights will receive $390,000 for Cain Park.

As requested, Congresswoman Brown submitted official letters of support for the Irishtown Bend and Cuyahoga Riverfront projects earlier this year.

Read: Irishtown Bend Letter of Support, Cuyahoga Riverfront Property Letter of Support

Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Grants (ORLP) is a competitive grant program providing matching grants for park projects in underserved urban communities. ORLP grants are managed by the National Park Service and funded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

“I am excited to announce three significant federal grants are headed to Northeast Ohio. These grants will help more people have access to greenspace and recreation and help make Northeast Ohio a better place to live and visit. These new investments have the potential to transform downtown Cleveland along Irishtown Bend and improve historic Cain Park in Cleveland Heights. My office was especially proud to support the grant applications from Cleveland Metroparks for the Irishtown Bend and Cuyahoga Riverfront parks, because everyone deserves to be able to enjoy nature. These parks will give neighborhood residents, including many in public housing, incredible new park space. The grants reflect the Biden-Harris Administration’s ongoing efforts to provide funds to historically underserved communities,” said Congresswoman Shontel Brown.

Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Grants announced today:

• $10,813,000 to Cleveland Metroparks for Irishtown Bend Park: As requested, Congresswoman Brown submitted a letter of support to the National Park Service for this grant in March 2024. The grant will support the acquisition and development of Irishtown Bend Park, a future 25-acre riverfront greenspace in the heart of Cleveland, connecting Lake Erie, the Cuyahoga River, and serving as the as the last quarter mile for over 101 miles of trails that extending from the Cuyahoga National Park. Brown’s letter of support noted the future park is an opportunity to provide new recreational opportunities for people living in the neighborhoods surrounding Irishtown Bend.
   
• $2,950,000 to Cleveland Metroparks for Cuyahoga Riverfront Property: As requested, Congresswoman Brown submitted a letter of support to the National Park Service for this grant in March 2024. The grant will support the acquisition and transition of past industrial-use land into green space along the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland. The new park space will be adjacent to Wendy Park and near the Lakeview Estates community, allowing public housing residents, and others in the neighborhood, to access new park space.
   
• $390,000 to the City of Cleveland Heights for Cain Park: The grant will support the renovation of Cain Park, including improvements to the skate park and tennis courts. 

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