Rocky River rediscovers Lake Erie asset during rededication celebration

ROCKY RIVER, Ohio — The Bradstreet’s Landing Pier was a long time coming, but has been turned into a beautiful asset in Rocky River.

It was formally rededicated Sept. 7 during the city’s Discovery Day.

Mayor Pamela Bobst gave remarks to the crowd that helped to celebrate the final finish of the huge project:

“Welcome. Thank you to Kathryn Kerber for planning and promoting today’s celebration and to Rich Snyder for his tireless work and the Service Department for preparing the park today.

She said the re-imagining of Bradstreet’s Landing began a few years ago, with a Costal Management Assistance Grant of $90,000.

The project engaged several stakeholders, “most importantly, our residents,” she said.

“Bradstreet’s Landing has always been a special park — right here on the shores of our region’s great asset, Lake Erie.

The park covers a little more than three acres, with the pier itself extending into Lake Erie.

It is a space for fishing, kayaking, paddle boarding, photography, beach glass hunting, history seeking, sunset watching and picnicking.

“So protecting, preserving and enhancing the park’s ability to support these diverse uses was critical in the Master Planning process,” Bobst said.

The stakeholders’ guiding principles were threefold:

• Honoring the diversity of uses

• Honoring the city’s history, the legacy of the park and the memories that have been created there by so many

• Engaging and protecting the lake and lakefront, including Spencer Creek.

The plan aimed to increase environmental stewardship, restore the beach and improve its resiliency, decrease stormwater runoff and increase green space

“And, yes, decreasing parking,” Bobst said.

“The results of that important process were a phased plan that created positive, long-term community, environmental and economic impacts — all of which we are seeing and benefitting from today.

“These plans don’t become a reality without support — both technical and financial,” Bobst added.

“We were fortunate to have many partners alongside us for the project, starting with the Cleveland Metroparks and their willingness to share the depth and breadth of their expertise, along with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Cuyahoga County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Rocky River Historical Society.

“On the financial end, there is really one individual — one champion — that made the first phases of the park Master Plan a reality, and that is Nan Baker.

“As our state representative, she secured $350,000 for the design and engineering of the project.

“That funding enabled us to hire Smith Group, known throughout the Great Lakes for their unique understanding of the lakefront.

“She was then elected and went on to serve as our (Cuyahoga) County councilwoman, and secured $1.1 million for the construction of our pier,” Bobst said.

“We could not have completed this phase of the project without Nan’s tireless advocacy and leadership.

“I’ll end with a quote from our former Safety/Service Director, Mary Kay Costello, as she summed it up best. ‘Bradstreet’s Landing Park uniquely connects us to the past, to nature and to one another as few other recreational and community spaces can.’”

Bobst said the city has been creating spaces where community members can connect with one another.

“Even though we’re talking about rebuilding infrastructure, it’s really about this asset building, strengthening and sustaining social infrastructure and quality of life for the residents of our community and the region,” she said.

“We’re listening, identifying additional opportunities, working closely with our partners to enhance our contribution to the future sustainability and resiliency of Great Lakes/Lake Erie and our region’s most significant natural resource.

She then thanked the community for its patience during the project’s long process toward fruition.

Read more from the West Shore Sun.