Finding Mill Creek
Laura McShane, MLIS, MLA
Advocate for Government Accountability and Digital Access
Today, I rode my bike from my house to the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath trailhead at Old Harvard and headed south along the Cuyahoga River to the point where it intersects with Mill Creek. Trail enthusiasts should know that there are very few places along the towpath trail, where park visitors on foot or by bike can get in or out of the Cuyahoga Valley.
Big Creek in the old Brooklyn Township and Mill Creek in the old Newburgh Township are two historic points of access that allow visitors to access the popular trail system. Both points involve ascending or descending a steep grade. While, the Mill Creek route has been developed, it is not well-known or used - most visitors access the park by driving and parking somewhere. I am posting photos taken today, November 26, 2017 to show how the routes need to be better managed and featured.
My bike trip starts at WC Reed Field along Harvard Denison Ave.
I ride down West 14th St. to Old Harvard. Note: this is one way uphill- and I have proposed two alternatives - one, a switchback at Old Denison and two, a trail hugging the northside of the Big Creek valley. This photo shows a preferred alternative that would give visitors to the Metroparks Zoo an option for accessing the Metroparks Ohio and Erie Canal Reservation, which is the gateway to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
I followed the towpath to the Ohio and Erie Canal Reservation and there is an east side access point through this Metroparks' reservation. There is also an access point off East 49th St. I often ride Harvard to East 49th St and down the steep hill there, when I am racing to get to the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad for the bike aboard program.
Today, I continued down the towpath until I reached Bacci Park. This park is managed by the City of Cuyahoga Heights, but it is the access point for the Mill Creek trail connector managed by the Cleveland Metroparks.
The Mill Creek trail connector links the scenic Mill Creek falls with the Cuyahoga River and the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath. But, first riders must make the climb out of the valley along Warner Rd.
I lowered the gears on my bike and amazingly I was able to ascend the trail up to the intersection of Warner and Garfield Rd. in Garfield Heights, without having to push my bike uphill.
I have to imagine that some master of stone and earthwork conceived this trail connector, which is a retaining wall switchback design that could also be used to connect the Towpath from Steelyard to Denison, if the Metroparks would pursue a west side connector.
I continued along the trail connector until I reached my ultimate destination - Mill Creek Falls. I spent a moment contemplating the families that settled this part of Newburgh Township and I felt sadness to consider that the natural falls were seen as an obstacle to progress.
My trip continued down Broadway to Harvard and circled back to my home in historic Brooklyn Centre. It was a three hour trip with many stops along the way.
The following week - I repeated the bike ride with the addition of Garfield Park - Check out this map on @MapMyRide: 15.92 mi Mill Creek Ride
Advocate for Government Accountability and Digital Access
7 年John Carlo John Carlo a million cars on the road and 20 bikes? Answer me this if you're riding a bicycle to stay healthy then why is the heck would you ride it in the street just to get hit by a car? So much for your health Like · Reply · 1 · December 8 at 5:26pm · Edited Manage Laura McShane Laura McShane thank you for your comment - I am muted even though I ride my bike to work EVERY day - and on weekends for exercise ...I have proposed libraries as visitor centers for the promotion of our cultural history in Cleveland - for my opinions I am told to shut up - I don't ride in the street ...I am not stupid - I want more off street options connecting our resources from Cleveland to Akron - https://www.dhirubhai.net/.../finding-mill-creek-laura.../ Finding Mill Creek Today, I rode my bike from my house to the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath trailhead at Old Harvard… LINKEDIN.COM Like · Reply · Remove Preview · 9 mins Manage Laura McShane Laura McShane bikes are NOT viable winter transportation in Cleveland - the reality has to sink in. I walk to work in the winter and I ride transit during inclement weather. The fantasy proposed by the Midway and Lorain bike lanes puts us back YEARS - meanwhile, Akron is developing a bustling tourism industry along towpath and Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad -each year exceeding previous years... Like · Reply · 7 mins Manage Laura McShane Write a reply... Choose File John Carlo John Carlo And you can only ride 6 mouths out of the year? Get your priorities together. Like Like Love Haha Wow Sad Angry · Reply · 1 · December 8 at 5:28pm Manage John McGovern John McGovern Which six mouths are those? If it’s too spicy, I recommend a bathing suit. Like · Reply · 21 hrs · Edited Manage Laura McShane Write a reply... Choose File Mario Caston Mario Caston Glad to hear but it’d be nice to see these efforts towards the Rapid. Needs more lines and stops. More people would move back to the city if this happened in my opinion. Like · Reply · Yesterday at 1:53pm Manage Laura McShane Laura McShane I wrote about Mill Creek - after learning about it this summer from a PITT native in CLE to attend CWRU along with his wife - both getting graduate degrees. They choose to live in Garfield Heights - because they could afford the rent for a whole house -and bring their dogs to Cleveland - the PITT native is planning on moving back to PITT after finishing their degrees. He is an avid rider and works out every weekend on the towpath. I met him on the CVSRR -and he clued me into the Mill Creek connector. Eric Oberg - it shows that PITT folks think about building their lifestyle around trails. This is not happening in CLE. The Redline Greenway will be a lifestyle amenity. Folks can take the train downtown to work and then run or ride home every night. This is what drives a bike economy - not the projects proposed in this latest round of NOACA grants.
Advocate for Government Accountability and Digital Access
7 年What a waste... https://www.cleveland.com/architecture/index.ssf/2017/12/noaca_boosts_protected_bike_la.html
Advocate for Government Accountability and Digital Access
7 年See more photos taken today 12/3 https://t.co/NxMcufoW7s