Politics & Government

Cleveland Heights to Upgrade Cumberland Parking Lot by May

Parking lot paid for with a grant from the Ohio EPA for environmental benefits

The city of Cleveland Heights is renovating the parking lot near Cumberland Pool to prevent pollutants from cars and other sources from draining into Dugway Brook. 

The city received a grant from the Ohio EPA last summer for about $238,000, said Richard Wong, planning and development director for Cleveland Heights. The parking lot should be finished by the end of May, he said. 

The current parking lot is made of asphalt and has about 100 spaces. The redesigned lot will include special soil beds with nutrients to help plants hold water and not allow it to run through, Wong said. Trees and shrubs will be planted in the islands around the lot to cool water that hits the surface, as warmer water can throw off the ecosystem and deplete oxygen levels in the brook, according to the parking lot grant application. The plant roots will also help stop debris from reaching the brook. Five spaces will be added as well, he said.

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In addition, Wong said a fabric will be installed to act like a coffee filter to stop contaminants from reaching the water. The ground itself will be made of bricks and gravel instead of cement to further strain water before it reaches the brook.

Wong said the parking lot will require slightly more maintenance than more traditional parking lots, and it’s hard to say how long it will last. It could last 10 to 15 years or 15 to 20, it just depends on how quickly the plant beds and other features become clogged with pollutants.

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R.J. Platten, based in North Royalton, will complete the project, Wong said. 

Other improvements include extending the bike path through the lot, as it stopped in the old lot, and marking parking spaces right next to the side walk so that pedestrians don't have to cross a traffic area to access the pool, he said. 


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