Rivergate Foundation
The Rivergate Foundation and its Advisory Council are dedicated to achieving Rivergate’s complete potential, including:
Economic Impact: Rivergate offers the type of riverfront amenity that other cities have leveraged to create excitement and increase visits to downtowns, which in turn has sparked new business creation and new urban residential development. Because of its unique appeal, waterfront revitalization generates substantial private investment.
Opportunity for Urban Youth: A rowing program for Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) children will combine rowing, tutoring and college prep to help launch kids toward college and take advantage of rowing scholarships.
Parkland in the City: Rivergate provides much-needed green space in the Flats within easy walking distance of downtown, Ohio City and Tremont, and with connections to future bike trails including the Towpath Trail and Lake Link Trail.
Environmental Benefits: By removing several acres of concrete and replacing with trees, native grasses and bioswales, Rivergate will help mitigate storm water drainage problems currently plaguing the Cuyahoga. In addition, Rivergate will participate in aquatic wildlife remediation programs to increase fish populations in the Cuyahoga basin.
Community Health and Wellness: A center for ‘active sports’ in downtown Clevelandincluding rowing, kayaking, dragon boating, canoeing and bicycling.
The 6.5 acre Rivergate site on the Cuyahoga River was acquired in September 2010 as a result of an effort led by the Cleveland Rowing Foundation (CRF) in partnership with the Trust for Public Land.
Rivergate’s acquisition was generously supported by contributions from many members of the rowing community and other civic-minded individuals, foundations, corporations and public entities.
CRF’s immediate goal in acquiring this property was to establish a permanent home for rowing on the Cuyahoga River, but our broader objective from the outset has been to transform a concrete-covered post-industrial site into a destination park, recreation center and river access point for rowing, kayaking, dragon boating and other healthy, people-powered activity in the Flats.
We expect Rivergate to have social and economic impact far beyond its vital role as the permanent home of CRF and its member organizations. In order to accomplish these broader goals, without diverting CRF from its primary mission, the CRF Board has established the Rivergate Foundation to engage the entire community in realizing the full potential of the Rivergate site.
The Rivergate Foundation is a separate 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, led initially on a volunteer basis by Jon Adams, a member of Western Reserve Rowing Association and William H. Braun, Douglas C. Carlson, Sarah Ott-Hansen, Robert J. Valerian and Kerry Watterson.
A distinguished Advisory Council made up of civic leaders and engaged supporters of the Rivergate project has been recruited to participate in creating a vision for the Rivergate site, promoting and supporting development efforts for Rivergate and in generating publicity and enthusiasm for Rivergate Park and the adjoining area. We are fortunate to have the counsel and expertise of these Advisors who have agreed to serve on the Rivergate Advisory Council:
Thomas W. Adler
Brent D. Ballard
Thomas V. Chema
Jennifer Coleman
Christopher M. Connor
Grosvie R. Cooley
Scott C. Finerman
John F. Herrick
Marc C. Krantz
Joseph A. Marinucci
Jon H. Outcalt
Ronald C. Rasmus
James A. Ratner
Joy Roller and
Sean Watterson
Rivergate Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. Donations to Rivergate Foundation are tax-deductible and may be mailed to
Rivergate Foundation
1785 Merwin Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44113
Questions? Please contact Theresa Gang, Executive Director clevelandrowing@gmail.com
