Dear Friend:
Ten years ago, on September 10, 2010, the Cleveland Rowing Foundation (CRF)
culminated a four-year effort to successfully acquire the 6.5-acre Commodore Club
property on the Columbus Road peninsula.
The site had 1,100 feet of Cuyahoga riverfront bulkhead and a large 19,500 square foot building which was perfectly situated for a rowing boathouse. We named the area “Rivergate Park” and began developing our vision for a recreational campus in the heart of the industrialized Flats.
You, and many other people and organizations including The Trust for Public Land, Peter B Lewis, Cleveland Metroparks, The Cleveland Foundation and The George Gund Foundation contributed to help CRF's vision of Rivergate Park become a reality. Your efforts to create Rivergate Park have brought forth a surge of development in and around the Park, including:
• Cleveland Rowing Foundation’s growth to 1,500 active members representing 5 high schools, 3 colleges, and a large adult rowing club.
• Complete upgrade and remodeling of the CRF boathouse facilities, including new locker rooms, workout room, offices, meeting rooms, lobby, docks and a new sculling boathouse
• Construction of Crooked River Skatepark all-weather skateboarding facility
• Opening of Merwin’s Wharf, a full service restaurant on the Cuyahoga River
• Hiking and biking trails that promote recreation and connectivity
• Development of a second boathouse on the river promoting both sailing and rowing
• Construction of a new Paddle Tennis facility at Rivergate Park to begin shortly
• Purchase of additional adjacent land for future CRF expansion
None of this would have happened without your efforts and contributions.
Unfortunately the current pandemic precludes our planned 10th Anniversary celebration at the Park, regardless, we want you to know that your past efforts have indeed made a positive difference and are appreciated. We invite you visit Rivergate Park soon to enjoy what you helped make a reality.
Sincerely,
Jon Adams, Chair, Rivergate Foundation Board
Bill Braun, Member; Bob Valerian, Member