Euclid Beach Blast Round-up

Here is a write up from Stephen Love about how the recent 2012 Euclid Beach Blast went!

Euclid Beach Blast 2012 was a great success!  We jammed and danced to live music from the Hesitations, Del Rio Bandits and Son Gitano, chowed down on some great eats from B&M Barbeque, Fired Up Taco Truck, TD's Hot Dogs & Hoagies and got our sweet fix with a scoop or two of East Coast Custard. As if great music and food weren't enough, we built trash mobiles at the Beachcraft table, played with pool noodles and water blobs in the old Euclid Beach fountain, got our faces painted and chalked up just about every inch of concrete! But it wasn't just all fun and games, we also learned a thing or two about beach and water quality, reducing waste, how to become Urban Beach Ambassadors at Euclid Beach and provided input about various redesign plans for the park.

We could not have had such a great event without the help of many dedicated volunteers and artists who spent hours in the hot sun on Saturday keeping everything cool! Thank you to all of our volunteers, artists and workshop participants!  A very special thankyou to all of our Kickstarter supporters who pulled through to reach our $2700 funding goal! Finally, thank you to all of our community partners - Arts Collinwood, Project Pop Up Galleries, Northeast Shores and Councilman Polensek to mention just a few, who help make Euclid Beach Blast what is soon becoming North Collinwood's premiere event on the Lake! Let's show the entire region what a great lakefront asset we have right in our community! Visit www.euclidbeachblast.com to see and share photos and videos of all the fun! We are already looking forward to a bigger and better Euclid Beach Blast next summer!

Lecustrine Project Launches

Euclid Creek is a Lake Erie tributary that is heavily urbanized and affected by urban runoff and habitat degradation. The Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District has received a $1,396,050 grant from the U.S. EPA through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) to conduct the Lacustrine Refuge in the Cuyahoga AOC project. Design and engineering work was completed in 2012 and construction is scheduled to begin summer of 2012 with a 3-4 month construction time frame.

See the following websites for project details, public meeting notices, and updates:. www.cuyahogaswcd.org/EuclidCreekFiles/EuclidCreekthehomepage.htm or greatlakesrestoration.us

Project Benefits and Outcomes
Ecological restoration of the Lower Euclid has been awarded to a Northeast Ohio design-build team called RiverWorks (EnviroScience, Inc. GPD Group and RiverReach Construction). Collaboration between a technical advisory committee and the RiverWorks team will aim to create the following positive changes for Euclid Creek:

• Restore important coastal and lacustrine wetlands;
• Restore Euclid Creek to its natural, historic alignment;
• Increase overall ecological function of Lower Euclid Creek;
• Increase fish habitat and spawning of recreational species;
• Improved fishing and recreation for the community;
• Increased habitat for birds and amphibians;
• Address bank erosion within the park;
• Control and manage pervasive invasive plant species;
• Provide opportunities for environmental education and public involvement;
• Assist Euclid Creek in reaching State of Ohio water quality attainment standards;
• Aid in delisting Cuyahoga River AOC (Area of Concern); and,
• Economic impact of $2.4 million (double the project cost).

Construction Schedule: to start in August 2012 and last 3-4 months depending on weather conditions, with potential plantings in Spring 2013

Project Area and Flooding: While this Great Lakes restoration project is not a flood control project, it went through an intensive review from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hydraulic division for the proposed modification to the 1980’s diversion channel that created the oxbow condition (i.e. what is considered the main channel of Euclid Creek today). Since our project is within this Army Corps regulated flood control channel, the project underwent a similar level of scrutiny and review. The Army Corps has approved the proposed changes to the area based on rigorous hydraulic studies, flood elevations and evaluation of risk. This restoration project does not increase flood elevations that exist today. The removal of a majority of the island sediment for wetlands and an increase in stream width and capacity at the mouth of the oxbow area actually improves current conditions, while meeting the habitat restoration goals of the project. The modified diversion channel will not be removed entirely but will exist as an overflow conveyance channel similar to its original intention when floodwaters reach a certain height.

Contact Information During Construction:

General Project Information: Contact Project Grant Manager Claire Posius, Euclid Creek Watershed Coordinator, Cuyahoga SWCD- 216-524-6580 x16 or email cposius@cuyahogaswcd.org

Emergency Contact: ODNR-Cleveland Lakefront State Park Office: 8:30am-4:30pm – 216-881-8141

ODNR-CLSP Park Officer Call In Line: 216-701-3989

Cleveland Fifth District Police: 216-623-5500

Nuisance / Displaced Wildlife - for issues with stray cats/dogs, skunks, groundhogs,

NHS and Northeast Shores have a roofing program for you!

NHS of Greater Cleveland, in the past two years, has secured a total of $465,000 from NeighborWorks® America, of rehabilitation capital for flexible reinvestment in 2 neighborhoods in the City of Cleveland.  While a grantee of citywide funds from the City of Cleveland to deliver programs and services for achieving, preserving and sustaining homeownership, these one-time funds restricted specifically for rehabilitation, are an example of leveraging NHSGC’s national affiliation with NeighborWorks® America for the betterment of the City of Cleveland.

These two programs, the Westown CDC Variety Village Loan Program and the Northeast Shores Development Corporation’s Cover Your Assets Program will have significant impact on each CDC’s specific service area.

• ·         Variety Village Loan Program provides up to $10,000 for interior and exterior repairs in a defined service area.  These funds are 0%, deferred and due on sale or transfer.  This program is in completion mode.

• ·         The Northeast Shores Cover Your Assets Program provide up to $10,000 for roof repair or replacement (covering your home or asset) in a defined service area.  These funds are 0%, deferred and due on sale or transfer.  This program is up and running now.

NHS of Greater Cleveland is a HUD approved counseling agency, a SAFE Act compliant, licensed lender, and an adopter of National Industry Standards for Homeownership Education and Counseling as well as a lot other good things.

Want to know more about Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Cleveland?  Visit our website at www.nhscleveland.org or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nhsgc.