"In my view, the lakefront, and water's edge belong to the people -- everybody -- not just a few condo owners, boaters and industrial interests," said Dick Clough. "The lakefront is no place for a edifice complex!"
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Dick Clough, a Lakewood advertising, marketing and publishing veteran and lifelong Cleveland promoter, says Northeast Ohioans need to stop taking our Great Lake for granted. With developers itching to build hotels and apartments on prime patches of real estate along Lake Erie, he said residents and city officials need to join forces to keep that land green and open to the public.
Clough's answer is the Lakefront Ribbon of Green Coalition, which aims to promote parks and public uses such as bike paths and playgrounds for the remaining undeveloped land between Edgewater Park and the Cuyahoga County/Lake County border. Why not do what Chicago and Toronto have done and push the buildings back and away from the water, he asks.
Although the odds are decidedly stacked against him, Clough is tenacious about the causes he believes in.
In 2004, he and two like-minded Clevelanders, Jerry Hoegner and Ed Stevens, created the group now known as Northeast Ohio Communications Advocates, representing the local advertising, marketing, promotional, publishing and broadcasting industry. NOCA companies employ more than 39,000 people, generate more than $5 billion in annual revenue and billings, and trace their origins from when Cleveland was one of the nation's five largest corporate headquarters cities.
But Clough's proudest legacy is his annual Tour of Good Cheer, for which he collects and delivers warm coats, children's toys and other goodies to more than 1,000 of Cleveland's homeless, needy and vulnerable. In honor of Clough's 30th Tour this year, the City of Cleveland issued a proclamation designating Saturday, Dec. 20, as "Dick Clough Day" in Cleveland.
Q. Why are you a person to watch in 2015?
A. I am always someone to bear watching! Ha Ha. Seriously, the Green Ribbon Coalition is one of several civic initiatives I am pursuing, and am particularly passionate about creating a 'ribbon of green' along the lakefront.
We have always had it wrong in this region (and particularly the city). We should have been building on the bluffs overlooking the lake, and preserving direct access to the lake and water for the people of Cleveland and the region. There is some lakefront development that is of course unavoidable, such as the port and ore dock, wastewater treatment, and maybe the airport, but it's not good policy nor advisable to build out every square foot of lakefront land.
I accept everything that is currently in place, but now going forward let's earmark the remaining undeveloped land for parks and recreation, and connect this future parks land with the existing lakefront parks at Edgewater, Wendy Park, Gordon Park and Nature Preserve.
Q. Why are you spearheading this Lakefront Ribbon of Green Coalition? Won't Lake Erie always be publicly accessible?
A. In my view, the lakefront, and water's edge belong to the people -- everybody -- not just a few condo owners, boaters and industrial interests. And the best way to get the attention of the powers that be is to build a coalition of interest groups, and the public at large to advocate on behalf of the 'green ribbon.'
People are always telling me Cleveland should have a lakefront like Chicago or Toronto. Those two cities have their version of a ribbon of green, and now we need to get busy on ours. The Cleveland lakefront is no place for a edifice complex! Let's not build out every square foot of Cleveland lakefront property.
Q. What's the biggest thing you'd like to see happen in 2015?
A. I would like to see the 'lakefront ribbon of green' emerge as a key element in the civic dialogue in the coming year, and city leadership to begin serious discussions of how best to preserve the remaining undeveloped lakefront parcels for parks and recreation -- de facto embrace of Green Ribbon concept.
Q. How can other people who agree with you support your efforts?
A. Follow progress for the moment at www.clevelandlakefrontconservancy.org or email directly at Clough1217@aol.com
Q. How will you know when you've accomplished your goal?
A. The goal itself is a 'legacy' proposition. Nothing happens overnight or even in the space of 12 months. Just looking for progressive steps. Getting people talking about the Green Ribbon concept in the halls of government, executive suites and around the dinner table would be a positive development next year, and perhaps modifying the West Harbor plan to incorporate vastly more green space and a public park on the water's edge.
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