Wouldn’t you love to simply sail away on a sweet summer’s day?
Well, now you can catch the wind in your sails, thanks to the recent opening of the new Patrick S. Parker Community Sailing Center, open to the public at the E. 55th Street Marina along Cleveland’s lakefront.
According to Cleveland Metroparks, the Community Sailing Center is the first of its kind along Lake Erie in Ohio, providing public access, sailing and related programming to the region through the major support of project partners including the Parker Hannifin Corporation, Madeleine Parker, the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Supporting Foundation and The Cleveland Foundry.
The official dedication and grand opening of the Community Sailing Center took place on June 23, expanding public access to the lakefront. The public is invited to take in sweeping Lake Erie sunsets, dine along the water at The Galley, learn to sail, get out on the water and more.
The Community Sailing Center also offers multi-purpose learning and rental spaces, indoor and outdoor community areas, and the Charlie Britton Sailing School at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Boathouse, offering public programs to bring the benefits of sailing to those who have historically faced economic barriers to participate in the sport. Despite their proximity to the Great Lake and Cuyahoga River, many Clevelanders have never experienced direct water-based recreation since most of Lake Erie’s shoreline within Cuyahoga County is privately owned with no public access. The Center builds on collective efforts to improve access and recreation in Cleveland’s east-side communities, including the CHEERS project, enhancements to Gordon Park South and the upcoming Mandel Community Trail.
The Sailing Center will host year-round Sailing STEM programming for schools and community partnership organizations through The Cleveland Foundry, including Youth Learn-to-Sail, Youth Learn-to-Race, Interscholastic Racing, Adult Basic Series, Community Dinghy Race Nights, Family Sailing Basics and more. The Foundry will also offer Ohio Boating Safety and Education Classes and, through swimming partnerships, Water Safety Certifications lessons to local youth.
Since 2016, The Foundry has partnered with Cleveland Metroparks to expand its sailing operations, improving access to participation and improving public access to both the sport and lakefront. Its mission is to make rowing and sailing programs accessible, remove financial and experiential barriers and build a water-safe community that can fully embrace the lakefront.
The Patrick S. Parker Community Sailing Center was inspired by Patrick S. Parker, former Chairman and CEO of Parker Hannifin, who was an avid sailor and Cleveland philanthropist. The Sailing Center has made direct lakefront access open to all for waterfront enjoyment, sailing and boating. It is poised to become a year-round community anchor and lakefront destination for events, education, marina operations, recreation, retail and dining at The Galley, a full-service, year-round restaurant offering indoor and outdoor dining along the lake.
Visit clevelandmetroparks.com for more information on the Patrick S. Parker Community Sailing Center and The Galley.
