Project Description

Located in downtown Cleveland on the eastern bank of the Cuyahoga River, Canal Basin Park is home to the northern trailhead of the 101-mile long Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail. The trailhead was completed by the City of Cleveland and opened to the public in 2021. Now, the City would like to pay homage to both the Ohio & Erie Canal and Towpath Trail by providing interpretive elements that reflect their historic importance to the City and region.

As the Towpath Trail enters Canal Basin Park at its northern trailhead, it passes underneath a bridge that supports the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority ("RTA") Red Line. The bridge consists of three archways. The design will be an interpretive mural/display for each archway. The main mural, along with the additional "spill" mural, is the essential component that needs to be completed first, while the other mural elements can be added if budget and time permits.

The project team will present the conceptual design for the mural, and the chosen artist will primarily focus on translating the concept to a paintable mural, enjoying some artistic freedom within the established style. Please see the mural outlined placements below.