Project Overview
The Cleveland Harbor Eastern Embayment Resilience Strategy (CHEERS) will transform the existing hardened shoreline on Cleveland’s east side. The six project partners have engaged residents and stakeholders since 2020 to co-develop this plan focused on improving neighborhood access to Lake Erie, expanding park and habitat areas, and advancing long-term community resilience.
CHEERS is the locally supported, long-term solution to one of Northeast Ohio’s most urgent challenges: securing sustainable, reliable placement for dredged material to maintain the Port of Cleveland’s $7 billion annual regional economic impact.
CHEERS Partners
Recent News
May 7, 2026: Cleveland Metroparks lakefront project gets $1.1M in federal money; construction eyed for 2028 (Cleveland.com)
May 7, 2026: Federal, State & Local Investments Move CHEERS Project from Vision to Construction-Ready (Cleveland Metroparks)
Cleveland Metroparks announced a major milestone in advancing the Cleveland Harbor Eastern Embayment Resilience Strategy (CHEERS), as Congresswoman Shontel Brown presented $1.1 million in federal funding to support the next phase of the project. This investment, combined with committed state and local funding, positions CHEERS to move from years of planning into the permitting phase and subsequently to initiate construction of the Early Action Project, currently anticipated in 2028.
The CHEERS project is a transformational, multi-partner initiative designed to expand public access to Cleveland’s lakefront while strengthening coastal resilience, enhancing ecological habitat, and supporting critical maritime infrastructure.
“Today is about progress through partnerships and moving CHEERS from vision to reality,” said Brian M. Zimmerman, Chief Executive Officer of Cleveland Metroparks. “This is not just a parks project. It is an economic driver, an investment in the quality of life for our communities, and a commitment to conservation and ecological sustainability and vitality of our region.”
The $1.1 million federal investment is catalytic to initiating the state and federal regulatory process, with construction anticipated in 2028. The funding contributes to a total of $9.1 million currently committed to advancing the Early Action Project, including:
- $1.1 million in federal funding secured by Congresswoman Shontel Brown for Cleveland Metroparks
- $1.5 million from the City of Cleveland through City Council, allocated to the Port of Cleveland for enhanced fishing access and shoreline improvements
- $1.5 million in Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Maritime Assistance Program funding awarded to the Port of Cleveland
- $5 million in ODOT PROTECT funding awarded to the Port of Cleveland (pending federal transportation budget approval
- Please read the the full press release here for more information.
January 28, 2026: Port of Cleveland Secures $1.5M CHEERS Early Action Breakwater Project.
The Cleveland–Cuyahoga County Port Authority (the Port of Cleveland) has been awarded funds through the Ohio Maritime Assistance Program (MAP), a competitive Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) grant program supporting strategic maritime infrastructure investments across Ohio. $1.5 million in MAP funding will advance an Early Action Project under the CHEERS initiative, building on extensive regional planning and collaboration. The Early Action Project represents a first, targeted phase of the broader CHEERS effort, allowing critical work to move forward while full implementation continues to be developed.
MAP funding will support permitting, final engineering, property acquisition, and construction of the Early Action Project. Additional funding is being pursued through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s National Coastal Resilience Fund and a NOAA Transformational Habitat grant. Combined with $1.5 million from the City of Cleveland, these investments position the project to move efficiently toward construction.
“This funding allows us to move CHEERS from planning into implementation,” said Linda Sternheimer, Senior Vice President of Urban Planning and Engagement. “By advancing an early phase of the project, we can streamline permitting and finalize design, while laying the groundwork for the full, long-term strategy.”
Once complete, CHEERS is expected to create approximately 3.1 million cubic yards of dredged material capacity, extending the useful life of the Port’s Confined Disposal Facilities by an estimated 15 to 20 years, assuming continuation of existing beneficial-use operations.
2026 Project Updates
CHEERS is a cost-effective, 30-year investment in Cleveland’s East Side Lakefront lead by Cleveland Metroparks and the Port of Cleveland with the support of partners Black Environmental Leaders Association, the City of Cleveland with the support of Cleveland City Council, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and the Ohio Department of Transportation.
Work currently underway includes:
- Partners are pursuing construction funding to build an early action project in the Habitat Loop (shown below), located north of the former First Energy site between the existing channels / stone structures. If successful, construction may kick off in 2028.
- Partners have been working with the consultant team to optimize engineering & design of the park & habitat.
- CHEERS is the locally preferred solution for beneficial use of dredge material. The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is considering CHEERS as they evaluate options for a 20-year Dredge Material Management Plan (DMMP).
- CHEERS is complemented by proposed park improvements at Gordon Park south of Interstate 90. Construction began in spring 2026!
- Partners will develop CHEERS in phases & plan to fully complete work over approximately 25 years.
- Visit Cleveland Metroparks Projects page for the most up-to-date information on many of our current and recently completed projects.
CHEERS Overall Site Plan
CHEERS Economic Benefits
The six project partners, stakeholders representing more than 50 community organizations, and residents of Northeast Ohio support CHEERS. Along with community support, the project represents a fiscally responsible solution that protects and maintains the Port of Cleveland's $7 B annual economic impact. See the Ohio Maritime Plan for more information.
the CHEERS story
The Cleveland Harbor Eastern Embayment Resilience Strategy (CHEERS) project is a concept that emerged from a yearlong study to determine how to transform Cleveland’s lakeshore through reconnecting communities to the lake, improving public health, bolstering the economy, and benefiting the environment and natural habitat. It is now in a design phase with the help of a consultant team to move the original study towards implementation. Stakeholders and the support received from the community have been crucial to the success of CHEERS.
CHEERS will utilize beneficial use of dredge material to improve shoreline resilience, build habitat, expand parks, and work to heal damage done by past unjust developmental practices and industrial use. Click here for a summary of background on CHEERS, and here for the full version of the initial plan.
CHEERS is a partnership between Black Environmental Leaders, the City of Cleveland and Cleveland City Council, Cleveland Metroparks, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio Department of Transportation, and the Port of Cleveland.
This project is supported by grants from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Ohio Department of Transportation's Maritime Assistance Program, and local match and in-kind support from each of the CHEERS Partners.
This stage of CHEERS focuses on detailed investigations of existing conditions on the project site and will develop engineering documents for the in-water structures.
- The project partners will also continue community engagement and park planning with an eye towards phasing and implementation timeframes.
- Site investigations and engineering are underway to move the project towards permitting from state and federal agencies
- Nearly $6M in funding has been received from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s National Coastal Resilience Fund and the State of Ohio’s Maritime Assistance Program, along with local match commitments from the six project partners.
Main Consultant Team
Past Meeting Information
Check back here periodically for presentations, videos, and other information from the many community and stakeholder engagement opportunities we will be holding as CHEERS progresses.
March 12, 2026 Stakeholder Meeting #10
2026-3-12 Stakeholder Meeting #10 Presentation
December 11, 2025 Stakeholder Meeting #9
2025-12-11 Stakeholder Meeting #9 Presentation
2025-12-11 Stakeholder Meeting #9 Recording
September 11, 2025 Stakeholder Meeting #8
2025-9-11 Stakeholder Meeting #8 Presentation
Click here for Older Meeting Info