Leading with Collaboration

Akron’s civic commons 2022 in pictures

Kick off your new year with inspiration from a dozen cities transforming civic assets to deliver more engaged, equitable and economically and environmentally resilient communities. Today, the second in our series of photo essays reflecting on the past year of progress features the civic commons work in Akron.

Participants from across the Civic Commons Learning Network explored Lock 3 Park and heard from Summit Lake residents, who in October 2022 broke ground on the Ohio & Erie Canal Summit Lake Trail. Images courtesy of the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition. Images credit: Tim Fitzwater and Talia Hodge.

Residents: The pulse of the project

In June, visitors from the twelve cities in the Reimagining the Civic Commons network came to Akron to learn more about how the city has advanced its civic commons in the six years as a demonstration city. During the Learning Journey, the group visited Lock 3 Park, which will soon be renovated, Ohio & Erie Canal Park, and Summit Lake. At Summit Lake, they heard from resident leaders Grace Hudson, Sandy Saulsberry, and Marcus Saulsberry, who shared about their experience with Akron Civic Commons and what this work means to them. In October, these residents, along with other residents and community leaders, broke ground on the long-awaited Ohio & Erie Canal Summit Lake Trail!

From yoga and roller skating at Cascade Plaza to sand volleyball, there was plenty of fun along the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail in 2022. Images credit: Talia Hodge, Tim Fitzwater, Downtown Akron Partnership.

Creating places to play

Along the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail, residents and visitors can find many places to relax, let loose, and have some fun! On Cascade Plaza in downtown Akron, Downtown Akron Partnership offered a variety of programming in 2022, including yoga, roller skating, line dancing, and so much more. Heading south along the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail, Akronites enjoy a game of sand volleyball at Canal Courts, hosted by Summit Sports & Social.

Youth ambassadors cared for Summit Lake last summer, and volunteers from Dominion Energy hosted a clean-up at Ohio & Erie Canal Park. The Summit Lake Farmer’s Market returned for another year. Images courtesy of the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition. Image credit: Tim Fitzwater.

Caring for the community

In Akron, caring for others and the community is a value that is instilled at a young age. During the summer, 11 youth ambassadors, all residents, enhanced the space around Summit Lake and made it a beautiful recreational place in Akron by building benches, mulching, picking up litter, landscaping, painting picnic tables and flower beds, and more.

In addition to these youth ambassadors, many local corporations showed their support for the Akron Civic Commons spaces through volunteering and stewardship, such as Dominion Energy. This past summer, volunteers from Dominion Energy spent a day mulching, painting, and cleaning up litter in Ohio & Erie Canal Park by Williams Tower.

Additionally, the Summit Lake Farmer’s Market hosted by Let’s Grow Akron has become a staple for the community. This farmer’s market gives residents access to affordable, healthy fresh food while giving many of them the opportunity to become entrepreneurs and find another avenue to support their families.

From holiday and cultural celebrations hosted by Downtown Akron Partnership, to Juneteenth at Summit Lake and seasonal festivities at Ohio & Erie Canal Park, Akronites had many opportunities to spread joy. Images credit: Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition, Talia Hodge, Tim Fitzwater, Downtown Akron Partnership, Ashton Blake.

Celebrations abound in Akron Civic Commons

Throughout the year, Akronites found many occasions to celebrate. Throughout the Akron Civic Commons footprint, there was a wide variety of diverse and multicultural celebrations. Downtown Akron Partnership hosted festivities for many holidays, including the Chinese Lunar New Year, a Japanese Cherry Blossom Celebration, and Indian Diwali, the festival of lights.

At Summit Lake, Juneteenth was celebrated with a festival that consisted of vendors, food, and speeches from Kwame Williams, facilitator emeritus of Alchemy Inc., and Dr. Philathia Bolton, associate professor at the University of Akron who teaches African American literature and culture.

Ohio & Erie Canal Park celebrated the spring and fall seasons with two themed festivals this year. The Ohio & Erie Canal Park Family Fall Festival invited residents to take photos with a fall-themed photo station, create fall-themed crafts and wear their favorite Halloween costumes.

Dance and music filled Cascade Plaza, Ohio & Erie Canal Park and the Kenmore neighborhood this year. Images credit: Dale Dong, Talia Hodge, Tim Fitzwater.

Moved by music

Akron boasts a large and thriving local music scene that also hosts traveling performers and organizations. In June, NCCAkron worked with Downtown Akron Partnership to host Dance Church, a movement class led by Los Angeles and Seattle-based choreographer Kate Wallich, in Cascade Plaza. Dance Church is a fun and inclusive approach to dancing, and is designed for people of all shapes and sizes, backgrounds, and identities.

Residents and visitors were also able to see live music performances from touring musicians nearly every week at Callis Tower in Ohio & Erie Canal Park. This weekly concert series is organized by Alpha Phi Alpha Homes every summer. Additionally, in the Kenmore neighborhood of Akron, live music performances took place each month during Kenmore’s First Friday events. Here, residents and visitors could visit Kenmore’s wide array of local businesses and restaurants, while enjoying local food trucks and watch local musicians, like Akronauts (pictured) perform.

Reimagining the Civic Commons is a collaboration of The JPB Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, William Penn Foundation, and local partners.