Link to plan, text-only version (maps below) / Link to complete plan with maps

The Horseshoe Lake Park Master Plan preserves the natural character and open space of the park while making much needed improvements in the more active areas. These improvements include:

• Making repairs,
• Providing activities appropriate for families,
• Preserving the park's historic character.

The active areas will remain centered around the current developed areas, while the rest of the park will remain natural.

The 2005 Horseshoe Lake Park Master Plan revitalizes and restores one of the City's most vibrant and beautiful resources so that even more people will be able to use and appreciate it.

EXISTING PARK SITE ANALYSIS

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The Process

The Horseshoe Lake Park Master Plan was formulated over a two-year period and presented to the City Planning Commission and City Council in March 2005. The plan is based on significant input from Shaker Heights residents and park users obtained through a number of public meetings. A green space forum was held in April 2003 and two public meetings were held in May 2003 and November 2004. More meetings were held in 2004 and 2005 as part of the Recreation and Leisure Assessment process, including task force meetings, focus group meetings and three large public meetings. In total, hundreds of residents attended these meetings. In addition, prior to plan adoption, Shaker Life featured an article about the plan that included full-color plan maps.

Plan Elements

The Horseshoe Lake Park Master Plan is divided into three elements: the currently developed, multi-use areas; the trail network; and the natural areas.

Multi Use Areas

Horseshoe Lake has been a multi-use park for decades. It is now deteriorating and must be upgraded. Most of the City's plans for the park improve these areas and facilities, including park access, parking areas, picnic facilities, gathering spaces, and play areas.

The picnic pavilion is deteriorating and the roof is in disrepair. The plan proposes to replace this single large structure (accommodating approximately 150 people) with:

1. two small structures for up to 10 people each;
2. one structure for up to 25 people; and
3. one structure for up to 75 people.

Intact elements of the historic structure, such as the stone chimney, would be preserved and reused.

The existing active play area facilities (volleyball courts, horseshoe pits and children's playground equipment) are nearing the end of their useful life and would be removed. These facilities would be replaced with a hands-on, natural play area where children could play in the dirt, run around the bushes and use natural materials for creative play.

PROPOSED MULTI-USE AREAS   

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Trails

There is a paved bike/hike path on the west and north sides of the park, as well as a network of dirt trails created by park users trying to reach areas (such as the water) the paved trails do not go. The dirt trails tend to have poor drainage or to slope steeply, resulting in wet and eroded trails harmful to tree root systems and contributing sediment to the lake.

• The plan extends the existing paved trail around the park on the east and south sides, mostly replacing the dirt paths. The path would be designed to safely accommodate walkers, joggers and bicyclists. Motorized vehicles would not be permitted. These paved, all-purpose trails will connect the park to the rest of the City.
• A short length of elevated boardwalk, similar to the one at the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, is proposed to replace dirt paths that currently wind through the wetlands near the southeast corner of the park. The boardwalk would bring people close to the wetland areas, but also lift them away from it, providing greater protection to the habitat and avoiding disturbance of the plants and wildlife.

PROPOSED PARK TRAILS

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Natural Areas

All of the natural areas within Horseshoe Lake Park will remain natural.

• There are a few places where the plan calls for selective thinning of vegetation. This involves selectively removing non-native, invasive species to protect existing native plants. An expert will be retained to identify and tag the invasive plants to be removed - no brush hogging or wholesale clearance practices will be utilized. This selective clearing will also open up views and allow park users to actually see and enjoy the lake.
• In some instances, existing dirt trails will be removed; these areas will be re-vegetated with new plants.

Implementation

Implementation of various plan elements is dependent on the availability of funding, and will be phased over time. At the public meetings held to develop the program for the park, several priorities emerged for the most immediate implementation, primarily small changes that make a big difference. Implementation at this time is focused on just a few items, including:

• Painting the existing restroom building to blend in better with the natural surroundings.
• Selective clearing of invasive, non-native plant species and overgrown areas along paths and the lake edge.
• Removal of unsightly and possibly unsafe structures.
• Replacement of existing dirt trails with a paved, handicapped-accessible trail.
• Replacement of the existing picnic shelter currently in disrepair.

The City has pending grant applications for funding the final design and construction of the proposed park trails only.