Cleveland city leaders, business owners discuss changes to Downtown parking

Cleveland extends paid street parking hours and increases rates, city leaders discuss On January 1, the city of Cleveland implemented new rules for street parking Downtown and in Ohio City. Paid parking hours now run from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Formerly, street parking was free after 6 p.m. on weekdays and always free on weekends. Ohio City will follow the same schedule, though Sundays will remain free. The changes include higher standard rates, with additional increases possible in special event zones. City officials say the goal is to improve turnover and availability in high-demand areas. Some residents and business owners, however, have raised concerns about the added cost for evenings and weekends. The changes come as downtown activity continues to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Downtown Cleveland Inc., foot traffic and visitor activity reached more than 90% of pre-pandemic levels in 2023. And while leisure travel has largely returned, business travel is gaining momentum too— up 7% last year and bringing nearly $200 million in revenue to Cuyahoga County. Wednesday on the "Sound of Ideas," we'll discuss how will these changes shape daily life downtown, and what might they mean for Cleveland's future economic development. Guests:- Matthew Moss, Senior Strategist, Thriving Communities, City of Cleveland- Lucas Reeve, Senior Advisor, City of Cleveland- Sam McNulty, Co-Founder & Owner, Market Garden Brewery Speaker revisits site of historic 1854 Frederick Douglass address Later in the hour, we will talk about a historic speech delivered by abolitionist Frederick Douglass at Western Reserve Academy in Hudson. Douglass' great-great-great-grandson Kenneth Morris Jr. will be at Western Reserve Academy on Jan. 23 as the capstone for the school’s weeklong observance of the life and legacy of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Morris will be in the same space that Douglass delivered his historic commencement address in 1854 when the site was known as Western Reserve College. In the speech, Douglass debunked the faulty science that underpinned pro-slavery arguments. The commencement address was the subject of an award-winning documentary, “Just and Perfect” produced by Western Reserve Academy and featured present-day students reciting portions of the speech. We will talk to the film's writer and producer about the film and the speech. Guests:-CeCe Payne, Writer and Producer, “Just and Perfect,” Bicentennial Special Projects Manager, Western Reserve Academy-Iiyannaa Graham-Siphanoum, Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, Western Reserve Academy