I am so impressed with what the city did to finally revitalize this park. All 4 squares have become one square, with all four roads blocked and pedestrianized.
Once run down and a place in need of TLC, it is now bright, airy, safer, and best of all functional. I took my family there on a Saturday morning to see folks having picnics at the grass, kids playing in the fountain, and visitors from out of state entering the newly refurbished ships and sailors monument -- a historic treasure. I saw three Lolly the Trolley tour buses zip buy and packed with passengers.
In Europe, they do it right with revitalizing medieval areas and effectively utilizing town squares as spaces where people can gather and interact with the city and other people. Cleveland is on the rise by doing things right towards this same trend --- and continuing on at the nearby start of the Euclid corridor with an explosion of restaurants, vintage malls like the Arcade and 5th finding new life.
I moved to Cleveland in 2004. Downtown was dead on the weekends then. On this sunny Saturday, there were tons of people, some palpable joy in the air, and a festive atmosphere. It's finally happening. Reach for the stars Cleveland!