The Akron Cleveland Association of Realtors® (ACAR) is pleased to announce the three recipients of the 2025 placemaking award. The placemaking grant allows ACAR to partner with community organizations in our footprint (Cuyahoga, Portage, and Summit County) to plan, implement, and maintain lighter, quicker, and cheaper placemaking projects in their communities.
ACAR has awarded a $5,000 placemaking grant to help transform and update a community amenity in the West Park Kamm’s neighborhood of Cleveland into a vibrant and welcoming entrance to the historic business district on the corner of Loraine Avenue and Rocky River Drive.
Funds from this grant will be used to install wayfinding signage. ACAR will parent with the project lead, West Park Kamm’s Neighborhood Development, which will oversee the improvements and maintenance moving forward. Volunteer and other forms of support come from various entities such as the City of Cleveland, Greater Cleveland RTA, Ward 17 Council Office, West Park Barber School, Paver Brothers LLC, and Cleveland Neighborhood Progress.
A second $5,000 grant will help transform and update Water’s Park, in the North Hill neighborhood in Akron, turning this park into a vibrant and welcoming public destination for the community to use and enjoy.
Funds will be used to add a Street Soccer Court to the preexisting amenities the park offers. Work will include adding additional seating to the park, maintenance of preexisting features (amphitheater, pickleball courts, and shuffleboard). ACAR will partner with the project lead, North Hill Community Development Corporation, which will oversee the maintenance and improvements moving forward. Volunteer and other forms of support come from organizations such as the Akron Inner City Soccer, Akron City Football Club, the International Institute of Akron, ASIA Inc., North High School, Afro United, Akron United Football Club, Akron Parks Collaborative, and the City of Akron.
Nationwide, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) offers Placemaking grants to various state and local REALTOR® associations to support the creation of outdoor public gathering places such as community gardens, dog parks, and playgrounds. For 2025, ACAR secured a $7,500 grant from NAR to help fund updates to Township Park in Ravenna, Ohio.
Funding will support the addition of solar lighting, a pergola, seating, and landscaping features. Updating this historic park, which was originally established in the 1800’s, will help turn this park into a public destination where the community can gather and enjoy the outdoors, while also offering a beautiful welcome to Downtown Ravenna. ACAR will partner with the project lead, Main Street Ravenna, on this project, who will oversee the maintenance and improvements of the park moving forward. Volunteer and other forms of support come from members of the community, the City of Ravenna and Ravenna Township, and the Portage County Regional Planning Department.
To learn more about ACAR’s Placemaking program, contact Alex Tomkinson at atomkinson@akronclevelandrealtors.org, or visit www.akronclevelandrealtors.com.
