Metroparks explores its options for safe swimming at Euclid Beach

Euclid Beach, just east of the pier on Friday, on November 14, 2014. The gaps between some of the individual break walls are supposed to be closed in time for swimming in June.

(James Ewinger, The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Metroparks commissioners approved a $569,000 project today that will give Euclid Beach a stable, safe swimming area by closing some of the gaps in the breakwall.

They also approved a $3.5 million project to expand the parks administration building by 11,000 square feet. That should be done within the next 12 months and is much less expensive than a complete tear-down, which would have cost more than $10 million.

Swimming conditions ignited controversy last year because the park system would not allow swimming without lifeguards, and then banned swimming completely because of the condition of the lake floor.

The initial phase will connect some of the breakwalls, regrade the beach, remove debris from the lake floor and "create a sustainable swimming area," according to Sean McDermott, the park system's chief planning and design officer.

The breakwalls were intended only to reduce beach erosion, but the gaped design had the unintended consequence of scouring the lake floor with cross currents that created unpredictable rises and drop-offs.

The first phase would close the gaps between three of the breakwalls in time to open the area for swimming seven days a week by some time in early or mid June.

A second component is to begin work on the repair of the crumbling pier that was once a prominent feature when Euclid Beach was a destination amusement park. It closed in 1969.

McDermott said he expects earth work to begin by the end of this year, with the restoration occurring in phases.

The park system also intends to extend the breakwall connection all the way down the beach, which faces six incremental break walls.

Some long-time residents have complained that people have long gone swimming and used the beach without lifeguards.

Drownings occur with regularity.

The Ohio lakefront has 83 public-access beaches, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources said. Swimming is allowed at 40, and only around 10 have lifeguards -- including three run by the Cleveland Metroparks.

All the lakefront work must be approved by three entities: The Army Corps of Engineers, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Ohio EPA.

McDermott said the upgrade of the administration building is long overdue.

It was built as the admin building for the zoo alone in 1963, when it was owned by the city. Since then, he said, it has been expanded piecemeal. At one point, some staff members were relegated to two nearby trailers, and others worked at other park properties.

The objective now is to consolidate all administrative functions in the completed building.