The classification system is meant to provide guidelines about existing & future park and recreation facility typologies that Cleveland expects to build in the future to meet the needs of current and future residents.
Classifications help determine:
Classifications can help answer questions like:
Proposed Park & Recreation Center Classifications
Park Classifications
Regional parks are the largest parks, with many over twenty-five acres in size. These parks serve several adjoining neighborhoods, attracting residents from a relatively large area.
Typical Size
10+ Acres
Typical Visit Length
1-5 Hours
Access
Regional parks should be accessible by way of the city’s trail network, sidewalks, and major streets. Since they serve residents from longer distances, community parks should have onsite parking.
Typical Amenities
Intensive Use
Outdoor Event Space
Group Picnic Area
Restroom
Dog Park
Programmable Gathering
Park Shelter
Seating
Recreation
Outdoor Fitness/Exercise
Creative Play Attraction
Playground
Rectangular Field
Diamond Field
Basketball Court
Tennis/Pickleball Court
Volleyball Court
Water Play
Casual Use
Individual Picnic/Seating Area
Casual Use Space
Internal Walking Trail
Natural System
Stormwater Management
Natural Space
Community Garden
Unique Landscape Feature
Community parks are smaller in size than regional parks but still serve several adjoining neighborhoods, attracting residents from a larger area.
Typical Size
5-10 Acres
Typical Visit Length
1-3 Hours
Access
Community parks should be accessible by way of the city’s trail network, sidewalks, and major streets. Since they serve residents from longer distances, community parks can have on-site parking.
Typical Amenities
Intensive Use
Outdoor Event Space
Group Picnic Area
Restroom
Dog Park
Programmable Gathering
Park Shelter
Seating
Recreation
Outdoor Fitness/Exercise
Creative Play Attraction
Playground
Rectangular Field
Diamond Field
Basketball Court
Tennis/Pickleball Court
Volleyball Court
Water Play
Casual Use
Individual Picnic/Seating Area
Casual Use Space
Internal Walking Trail
Natural System
Stormwater Management
Natural Space
Community Garden
Unique Landscape Feature
Neighborhood parks serve the needs of residents within walking distance of their homes.
Typical Size
1-5 Acres
Typical Visit Length
1-2 Hours
Access
Neighborhood parks should be accessible by way of the city’s sidewalks and local streets. They should be easily accessible from the surrounding neighborhood with no physical barriers or busy streets restricting access. Neighborhood parks should have street parking nearby.
Typical Amenities
Intensive Use
Outdoor Event Space
Group Picnic Area
Restroom
Dog Park
Programmable Gathering
Park Shelter
Seating
Recreation
Outdoor Fitness/Exercise
Creative Play Attraction
Playground
Rectangular Field
Diamond Field
Basketball Court
Tennis/Pickleball Court
Volleyball Court
Water Play
Casual Use
Individual Picnic/Seating Area
Casual Use Space
Internal Walking Trail
Natural System
Stormwater Management
Natural Space
Community Garden
Unique Landscape Feature
Mini parks provide places for residents to enjoy a few minutes outside and are great ways to enhance access to walkable recreational amenities.
Typical Size
<1 Acre
Typical Visit Length
30 Minutes-1 Hour
Access
Mini parks should be accessible by way of the city’s sidewalks and local streets.
Typical Amenities
Intensive Use
Outdoor Event Space
Group Picnic Area
Restroom
Dog Park
Programmable Gathering
Park Shelter
Seating
Recreation
Outdoor Fitness/Exercise
Creative Play Attraction
Playground
Rectangular Field
Diamond Field
Basketball Court
Tennis/Pickleball Court
Volleyball Court
Water Play
Casual Use
Individual Picnic/Seating Area
Casual Use Space
Internal Walking Trail
Natural System
Stormwater Management
Natural Space
Community Garden
Unique Landscape Feature
Civic spaces are smaller spaces that provide outdoor recreation opportunities within higher density areas. They are centers of activity throughout the year.
Typical Size
<10 Acres
Typical Visit Length
30 Minutes-1 Hour
Access
Civic spaces should be accessible by way of the city’s sidewalks, trail network, and local streets. They should have multiple entrances to allow for permeability and clear access. On-street parking may be located nearby.
Typical Amenities
Intensive Use
Outdoor Event Space
Group Picnic Area
Restroom
Dog Park
Programmable Gathering
Park Shelter
Seating
Recreation
Outdoor Fitness/Exercise
Creative Play Attraction
Playground
Rectangular Field
Diamond Field
Basketball Court
Tennis/Pickleball Court
Volleyball Court
Water Play
Casual Use
Individual Picnic/Seating Area
Casual Use Space
Internal Walking Trail
Natural System
Stormwater Management
Natural Space
Community Garden
Unique Landscape Feature
Special facilities are unique outdoor spaces, usually oriented toward a single-purpose use. They can vary greatly in size, visit length, and access.
Typical Size
Varies
Typical Visit Length
Varies
Access
Varies
Typical Amenities
Intensive Use
Outdoor Event Space
Group Picnic Area
Restroom
Dog Park
Programmable Gathering
Park Shelter
Seating
Recreation
Outdoor Fitness/Exercise
Creative Play Attraction
Playground
Rectangular Field
Diamond Field
Basketball Court
Tennis/Pickleball Court
Volleyball Court
Water Play
Casual Use
Individual Picnic/Seating Area
Casual Use Space
Internal Walking Trail
Natural System
Stormwater Management
Natural Space
Community Garden
Unique Landscape Feature
Recreation Center Classifications
Neighborhood recreation centers serve the needs of residents within walking distance of their homes.
Typical Size
30,000-100,000 sq ft
Open Hours/Week
100+
Typical Hours of Operation
M-F 6a-10p, Sat 6a-8p
Typical Staffing
8-10 FTE + PTE + Seasonals
Typical Amenities
Support
Storage
Admin Office
Small Admin Office
Community
Childcare
Kitchen
Small Kitchen
Community Meeting Room
Program Room
Multiple Program Rooms
Study Room
Recreation
Gym
Game Room
Outside Play Space
Fitness Room
Multiple Fitness Rooms
Indoor/Outdoor Pool
Walking Track
Regional recreation centers are the largest centers offering many amenities and resources. These centers serve several adjoining neighborhoods, attracting residents from a relatively large area.
Typical Size
30,000-100,000 sq ft
Open Hours/Week
100+
Typical Hours of Operation
M-F 6a-10p, Sat 6a-8p
Typical Staffing
8-10 FTE + PTE + Seasonals
Typical Amenities
Support
Storage
Admin Office
Small Admin Office
Community
Childcare
Kitchen
Small Kitchen
Community Meeting Room
Program Room
Multiple Program Rooms
Study Room
Recreation
Gym
Game Room
Outside Play Space
Fitness Room
Multiple Fitness Rooms
Indoor/Outdoor Pool
Walking Track
Community recreation centers are smaller in size than regional recreation centers but still serve several adjoining neighborhoods, attracting residents from a larger area.
Typical Size
15,000-30,000 sq ft
Open Hours/Week
70-75
Typical Hours of Operation
M-F 6:30a-8p, Sat 9a-5p
Typical Staffing
4-5 FTE + PTE + Seasonals
Typical Amenities
Support
Storage
Admin Office
Small Admin Office
Community
Childcare
Kitchen
Small Kitchen
Community Meeting Room
Program Room
Multiple Program Rooms
Study Room
Recreation
Gym
Game Room
Outside Play Space
Fitness Room
Multiple Fitness Rooms
Indoor/Outdoor Pool
Walking Track
Special facilities are unique centers, usually oriented toward a single-purpose use. They can vary greatly in size, hours of operation, and staffing.
Typical Size
15,000-30,000 sq ft
Open Hours/Week
70-75
Typical Hours of Operation
M-F 6:30a-8p, Sat 9a-5p
Typical Staffing
4-5 FTE + PTE + Seasonals
Typical Amenities
Support
Storage
Admin Office
Small Admin Office
Community
Childcare
Kitchen
Small Kitchen
Community Meeting Room
Program Room
Multiple Program Rooms
Study Room
Recreation
Gym
Game Room
Outside Play Space
Fitness Room
Multiple Fitness Rooms
Indoor/Outdoor Pool
Walking Track