Friends of the Bradford Cinder Path
The Bradford Cinder Path is a paved pedestrian path that extends across four blocks from South Taylor Road to Canterbury Road. It is essentially an interruption of Bradford Road, which extends from Lee Road in Cleveland Heights to Edgerton Road in University Heights, Ohio. A history of the path is here.
WATCH a video about the history of the Bradford Cinder Path here.
Friends of the Bradford Cinder Path are residents collaborating with the city of Cleveland Heights and neighbors to improve the habitat and pedestrian experience of this unique well-traveled path with the following steps:
Invite the property owners adjacent to the path and other neighbors to join us in improving the Cinder Path. We are sensitive to the immediate neighbors’ privacy and would like to preserve and improve it. At least two of these neighbors regularly mow the city property adjacent to their own!
Replace the invasive vegetation with native species.
Partner with city staff concerning the long-term maintenance of the magnificent shade trees and other plants, and install additional native trees where appropriate. A red oak on the north side of the path near Canterbury Road is estimated at over 230 years old!
Want to be involved? Email us at friends.bradford.cinder.path@gmail.com.
HISTORY
This ⅓ mile portion of Bradford Road, built by the WPA in 1935, was preserved as a safe pedestrian path for children walking to Canterbury School. Fourteen stone columns mark the ends of each of the four blocks of the path. In 2020 the columns were restored.
The path is the property of the City of Cleveland Heights, and the grass is mowed by the city. However, shrubby invasive plant species have taken over. These include European buckthorn, Japanese honeysuckle, privet and thistle. Friends of the Bradford Cinder Path began replacing them in Spring 2020 with beautiful, resilient, and beneficial natives to improve habitat for wildlife and beautify the path for passers-by.
Ongoing picture albums of the 4-block path, east to west:
