SOLON, OH (March 3, 2026)—The Open Space Institute (OSI), West Creek Conservancy, the City of Solon, and the City of Aurora are celebrating the purchase of more than seven miles of unused rail corridor that stretches across Cuyahoga, Portage, and Geauga Counties. The acquisition sets the stage to create the Headwaters Connector Greenway: a multi-use, universally accessible greenway corridor connected to a growing network of greenways in the region. (Project map and photo available here.)
The purchase of the corridor is the latest win in the City of Solon’s long-term goal of developing a world-class outdoor amenity that connects Cleveland Metroparks’ Emerald Necklace to the city’s eastern suburbs and beyond. When complete, the Headwaters Connector Greenway will deliver significant environmental, transportation, and health benefits to surrounding communities.
“The Headwaters Connector Greenway is an exciting chance to provide local communities with a new, welcoming place to connect to nature and each other. After years of hard work and leading strategic collaborations between multiple governmental and nonprofit organizations, OSI is so proud of the role we played to make this project a reality,” said Erik Kulleseid, OSI’s president and CEO.
The project had long been a regional priority for local stakeholders and the City of Solon, but navigating the complexities of rail line acquisition made moving forward a challenge. OSI advanced the project from aspiration to reality by leveraging more than five decades of land transaction expertise and its deep skill set in acquiring rail lines. Once engaged in the project, OSI negotiated a successful purchase-and-sale agreement, completed the required due diligence, and ultimately ensured the corridor’s protection. OSI’s work to protect the corridor was generously supported by the Thomas L. Kempner Jr. Foundation.
“The Headwaters Connector Greenway represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity that will enhance our community’s health, connectivity, and economic vitality,” said Solon Mayor Edward Kraus. “The City of Solon is proud to be a key partner in transforming this former rail corridor into a vibrant greenway.”
The City of Solon is currently in discussions with project partners and regional stakeholders regarding the planning and development of future trail improvements now that the acquisition is complete.
The City of Solon requested the assistance of West Creek Conservancy, which provided local, technical expertise and experience in similar acquisitions. West Creek works as a catalyst for communities and partners, operating with the flexibility required to achieve project success in support of the goals of its partners.
“West Creek is extremely grateful for the opportunity to assist with this critical greenway connector,” said Joe Leslie, director of real estate for West Creek Conservancy. “Conservation of the corridor preserves wildlife habitat and provides many ecological benefits, while ensuring future accessibility to the public as a recreational greenway. This is a great example of what can be accomplished through collaboration and partnerships that come together for the benefit of the region.” West Creek will work with the City of Solon and City of Aurora to provide invasive species treatment, reforestation, and future public access infrastructure improvements, linking the greenway to a multi-county, multi-state trail network.
While the property is currently closed to the public for safety reasons, the completed Headwaters Connector Greenway will provide new recreational opportunities for walkers, cyclists, birders, and other nature lovers. The project will ease traffic congestion, create new off-road travel options for workers and residents, and strengthen connections between communities. It also offers the potential to boost economic activity for surrounding communities through place-based tourism. Finally, protecting the parcel preserves the land’s natural ability to filter and recharge water as it flows toward the Ohio and Cuyahoga Rivers. These efforts also reduce stormwater runoff in nearby towns and help safeguard clean drinking water for countless communities.
“Aurora is pleased to collaborate on such a regionally significant project,” said Aurora Mayor Ann Womer Benjamin. “We opened another piece of the trail corridor in June of 2025, the first leg of the Aurora Trail, and will continue to work to complete the connection to the Headwaters Connector Greenway corridor.”
The Headwaters Connector Greenway will serve as a critical link between Cleveland Metroparks’ Emerald Necklace and one of the largest shared-use trail systems under development in North America: the Industrial Heartland Trail Network (IHTN). The 1,500-mile IHTN traverses multiple states in the Northeast and will eventually link Cleveland to cities including Buffalo and Pittsburgh.
The unused rail corridor acquisition is the final step in advancing the Headwaters Connector Greenway. In March of 2025, OSI successfully negotiated the agreement with Norfolk Southern Railway Company to acquire the 87-acre rail corridor for $8.7M, an early win that prevented the corridor from being subdivided and enabled the subsequent acquisition. Multiple partners and stakeholders successfully fundraised to conserve the corridor, including the City of Solon, which contributed $6 million, and the City of Aurora, which contributed $670,000.
West Creek Conservancy was awarded a $2.53 million Clean Ohio grant in August 2025. The Clean Ohio grant was instrumental in securing the remaining funds needed for the Headwaters Connector Greenway.
The Norfolk Southern Railway Company has received federal approval to abandon the rail corridor, a necessary and critical step in transforming the newly protected property into the Headwaters Connector Greenway.