Willowick council approves 20-year lease with Lake Metroparks to upgrade Lakefront Park

Willowick City Council on Monday approved Resolution 2025-8 authorizing the mayor to enter a long-term lease with Lake Metroparks to develop and improve city-owned Lakefront Park.

The council vote authorizes the parks district to construct a reservable timber-frame picnic shelter, a flush restroom, a renovated concert deck at the lodge, paved walking-path improvements and other passive-recreation features on city land through 2045. The council also approved the city’s plan to construct a new paved parking area estimated at roughly 77 additional spaces to support the park improvements.

Why it matters: the lease moves a long-discussed waterfront plan into implementation, shifting construction and ongoing maintenance responsibilities for the new amenities to Lake Metroparks while keeping the park in public recreation use. Council members and residents debated shelter placement, parking capacity and public input before the vote.

Council President Morrison opened discussion by noting the partnership history with Metroparks and the opportunity the new parking will create to expand park access. Mayor (name not specified) told the council the project “will give our residents more opportunity to enjoy our…