Today’s Canal Basin Park, at the northern terminus of the Towpath Trail, is where the historic Ohio & Erie Canal basin once met the Cuyahoga River.

The corner of West Street and Columbus Road on the East Bank of The Flats is where the transfer of goods between the canal and the river for transport to New York City and other locations happened. 

Kelle's Scwab's mural at Canal Basin ParkToday, it is the site of artist Kelle Schwab’s vibrant new 4,000-square-foot mural that tells the story of Cleveland's evolution from industrial hub to recreational destination.

“Canal Basin Park’s Towpath Trail Mural” sits under a bridge at Canal Basin Park, is approximately 81 feet wide by 27 feet high, and moves from the early days of transportation on the Canal to the modern-day landscape.

"It's blending the history of the Towpath with modern day Cleveland," explains Schwab, who says the project gave her historic insight into a trail she's hiked for decades. "I've been hiking it half of my life and I didn't really understand the history. It was really cool to learn about that."

"This art installation helps us illustrate why Canal Basin Park is such an important place in the City of Cleveland's history," says Mera Cardenas, executive director of Canalway and co-executive director of the Ohio & Erie Canalway Association. "The mural tells the story of Canal Basin Park as the location where canal boats brought goods and people into our city, and even into our state, for the first time."

Canalway is a nonprofit organization with a mission to preserve the natural and cultural experiences of the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area through its programs.

On June 27, Canalway celebrated the “Canal Basin Park’s Towpath Trail Mural” before hosting a walking tour of Canal Basin ParkThe mural's completion was celebrated with a public gathering on Friday, June 27, featuring summer snacks, community portraits, children's activities, and a Canal Basin Park Walking Tour as part of Cleveland History Days.

After spending time at Canal Basin Park, and adding to its beauty, Schwab says she envisions the space becoming a vibrant community gathering spot. "I could see farmer's markets or people even having weddings down there or parties with DJs,” she says. “It's just a beautiful area with all those bridges and the water.”

Known for her colorful, narrative-based work, Schwab was selected from a pool of 70 artists who submitted proposals. The project was a collaboration between Canalway, Firewatch Design Studio, and the City of Cleveland.

The Canal Basin Park mural begins with sepia-toned scenes of canal boats—both passenger and supply vessels—being pulled by mules along the historic waterway.

While the mural incorporates historical elements through sepia tones, Schwab adapted her technique to capture the historical time period. "When a space is a little darker, I brighten up the colors," she explains. "It's a very bright sepia tone."

From Schwab’s historic antiqued scenes, the mural bursts into color, featuring Cleveland's modern skyline and the words "Towpath Trail." The final section looks toward the future with energetic splashes of color depicting modern-day trail users.

“Canal Basin Park’s Towpath Trail Mural” progresses from sepia tones in historic days to vibrant colors. to depict the future."It moves over to kind of an energetic future feeling for the towpath, which is just bright bursts of color and people running and biking along it," Schwab says.

Additionally, Schwab used the natural light and shadows of the sun to give the effects she wanted—offering viewers a special treat during golden hour.

"When the sun is setting, it hits the left side of the mural where it's all those sepia and orange tones and the mural just glows,” she observes. “It's by far the best time to go see the mural."

The mural installation is part of the first phase of improvements planned for Canal Basin Park. Future projects include a Cuyahoga River-themed playground, an accessible riverfront boardwalk, and an ecological interpretation of the historic Canal Basin featuring a stormwater filtration system.

Schwab, who lived in Lakewood and Tremont for about 20 years before recently moving to Strongsville, says the project aligned perfectly with her artistic approach.

"I really like weaving narrative, storytelling—maybe history and culture—into my murals,” she says. “I love the storytelling of it. I love nature-based stuff, so this fits right in with what I do."

The mural joins Schwab's growing portfolio of Cleveland-area work, which includes pieces at Progressive Field, SouthPark Mall, Little Italy, Oliva Restaurant downtown, and in Slavic Village.

Schwab says the “Canal Basin Park’s Towpath Trail Mural” serves as both a celebration of Cleveland's past and an invitation to experience the Towpath Trail as a living connection between nature, city, and community.

She says working in the Flats wasn’t a bad gig either "It's such a cool area," she says. "It was so fun to hang out down there and work on the mural and seeing all the different people who use the Towpath Trail—people roller skating, people skating, people riding bikes, and all kinds of bikes.”