CLEAN-LAND, OHIO, formed in 1977 as the Rapid Recovery Program, is a nonprofit beautification program for the city of Cleveland, twice honored by Keep America Beautiful, Inc. Initiated by a coalition of corporations and private citizens, Rapid Recovery organized to enhance 32.6 mi. along the rapid-transit right-of-way. By 1984 volunteers had completed more than 107 projects costing about $2 million along this corridor. Contributions from corporations, groups, individuals, foundations, and a grant from the Ohio Office of Litter Control sponsor the project.
In 1981 the program expanded to include non-interstate HIGHWAYS, a different one each year. The program's name changed to CLEAN-LAND, OHIO, and the rapid-transit work became the Trackside Improvement Program. CLEAN-LAND has planted trees and gardens on Carnegie and Chester avenues, and 31 City Side Gardens by 1988, with the largest at CLEVELAND-HOPKINS INTL. AIRPORT. In 1983 the project received a Natl. Merit Award from Partners for Livable Places for its work along Chester and in HOUGH. The project has sponsored programs such as Litter Code Enforcement and Students Working Against Trash and an annual perennial planting hoped to total about 670,000 flowers by spring 1994. As part of Cleveland's Bicentennial celebrations, Clean-land joined with the CLEVELAND BICENTENNIAL COMMISSION in sponsoring the "Trees for Tomorrow" project, which hoped to plant 10,000 new trees around Greater Cleveland by July 1996.
In 1999 the organization changed its name to ParkWorks and began to direct its attention toward building playgrounds at elemetary schools and other programs that would enhance urban recreational opportunities.