Table of contents
ShareOur Mission: Restore & Preserve
The mission of the Friends of Doan Brook Gorge is to restore and preserve native plants and wildlife along the Doan Brook between Coventry Road and
University Circle (aka the “Doan Brook Gorge”).
Engaging our Community
In addition to maintaining and improving the ecology of the Gorge, we aim to involve, inspire, and enhance the lives of residents who live and work near the Doan Brook. This is because we know that proximity and access to nature are correlated with increased health and happiness.
Volunteer Workdays
We involve the community in our work on scheduled workdays from spring through fall, where we:
- Remove invasive species
- Plant native species of trees, shrubs, small plants and groundcover
- Create and maintain native plant pollinator gardens and flower beds
- Remove trash and debris from these natural areas
To volunteer at community workdays, click here to view our events and upcoming FDBG activities!
In addition to community workdays, a small group of volunteers works regularly to further our efforts on weekdays. If you are interested in learning more about how to get involved in these, contact info@DBWP.org.
What Else Does FDBG Do?
- Raises funds through grants and individuals to support our work
- Collaborates with local nonprofits, governments, and regulatory agencies to promote ecological sustainability
- Participates in meetings held by partnering stakeholders
The Story of Doan Brook Gorge
The area along Doan Brook between Coventry Rd. and the culvert near Ambleside Drive, which takes the water underneath much of University Circle, is commonly known as the Gorge. This includes the area west of MLK Jr. Drive to the culvert, which is also called Ambler Park.
The Gorge has a rich and interesting history, from its
original pristine natural condition, to its time as a manicured park, all the way to its current state, somewhere in between.
Some of that History, Going Way Back…
20,000 Years Ago!
The Gorge was initially carved by a glacial advance more than 20,000 years ago. This glacial activity created two Bluestone Shale terraces (“Turkey Ridge” to the north and “Maple Ridge” to the south). The gorge, or ravine, emerged as the Doan Brook continued to carve between the two terraces as it flowed toward Lake Erie.
The 19th Century
More recently, in the 1830’s, the Shaker religious community built a grist mill on the north bank of the brook, near what is now Roxboro Rd. and North Park Blvd. The mill was eventually abandoned in the 1890’s. During this time the Shakers quarried stone from the Gorge, as did others.
In the 1870’s, a dentist named Nathan Ambler bought land on both sides of the Gorge, and built a home on Maple Ridge, near what is now the Baldwin water treatment plant, that he called Vinecliff. In the 1890’s he developed land on Turkey Ridge (which became the Ambler Heights/Chestnut Hill neighborhood) and donated 25 acres to the city of Cleveland (which became known as Ambler Park).
In the 1880’s, J.D. Rockefeller bought 276 acres in the Gorge and elsewhere along Doan Brook. Trees were felled and parks were created, but unable to develop the land further, he donated it to the city of Cleveland in 1896.
The 20th Century
From 1912-1925, the Baldwin water treatment plant was built at the summit of Fairhill Rd. on the Maple Ridge terrace. In 1915 a temporary railroad was built from the Baldwin site to dispose of construction rubble in the Gorge (near the current Roxboro school campus).
From 1929-1933 the Fairhill Village homes (aka “Belgian Village”) were built at Fairhill Rd. and E. 124th St., overlooking the Gorge. Another home as added in 1971.
In the 1930’s and early 1940’s, work was done to create trails, stone stairs, walls and other features within the Gorge. It’s unclear who was responsible for the work, but it created a parklike setting that was enjoyed by nearby residents for decades.
However, between the 1950’s and early 2000’s, little attention was paid to the Gorge, allowing nature (including invasive plant species) to take over. Informal trails persisted, in some parts utilizing the original stone stairs and pathways, but much of the “park” became overgrown and seemed forbidding to all but the hardiest of hikers and mountain bikers.
The 21st Century
In 2002, the Doan Brook Watershed Partnership was created to coordinate restoration and maintenance of the broader watershed that includes the Gorge.
In 2016 the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District developed a storm water retention basin and native plant “bioswale” at the corner of Fairhill Rd. and MLK Jr. Dr. – uphill from the Gorge and near the trailhead above the MLK culvert. This work may be seen as the start of a beautification of the Gorge environs.
Formation of the Friends Group
In 2021, a group of individuals with a common love of the Gorge, along with concern about its condition, came together to form the Friends of Doan Brook Gorge. They borrowed philosophies and methods from a related group, Friends of Lower Lake, with the goal of improving the ecology and accessibility of this area just downstream from the similar work being done around Lower Lake.
What We’re Doing
Since 2021, the friends group has been systematically restoring section after section of the Gorge, by removing invasive species and planting native trees and shrubs, while opening up trail entrances and making them more inviting. The work has been supported in part by generous donations and funding from groups such as Holden Forest and Garden, the Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District, the Lake Erie Allegheny Partnership, and the Dominion/Embridge Energy Watershed Grant Program. This work will continue in 2026.
So far, more than 350 native trees and shrubs have been planted in and above the Gorge, along with many native pollinator plants in sculpted gardens and beds along Farhill Rd. Specific attention has been paid to making the natural areas aesthetically pleasing and accessible to the residents in adjacent neighborhoods. We hope our neighbors will enjoy and interact with the rejuvenated natural areas to enhance their quality of life, and we welcome them to help us with our work.
We are all volunteers. Join us!
For information about volunteering, please email info@DBWP.org
Explore the 2025 Annual Report
A youth volunteer and leadership program where everyone belongs.
Interactive watershed lessons designed to build awareness, inspire action, and connect students with the brook.
Celebrate a Cleveland tradition with fishing activities for all ages. Learn, connect, and enjoy the beauty of the Doan Brook.