Cleveland Heights council approves funding to fix historic Cumberland Pool

Mayor plans to seek state capital budget funding to address pool's leaks and environmental issues

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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Cleveland Heights City Council passed a resolution authorizing Mayor Jim Petras to pursue state and federal funding to replace the historic Cumberland Pool, which has reached the end of its useful life. The pool has been plaguing the city with leaks, and samples indicate the chlorinated water has been leaching into a nearby brook, leading the county to warn the city that the pool is polluting the local watershed. Along with lobbying and grant-writing efforts, the city will also explore regional cost-sharing partnerships and intergovernmental collaborations to address the pool's issues.

Why it matters

Cumberland Pool is a local landmark in Cleveland Heights, having been built in 1927. The city is facing a difficult decision on whether to invest in repairing the aging pool or replace it entirely, as the environmental issues and ongoing maintenance challenges have become unsustainable. The outcome of the city's funding efforts will impact the future of this historic community asset.

The details

The city council passed a resolution authorizing Mayor Petras to pursue all available funding sources to offset the local costs of replacing the Cumberland Pool. Petras plans to meet with state representatives and lobbyists to request capital budget funding from the state. The city will also explore regional partnerships and intergovernmental collaborations to help finance the project. In addition to the pool's structural issues, samples have shown that chlorinated pool water has been leaching into the nearby Dugway Brook, leading the county to warn the city that the pool is polluting the local watershed.

  • Mayor Petras planned to head to Columbus this week to seek state capital budget funding.
  • Requests for state capital budget funding were due by Thursday, March 12.

The players

Jim Petras

The mayor of Cleveland Heights who is leading the effort to secure funding to replace the historic Cumberland Pool.

Tony Cuda

The president of the Cleveland Heights City Council.

Juanita Brent

The state representative whose district includes Cleveland Heights, and whom Mayor Petras has met with four times regarding the Cumberland Pool project.

Andres Gonzalez

The Cleveland Heights parks and recreation director.

Eric Zamft

The Cleveland Heights planning and development director who worked with Councilman DeWitt-Foy on a Safe Routes to School grant application.

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What they’re saying

“We're trying to get a capital stack together.”

— Tony Cuda, Council President (cleveland.com)

“We're at a point where the county has told us that Cumberland is polluting the local watershed.”

— Jim Petras, Mayor (cleveland.com)

“We think it's important to signal support through a City Council resolution.”

— Jim Petras, Mayor (cleveland.com)

What’s next

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The takeaway

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