Officer Derek Owens Memorial Park

Patrol Officer Derek Owens served with the Cleveland Division of Police for 10 years and was assigned to the 4th District Police Department.  On February 29, 2008, Patrol Officer Derek Owens was shot in the line of duty while investigating complaints affecting neighborhood quality of life issues such as loitering, illicit alcohol and drug consumption and sales on vacant properties in his patrol area.  He died of injuries the next day, on March 1, 2008.  Police officers and citizens from the 4th District neighborhood, in partnership with the Saint Luke’s Foundation, Buckeye Shaker Square Development Corporation, Councilman Kenneth Johnson and others, plan to honor Patrol Officer Derek Owens’ memory with the creation of the Derek Owens Memorial Park.  The park will be created on the three lots that comprise the site where Patrol Officer Derek Owens was shot.  The park will benefit the community by providing a safe play space for kids and adding to the community green space.  It will also include a reading/gathering area, labyrinth, and beautiful plantings.  It will serve as a living testament to Patrol Officer Derek Owens’ life and lasting legacy.

We've already secured the three vacant lots on Parkview Avenue

Fundraise in the summer of 2018

Breakground in the Fall of 2018

Additional build out in the spring of 2019

Community celebration/ribbon cutting in the summer of 2019

We're creating an inclusive park in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood which serves as a playspace and safe area for local kids, a communitty greenspace for neighbors to come together, and a living testament to Officer Owens’ life and lasting legacy. 

About Officer Derek Owens: - People person - Compassionate - Impact on young people - Always had a smile, “a jokester” - “Green thumb” - A family man - A legend

Goals - Multi-purpose - Active, playful place - Passive, reflective spaces - Literary connections - As maintenance-free as possible - Durable, sustainable materials - Edges, fencing