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Sweeping renovations of Lock 3 Park fuel downtown Akron’s revitalization

Published May 28, 2026
By
  • Kristine Gill
Knight Foundation
Lock 3 Park in downtown Akron. Photo credit: Daniel Ribar

Overview

Lock 3 lived many lives before it became a bustling public space and performance venue in the heart of downtown Akron. Once a working canal lock on the Ohio and Erie Canal, the site later became a lumber yard, then a toy factory that burned down in 1904, and eventually a parking lot for O’Neil’s Department Store. When city planners cleared the site to create the park, they unearthed clay marbles and toy remnants buried in the soil, traces of Akron’s industrial past.

When Lock 3 opened in 2003, it quickly became a community gathering place. In spring and summer, residents attended performances by local musicians on a makeshift stage. In winter, the space transformed into an ice rink for families.

But after two decades, the site had grown dated and fell out of use. The fenced-in mix of grass and pavement, with its temporary infrastructure and sparse landscaping, no longer reflected the role downtown public space could play in a city working to reinvent itself.

“A refrain I’ve learned in doing public space work is that just because a place is public does not mean that people feel invited,” said Kyle Kutuchief, Akron director for Knight Foundation.

So the city decided to reimagine Lock 3 entirely.

Following the post-pandemic restoration of the Akron Civic Theatre in 2021 and alongside plans for the nearby Polsky Building renovation and the Summit Lake NorthShore Park, city leaders and philanthropic funders, including Knight Foundation, developed a vision for a new and improved Lock 3.

“The community really wanted a park downtown –– not just an event, concert or festival venue,” said Dan Rice, former longtime president and CEO of the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition.

That vision led to a $17 million redevelopment designed to create a true civic center: a place residents would seek out whether or not an event was taking place.

Today, the redesigned park is bustling with activity, with expanded programming, significantly increased attendance and a more welcoming everyday presence. Weeknight concerts, Akron Pickle Fest, Juneteenth Freedom Day and Akron City Fest now activate the space, while winding walkways, landscaped gardens, improved accessibility and a world-class performance pavilion invite visitors to linger.

“Our hope is that by attracting people downtown, they see that Akron is alive, Akron is open and Akron is busy,” said Chris Griffith, downtown operations manager for the city.

  • Knight Foundation
    Lock 3 Park. Photo credit: Daniel Ribar
  • Knight Foundation
    Kimberly Beckett, President, Downtown Akron Partnership. Photo credit: Daniel Ribar
  • Knight Foundation
    Dan Rice, former President and CEO, Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition. Photo credit: Daniel Ribar

Rebuilding downtown Akron

Akron is one of many Midwestern cities grappling with the loss of its industrial base. Since 1960, the city has lost roughly a third of its population and has worked to redefine its economic future.

Creating a vibrant, welcoming downtown has become a key part of that effort and a core focus of Knight Foundation’s work in Akron. The city’s downtown residential population has grown from roughly 1,500 residents in 2017 to more than 3,000 today, with a goal to reach 5,000 residents in the next four years.

“Pittsburgh, Detroit, Columbus, Cleveland –– 10 or 15 years ago, they were focusing on the livability of downtown, and we’re finally catching up,” Kutuchief said.

Lock 3’s redevelopment broke ground in August 2023 and was completed in December 2024. Knight Foundation contributed $5.5 million to the project, supporting broader efforts to strengthen Akron’s civic core and encourage long-term resilience and growth.

A new civic anchor

The reimagined Lock 3 can now accommodate 3,500 people at its Maynard Performance Pavilion and includes a quarter-mile of paved walking paths, public art, two ice rinks, Wi-Fi access and year-round food service from Evelyn’s Coffee & Bahn Mi. During major events, additional vendors activate the space.

“It’s our city’s center of gravity,” Kutuchief said.

Lock 3 is also one of Ohio’s Designated Outdoor Refreshment Areas, allowing visitors to carry alcoholic beverages throughout the district and supporting informal gathering that helps animate public space.

But perhaps the clearest sign of success is what happens when no major event is scheduled.

Kimberly Beckett, president of the Downtown Akron Partnership, has seen nearby University of Akron students studying on park benches, residents walking dogs and families pushing strollers along the winding paths.

“When people think about a place they want to go, they’re typically going to name somewhere with a lot of density, a lot of activity in one area,” she said. “That density helps drive the perception that there are things to do and the overall economic impact.”

Before the pandemic, Lock 3 hosted roughly 80 events each year. The 2026 calendar has already surpassed 100, with Griffith continuing to book larger national acts.

“These are acts we previously couldn’t get with the old venue,” Griffith said.

The increased draw is already translating into attendance. In 2025, city-sponsored events attracted more than 200,000 visitors, while hosted events brought in another 275,000 –– nearly half a million in total.

“Downtown is for all people,” Beckett said. “Every event might not be for everybody, but we’re trying to make something for everybody.”

“Downtown is for all people. Every event might not be for everybody, but we’re trying to make something for everybody.”
Knight Foundation
Kimberly Beckett
President, Downtown Akron Partnership

Connecting Akron’s civic corridor

Lock 3 is part of a broader strategy to strengthen Akron’s civic infrastructure and reconnect key public assets.

Considered part of the Civic Gateway, alongside Summit Lake Park and Ohio & Erie Canal Park, the site helps form what planners envision as an interconnected network of public spaces.

Rice describes the spaces as pearls on a necklace.

Behind Lock 3, pedestrians and cyclists can access Ohio’s 101-mile Towpath Trail, which stretches north to Lake Erie. About 2.5 miles south sits Summit Lake Park, another reimagined public asset that will feature a new shoreline park, nature center, walking and biking paths and kayak rentals. Knight Foundation also helped support completion of the 2.5-mile trail around the lake.

“We want to become known as either the ending place or starting place for trail runners and visitors,” Griffith said.

Lock 3 stands as a crown jewel of the Civic Gateway, building on the revitalization of the Knight Stage at Akron Civic Theatre. The next major project is the transformation of the nearby Polsky Building, which will add classrooms, office space, food offerings, a small amphitheater and a Main Street Entrance.

“We need more backpacks on Main Street,” Kutuchief said.

From population growth and surging event attendance to students gathering on the lawn, high schoolers snapping prom photos and cyclists zipping along the towpath, the signs suggest the strategy is working.

“There’s a direct connection between public space investment and neighborhood revitalization,” Rice said.

Learn More

Knight Foundation

Downtown Akron Partnership is a nonprofit strengthening downtown Akron through support for local businesses, public space activation and programs that make the city center cleaner, safer and more vibrant.
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