Cleveland Metroparks
Transforming Digital Experiences to Deliver Community Value
Cleveland Metroparks is a vast network of hiking trails, lakefront parks, nature centers, golf courses, and more in Greater Cleveland, Ohio. This system includes 18 reservations covering over 24,000 acres and features more than 300 miles of trails, nature centers, eight lakefront parks, eight golf courses, and a nationally renowned zoo. It provides popular destinations for nature lovers, families, and visitors seeking outdoor recreation, environmental education, and wildlife adventures.
Challenges
Cleveland Metroparks faced increasing challenges with their outdated Kentico Version 12 platform, which was approaching the end of its support lifespan. This created an urgent need for an upgrade to ensure long-term functionality and better performance. Internally, content editors struggled with an inefficient content management system (CMS), making it hard to update park details and resources. Website visitors experienced a frustrating user experience with excessive scrolling, slow navigation speed from oversized images, and inconsistent park search functions that hampered engagement. Transferring critical contact and recipient data was crucial for maintaining operational continuity and supporting targeted marketing strategies. A major challenge was users having difficulty finding parks on the map, a feature essential to the client’s mission.
Solutions
Americaneagle.com rebuilt the website, transitioning it from Kentico Version 12 to Xperience by Kentico, improving content management and front-end functionality. The project included backend CMS optimization, enhanced user experience, seamless data migration, and ongoing support. Notable improvements included new park search functionality and easier content management through the content hub and page tree. Role-based permissions ensured the Cleveland Metroparks team could restrict users' access only to the parts of the website they are responsible for editing, accommodating diverse sectors like parks, zoo, and golf.
Cleveland Metroparks’ content management system was streamlined with Xperience by Kentico. By consolidating redundant fields and content types, clutter was eliminated, making the CMS more intuitive and efficient. The new content hub empowers the Cleveland Metroparks team to easily update and manage content. The website’s public-facing design was enhanced to provide a smoother and better user experience. Image heights were reduced, and designs were optimized to improve accessibility to key content, reducing excessive scrolling and boosting engagement.
The Park Search feature we created includes an interactive map that delivers accurate and consistent results. Visitors can now search by entering a location or using the 'Near Me' feature with a customizable mile range to find nearby parks. The search also includes activity filters, making it easier to discover parks, trails, and events that match specific interests, supporting Cleveland Metroparks’ mission to inspire exploration.
Americaneagle.com provided comprehensive training and continuous support after the launch to ensure long-term success. Internal teams were equipped to use the upgraded CMS, allowing them to manage and expand the website independently. The new website has been a hit with the public and the Cleveland Metroparks team.
