Advocates for leaving Whiskey Island undeveloped or simply enhancing the current greenspace, recreation areas and natural shoreline point to the following as signs that support this direction over expanding port operations.   

• The 5th annual River Day event will have a presence at Whiskey Island (and in many other locations) on May 20, 2006
• The Burning River Festival, one of Northeast Ohio's premier environmental celebrations, will make its permanent home on Whiskey Island beginning with this year’s celebration on August 12th
• The Great Lakes Restoration Conference is coming to Cleveland and touring the properties on September 23, 2006.
• Advocates are asking the city of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County to consider making Whiskey Island the end of the proposed Towpath Trail extension (right now, the planned ending is Canal Basin Park, a new park proposed for the Flats nearby Settler's Landing).
• The Cleveland Metroparks has been approached about the possibility of permanently securing Whiskey Island
• Members of the Cleveland Area Boat Builders lead a class at the marina on Whiskey Island this summer (2006). Volunteers will teach Cleveland school kids to build boats. This is a pilot project for this effort and will run three weeks. The plan is to build three boats with 15 students and launch them on the day of the Burning River Festival.

As examples grow, is passive and active recreation strong enough to counter the forces at Cuyahoga County and the Port Authority who would like to move maritime operations onto and surrounding Whiskey Island? Are there places where quality of life enhancements at the waterfront coexist with industry?