mac riverfront greenway plans- 2001

Metropolitan Affairs Coalition 2001

Building theRiverfront Greenway

The State of Greenway Investments Along the Detroit River

The vision of a continuous greenway alongthe Detroit River seemed like a dream only afew years ago. But today, communities andbusinesses in Greater Detroit are redefiningtheir relationship to the river and champion-ing linked greenways along its entire length from Lake St. Clair to Lake Erie, across toCanada, and up key tributaries like the Rouge,Ecorse, and Huron rivers.

Working in partnership with the Metropoli-tan Affairs Coalition and other stakeholders,the Greater Detroit American Heritage RiverInitiative has identified linked greenways asone of its top six priorities. This reportpresents 14 such projects, all of which havebegun or been completed since June 1999.

When all fourteen greenways projects are com-pleted, they will be unique destinations thatlink open spaces, protect natural and culturalresources, and offer many picturesque viewsof Detroits great American Heritage River.Together, they will go a long way towardenhancing the regions quality of life andmaking it more attractive to residents, visitors,and businesses.

And these fourteen projects are just thebeginning. By celebrating these recent achieve-ments, this report aspires to be a catalyst for

future projects. In fact, many additionalprojects are already in the planning anddesign process.

There is a growing desire to increase accessto the Detroit River as communities andorganizations work to overcome the historicalseparation from the river caused by a nearlycontinuous wall of commercial development.Now, trails and walkways are beingincorporated along the river, improving theaesthetic appearance of the shoreline andreaping the resulting recreational, ecological,and economic benefits. In its mission tocreate linked riverfront greenways, the GreaterDetroit American Heritage River Initiativeis actively partnering with the many organi-zations that share this vision, including theGreenways Initiative of the CommunityFoundation for Southeastern Michigan,the Automobile National Heritage Area andthe Canadian Heritage River Initiative.

The Detroit River has been rediscovered asan incredible asset and a key element forenhancing the quality of life of the metropoli-tan area. A transformation of the riverfrontis underway, as linked greenways become areality and establish a unique legacy forfuture generations.

A Greater Detroit American Heritage River Initiative and Metropolitan Affairs Coalition Project i

Greenways

1 Maheras/Gentry Park

2 UAW-GM Riverfront Joint Training Center

3 Saint Aubin Marina/East Riverfront Greenway

4 General Motors Global Headquarters

5 Detroit Riverfront Promenade Improvement Project

6 Riverside Park Promenade

7 Port Authority Public Dock and Passenger Terminal

8 Rouge River Gateway Project/Oxbow Restoration

9 River Rouges Belanger Park

10 Lincoln Parks Council Point Park

11 Trentons Linked Riverfront Parks Project

12 Wayne Countys Elizabeth Park Riverwalk

13 Grosse Ile Greenways

14 Brownstowns Woodruff Corridor Bike Path

Project Locations

1 1

2345

6

7

9

10

11

13

12

8

14

ii Building the Riverfront Greenway

Detroit River

Table of Contents

A Greater Detroit American Heritage River Initiative and Metropolitan Affairs Coalition Project 1

Maheras/Gentry Park .......................................................................................................... 2

UAW-GM Riverfront Joint Training Center .............................................................. 4

Saint Aubin Marina/East Riverfront Greenway ...................................................... 6

General Motors Global Headquarters ..................................................................... 8

Detroit Riverfront Promenade Improvement Project ................................. 10

Riverside Park Promenade .......................................................................................... 12

Port Authority Public Dock and Passenger Terminal ................................... 14

Rouge River Gateway Project/Oxbow Restoration ................................... 16

River Rouges Belanger Park ...................................................................................... 18

Lincoln Parks Council Point Park ............................................................................. 20

Trentons Linked Riverfront Parks Project ......................................................... 22

Wayne Countys Elizabeth Park Riverwalk ............................................................ 24

Grosse Ile Greenways .................................................................................................... 26

Brownstowns Woodruff Corridor Bike Path...................................................... 28

Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................ 30

Maheras/Gentry Park Improvement Project

Detroits

The Maheras/Gentry Park ImprovementProject presents a distinctive opportunity toenhance fish habitat and improve recreationaltrails in an historic urban waterfront park,while addressing stormwater and sanitarysewer concerns upstream in Conner Creek, asmall tributary to the Detroit River. Covering53-acres, Maheras/Gentry Park is uniqueamong Detroit Recreation Departmentsriverside parks, being the largest of fourparks upstream of Conner Creek, as well as adesignated City of Detroit Historic District.

This $2.3 million project includes a perimetersidewalk that will link the parks features,including a substantial pond with an islandformed by inlets to the Detroit River, a scenicoverlook, and barrier-free fishing access points.The overlook will be furnished with benches,picnic tables, and a picnic shelter. The side-walk will lead visitors around the pond to thebridges that bring pedestrians onto the island.

On the island, benches are planned forvisitors to relax and enjoy views of the parkand river among natural prairie plantings.Trees will be added to the pond area ofthe park to provide visitors with shade. Inter-pretive signage at various locations will explainthe intent of the pond, the ecology of thewetland plantings and fish habitat, as wellas the importance of the freighters on theDetroit River.

The project area encompasses approximately8.5 acres of the south end of the park and isdesigned to provide much needed fish habitatalong this highly developed stretch of theDetroit River. The creation of a substantialpond with an island and inlets to the DetroitRiver will allow water and fish to circulatethrough the pond and improve fishing accessand park amenities where few recreationalactivities exist.

Views of present dayMaheras/Gentry Park.

2 Building the Riverfront Greenway

The pond will be sculpted with a deep waterhole and shallow shelves along the banks.Plantings of wetland vegetation and the addi-tion of underwater shelters made from treeroot masses will improve fish habitat and cre-ate fish spawning and nursery areas. Stoneblocks, boulders, and wildflower plantings aredesign elements for the area surrounding thepond. Stone blocks will be placed in a stair-way fashion creating flat surfaces that willallow people to access the waters edge.

The Maheras/Gentry Park fish habitat miti-gation is being undertaken as a MichiganDepartment of Environmental Quality re-quirement to mitigate the habitat lossresulting from constructing the Conner CreekPilot Combined Sewer Overflow ControlFacility. Detroit Water and Sewerage Depart-ment is funding the entire $2.3 million costof the Maheras/Gentry Park project. Creationof the fish habitat will occur during theconstruction of the Conner Creek PilotCombined Sewer Overflow Control Facility,which will begin by December 31, 2000 andis to be completed by December 31, 2004.

Rendering prepared for Detroit Water and Sewerage Department by Hamilton Anderson Associates, and Hazen and Sawyer, P.C.


MAHERAS PARK

PARKING

FISH HABITAT

NATURALISLAND

DETROIT RIVER

MAHERAS PARK FISH HABITAT MITIGATION

OVERLOOK

UAW-GMRiverfront Joint Training Center

The International Union, United Auto Work-ers (UAW) and General Motors Corporation(GM) are collaborating on an exciting, newriverfront development that will enhance ef-forts to create a system of linked riverfrontgreenways extending from the MacArthurBridge at Belle Isle to the Ambassador Bridge.

In early 2001, the UAW-GM Center forHuman Resources is opening a moderneducation and training complex with 900 feetof riverfront greenway on 16 acres of landbetween Atwater Street and the Detroit River.This state-of-the-art office complex will serveas the national headquarters for UAW-GMjoint programs and activities focused on healthand safety, training and skill development,employee educational opportunities, work andfamily support, and product quality.

Strikingly visible from the Detroit River, thecomplex will be anchored by a seven-storyoffice tower with an adjacent three-storytraining tower and a 400-seat auditorium.This new riverfront complex consolidatesCenter for Human Resources operations

previously housed in three separate suburbanlocations. The UAW-GM joint programs andactivities that will be run from the complexare directed toward providing work-related,family-related, and employee educational-development information and assistance toapproximately 140,000 UAW-representedGM workers.

Since 1984, GM and the UAW have commit-ted approximately $3 billion toward educationand training, making the UAW-GM Centerfor Human Resources the largest privatelyfunded educational program in the world. Inits new location, the UAW-GM Center forHuman Resources proudly takes a place in theheart of Detroits riverfront revitalization andmakes a unique contribution to the GreaterDetroit American Heritage River Initiative. Inaddition to expanding education and trainingopportunities, the new complex will providea critical riverfront greenways link and enhancepublic access to the Detroit River. It will playa role in improving quality of life, promotingcommunity pride, and furthering Detroitseconomic renewal.

Views of theUAW-GM future

training center sitein the fall of 2000.


Renderings courtesyof Grissim/MetzAssociates.


St. Aubin MarinaEast Riverfront

Greenway is locatedin the vicinity ofan historic ship

building dry dock.


East RiverfrontGreenwayThe Saint Aubin Marina project portends sig-nificant improvements to the existing 67-slipwatercraft harbor utilizing the former Detroit(ship building) dry-dock. In addition to pro-viding locations for the mooring of cruiseships, tour boats, and tall ships, the vision in-cludes a variety of educational and recreationaluses. This multi-use watercraft access sitewould serve the Detroit boating public andprovide waterside accommodations near civic-center entertainment venues.

The State of Michigan Waterways Commis-sion has funded the $3 million upgrade tothe Saint Aubin Marina as part of a plan totransfer operation of the facility from the Cityof Detroit to the Michigan Department ofNatural Resources. Plans call for the state tolease the site from the city, providing avaluable addition to the network of stateharbors of refuge and marinas along GreatLakes' shorelines. The St. Aubin projectcould be rededicated during the celebrationof Detroit's 300th Birthday in 2001.

In addition to the marina project, discussionsare ongoing, at the highest level of city andstate government, to develop an east-riverfrontgreenway between General Motors GlobalHeadquarters and Stroh River Place, connect-ing to St. Aubin and Chene linked riverfrontparks. Such a parkland would complementmajor investments being made by the privatesector in the transformation of a historically-significant former industrial waterfront to thecity's front door.

A waterfront park along the Detroit east-riverfront offers the potential of greatlyenhanced community access showcasing theDetroit River to residents and visitors alike.Recreational opportunities could includelunch-hour picnics, viewing river vistas,riverwalk strolling, jogging, fishing, andmarina access, or taking in a concert.Creating opportunities to learn aboutMichigan's rich cultural history and natural-resources heritage are just two of many otherideas being considered.

The east-riverfront greenway would require acontinued, concerted effort to overcome chal-lenges inherent in land acquisition,environmental cleanup, relocation of viableindustries, and substantial funding for newfacilities. The Michigan Natural ResourcesTrust Fund has committed substantial fund-ing to help acquire riverfront property for theeast- riverfront greenway idea.

Saint Aubin Marina

Background aerial photograph courtesy of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Renderings courtesy of SmithGroup JJR.


The Riverfront Promenade at

General MotorsGlobal HeadquartersIn redeveloping the Renaissance Center asits Global Headquarters, General MotorsCorporation will turn its front door fromJefferson Avenue to the Detroit River as itcreates a truly magnificent riverfront prom-enade. The Renaissance Center, a Detroit iconsince 1977, is an office/retail/hotel complexthat is one of Detroits major attractionswith more than one million visitors annually.Located between Jefferson Avenue and theDetroit River, the four 39-floor office towers,and the 1,328-room hotel, overlook down-town Detroit, the Detroit River, and theCanadian city of Windsor, Ontario.

General Motors is building 3,000 feet ofriverfront promenade which, when combinedwith the adjacent Riverfront PromenadeImprovement Project to the west, formsroughly one-and-a-quarter miles of new andimproved riverfront promenade. GeneralMotors promenade will also link with a prom-enade park planned as part of River East, a25-acre urban waterfront district to be devel-oped directly east of the Renaissance Center.

General Motors riverfront promenade is beingcreated adjacent to a five-story, glass-enclosed,public hall called the Wintergarden. GeneralMotors is building the Wintergarden as partof its $500 million redevelopment of theRenaissance Center. Opening in 2001, theWintergarden will provide magnificentviews of the Detroit River and Windsor.The Wintergarden will be flanked by twostories of retail space. Additional retail shopswill line the riverfront promenade, and outdoorrestaurant seating will create a new ambiance atthe Renaissance Center.

The redevelopment of the RenaissanceCenter as General Motors Global Headquar-ters has been underway since General Motorsacquired the 5.5-million-square-foot mixed-use property in 1996. The redevelopmentprogram, under the direction of Hines, alsoincludes a $100 million renovation of the 73-floor Marriott Hotel, one of the largest hotelrenovations in the world. The RenaissanceCenters redevelopment program is scheduledfor completion in 2002.

The River East urban waterfront district willbe a mix of retail, office, entertainment, andresidential usage with a greenway planned toprovide public access to the waterfront. Theentire River East project will be completedby 2009 and promises to become a centralelement of Detroits riverfront revival.

GM headquarters inthe summer of 2000,

with constructionwell underway.


Renderings courtesy of Hines Development and Skidmore Owings & Merrill, LLP Master Architects.


DetroitRiverfront Promenade

The Detroit Civic Center RiverfrontPromenade will open a key portion of theDetroit riverfront to residents and visitors.The promenade will run along the waterfrontfrom the General Motors Global Headquar-ters on the east to the Riverfront Apartmentson the west. It will create a distinctiveand beautiful riverfront accessible to allpedestrians and linked to the waterfrontenhancements and promenade being devel-oped by General Motors Corporation on theeast. The project will connect and enhance thevalue and marketability of major public andprivate facilities along the waterfront,such as Ford Auditorium, Cobo Center, andJoe Louis Arena.

The Detroit Riverfront Promenade Improve-ment Project will draw sightseers and tourists,and offer an aesthetically pleasing andexciting environment for office workers,retail, hotel, and restaurant patrons, as wellas residents of Detroit. The promenades

design places a high priority on reconnectingdowntown with the Detroit River and willcreate a unique sense of place. In addition,the promenade will also serve as an importantlocation in celebrating Detroits 300th anni-versary. Plans are underway to display fourcenturies of Detroit waterfront history.

The project area encompasses approximately3,500 feet of riverfront property. The landbetween the rivers edge and the street right-of-way is currently comprised of a collapsingseawall, crumbling sidewalks, and a series ofdeteriorated paved and gravel parking lots,most of which are enclosed with chain-linkfence. The project involves: repairing the eroded seawall and cofferdam;

eliminating existing parking lots along therivers edge; and

installing landscape materials and trees, apedestrian boardwalk, railings, lighting,street furniture, signage, and irrigation.


Views of theCivic Center

Riverfront Promenadeconstruction in late

summer of 2000.

Improvement Project


Renderings courtesy of Albert Kahn Associates, Inc.

The projects estimated cost of $6.2 million isbeing funded through the State of MichigansClean Michigan Initiative, specifically theWaterfront Reclamation Grant Program.Project matching funds, totaling over 25percent, consist of the value of land contrib-uted by the City of Detroit and GeneralMotors, and funds provided by the City ofDetroits Downtown Development Authority.

Construction on this project began inAugust 2000 and is expected to be completedin May 2001.

Detroits

Riverside ParkPromenadeLying below the Ambassador Bridge, at thefoot of West Grand Boulevard, Riverside Parkis where southwest Detroiters have historicallygone to enjoy the waterfront. With 1, 500 feetof waterfront and the river at its narrowestpoint, the park offers one of the primesettings in the state to admire the impressivefreighter and shipping traffic serving theGreat Lakes.

Adding to its distinct nautical theme,Riverside Park houses the Detroit FireDepartments Fire Boat, as well as one of thedocks for Diamond Jacks River Tours. A largepublic boat launch is also located on theeastern part of the park. In addition, nestledwithin the park is The J.W. WestcottCompany, better known as the mail boat.The mail boat has its own zip code and servesas a mail drop for the commercial fleet on theDetroit River. As the freighters pass, the mailboat rushes out to meet the ships to deliverthe mail and supplies that are hoisted up overthe sides of the enormous vessels.

Plans are now underway for an extensive multi-year renovation of the park which will improvethe quality of life for residents and provide adesirable tourist attraction. The renovation willalso help spur revitalization of the area andenhance the image of Southwest Detroit.Initial improvements will include constructionof a pedestrian promenade, restoration of theseawall, and creation of dedicated fishingareas. Collectively, these improvements willcapitalize on one of the best views of down-town Detroits skyline, fronted by the DetroitRiver and framed by the Ambassador Bridge.

Future phases will redevelop the western partof the parks infrastructure, including a newrestroom facility, new parking lots and walk-ways, an extensive play structure, and a largepicnic pavilion. Improvements are beingplanned so that the park can host special eventsthat require the docking of large vessels. Dis-cussions are also underway to locate a policemini-station within the park to both improveaccessibility of police officers to neighborhoodresidents and help assure security at the park.

Picturesque views ofthe Detroit River and

Ambassador Bridgewill be enhanced by

the Riverside ParkPromenade project.


Rendering courtesy of The Greenway Collaborative, Inc.

The proposed improvements to Riverside Parkare part of a larger vision for an interconnectedriverfront greenway eventually linkingsouthwest Detroit to the Civic CenterRiverfront Promenade to the north and to theplanned greenway at the Rouge RiverOxbow Restoration Project to the south.

Funds are already committed for the initialphase of construction. The spring of 2001 willkick-off the multi-phase renovation of thepark with $1.5 million in improvements $500,000 from the Michigan NaturalResources Trust Fund, $500,000 fromthe City of Detroit, and $500,000 from theGreat Lakes Fisheries Trust Fund.

Rendering courtesy of Wade-Trim & Associates, Inc.



Port AuthorityPublic Dock and Passenger Terminal

An exciting new passenger terminal andpedestrian pathway will soon grace the DetroitRiver shoreline, near the Ambassador Bridge,providing a gateway to the region for cruise shippassengers from around the world. The Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority (DWCPA) willbuild a multi-use public dock and passengerterminal facility within the historical Portof Detroit district creating a unique desti-nation along Detroits riverfront greenway.

The passenger dock and terminal facility willbe located at the Port of Detroit/Clark Streetsite (formerly home to the Boblo Island fer-ries) at W. Jefferson Avenue and Clark Street.The dock will be designed to harbor cruiseships as well as any other transient vessels vis-iting Detroit. Vessels such as naval frigates,historical tall ships, racing yachts, tour boats,and dinner cruisers all need a place to dock.This facility will be able to attract and accom-modate the visits of any of these historical,educational, and entertainment vessels.

The DWCPA played a major role in rejuve-nating the Great Lakes cruising industry,which had been dormant in Detroit since1967. Throughout the Great Lakes, cruisinghas re-emerged as a viable and growing mar-ket. Similar projects have been implementedin neighboring cities such as Cleveland, To-ledo, Milwaukee, Duluth, and Green Bay. Torestore Detroits reputation as a tourist desti-nation within the global market, the DWCPAset out to establish regular liner service to thePort of Detroit.

In October of 1998, the C. Columbus becamethe first cruise ship to dock in Detroit in over30 years. The direct impact in Detroit for onevisit by the C. Columbus is estimated to be inexcess of $110,000, or approximately $152per passenger. Of 13 ports surveyed whichreceived a visit by the Columbus, Detroitranked third in total benefit behind Chicagoand Toronto.

Waterfront views ofthe proposed Port

Authority site showits relationship to

the old Boblo Boatdocking area.


The Port of Detroit is the second largestCustoms port of entry in the country, in termsof value of goods traded, and the City ofDetroit is the third largest city on the entireSt. Lawrence Seaway system. The Port ofDetroit is also the only remaining major portthat does not have a modern public dock andpassenger terminal on its waterfront.

The Detroit/Wayne County Port Authoritywill use $7.5 million in federal and stateappropriations derived from the Transporta-tion Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21)to fund the planning and construction ofthe dock facility, as well as pedestrian accessalong the Detroit riverfront.

Preliminary designconceptual renderingscourtesy of SmithGroup, Sterling Group.


Rouge RiverGateway Project

In 2000, $2 million was received from theClean Michigan Initiative for the first phaseof oxbow restoration. The oxbow restorationwork is expected to begin in late 2001 and becompleted in 2002.

The entire Gateway Project area extends9-miles from the confluence of the RougeRivers tributaries, near Ford Road inDearborn, to the Detroit River. The Partner-ship is using a consensus-based approach torestore the vibrancy of the areas natural land-scape while preserving the legacy of theautomobile manufacturing industry.

The Rouge River Gateway Partnership is trulyunique in its collaboration and offers a num-ber of benefits, including: Celebrating the areas automobile heritage

through the support and promotion ofenvironmental and historic restorationprojects;

Encouraging best management practices torehabilitate and preserve natural resources;

Supporting local communities in creatingunique, educationally-significant, recre-ational opportunities;

Attracting new public and private invest-ment to the area; and

Expanding on existing programs that estab-lish the area as a world-class center forcultural and heritage tourism.

In 1999, the Rouge River Gateway Partnershipwas established to restore the ecosystem of thelower Rouge River. This unique public-privatepartnership aims to provide public access tothe river for recreation and education whilecelebrating its history and culture. One ofthe first projects to be implemented by thepartnership will be restoring the western-mostoxbow of the Rouge River, located near HenryFord Museum and Greenfield Village, on thewest side of the Rouge River Channel.

The restoration of the historic oxbow willprovide habitat for fish and wildlife, whileproviding educational opportunities for thehundreds-of-thousands of people who visitHenry Ford Museum and Greenfield Villageeach year. The restored oxbow will be a uniquerecreational and education destination along theRouge River and its greenway trail system. Theproject will be implemented in three phases:1. Restoring the oxbow,

2. Relocating a combined sewer overflowdischarge pipe that impacts the oxbow; and

3. Establishing a greenway trail system all theway to the Detroit River, connecting thedeveloped portions of Greenfield Village tothe wetlands, oxbow, and channel portionof the Rouge River.

Aerial viewsof the current

state of theRouge River

highlight pastsolutions

to industrialconcerns.

and Oxbow Restoration


The Rouge River Gateway Partnership will beundertaking a number of other projects overthe next 10 years, including furtheringgreenways trails and modifying the concretechannel for habitat, recreation, and aesthet-ics. The partnership will also build a fish ladderat the Henry Ford Estate dam, a bridge acrossthe Rouge River to Henry Ford Museum andGreenfield Village, and a Rouge HeritageVisitors Center.

Renderings courtesy of Hamilton Anderson Associates.


River RougesBelanger Park

Belanger Park is the 9.5-acre flagship park ofthe City of River Rouges recreation systemand offers the citys 10,000 residents their onlypublic access and view of the Detroit River.It is located in the heart of industry yetprovides an excellent recreational facility onthe river for residents of River Rouge andneighboring communities, and employeesof area industries.

Recent restoration efforts have made the parkan attractive, waterfront retreat offering ac-cess to the Detroit River for boating, fishing,and picnicking. The city initiated a two-phase,$1 million restoration of the park in 1997 andcompleted the improvements in 1999 all ofwhich have enhanced community pride andimproved the quality of life for residents.

The restoration of Belanger Park began withrebuilding the boat launch and expanding boatslips from two to three. The next phase in-volved replacing and upgrading the existinginfrastructure, developing a new design accenton the waterfront, and improving amenitiesand traffic flow patterns. These improvementsemphasized fishing, boating, and use of thepark as a family recreation facility. Future planscall for establishing a Mariners MemorialLighthouse and a community concert series.

Today, patrons will find a waterfront gazebo,two picnic pavilions, a walking path surround-ing a play area for children, and parking andrestroom facilities. Belanger Park is now usedextensively year-round for fishing, and on sum-mer weekends the boardwalk is crowded with

The Belanger Parkgazebo makes acitives,

such as this citysponsored fishing derby

more comfortable.


spectators and anglers. From the boardwalk,park patrons enjoy spectacular views of theDetroit skyline and freighter traffic. Thepavilion is reserved every weekend duringthe summer months for picnics, parties, andfamily reunions.

The Michigan Department of NaturalResources Trust Fund, Great Lakes FisheriesTrust, Community Development Block GrantProgram, City of River Rouge General Fund,and dedicated resident volunteers provided fi-nancing for the restoring and redevelopingBelanger Park.

Belanger Park in River Rouge offers public access to enjoy the river.

Lincoln Parks


Council Point ParkCouncil Point Park is a 26-acre park along thenorthern and southern branches of EcorseCreek in the City of Lincoln Park. The parkis located at the convergence of the threebranches of Ecorse Creek, a short distancebefore the creek enters the Detroit River at theborder of the cities of Ecorse and Wyandotte.

Council Points name is derived from its his-torical significance. Records note that ChiefPontiac camped at the location to plot a war,known as Pontiacs Rebellion. This uprisingwas part of the French and Indian Wars thatoccurred just before the American Revolution.

The land for Council Point Park waspurchased in the late 1980s with federal andlocal funds. A small portion of the site hadbeen contaminated with toxic substances,including heavy metals used in steel making.The City of Lincoln Park worked with anenvironmental consultant and the Michigan

Department of Natural Resources to cleanup and cap the area so it could be used as apassive park.

The parks improvement has come in twophases. Phase one included a two-foot claycap, the construction of two baseballdiamonds, two soccer fields, a picnic pavilion,a childrens playscape area, and about one mileof asphalt walking trail along the banks ofEcorse Creek. Council Point Parks greenwaytrail will eventually be linked to greenwaysalong the Detroit River. Costs for phase oneof the project were approximately $1.5million; funds came from federal, state,and local sources.

The second phase of the project was under-taken in 2000. This included the addition ofanother mile of walking trail along the banksof Ecorse Creek, an inline-skating hockeyarena, and a permanent restroom/storage

Images ofCouncil Point Parkin Summer 2000.

Rendering courtesy of Wade-Trim & Associates, Inc., taken fromthe conceptional drawings for the Downriver Linked Greenways Initiative.


building between River Drive and the parksparking lot. Community DevelopmentBlock Grant funds from the U.S. Departmentof Housing and Urban Developmentwere used to pay for this phase, which costapproximately $500,000.

Lincoln Park has also planted 150 trees, of avariety of types, in Council Point Park andwill plant more in the future. The plan is tomake the portion of the park along the

asphalt walking trails a science tour/naturewalk that school children could use in yearsto come.

The development of Council Point Parkhas provided many benefits to the area. Itincreases public access to Ecorse Creek;expands recreational opportunities; furthersenvironmental education; celebrates historyand culture; and improves quality of lifefor all Lincoln Park residents.


Trentons LinkedRiverfront Parks

ProjectThe City of Trenton is developing a linkedriverfront greenway that will extend fromMeyer-Ellias Park (located on Helen Street)south to Elizabeth Park. The primary focuswill be to link existing parks, including Meyer-Ellias, Rotary, and Elizabeth Parks, with newpocket parks created on city property atstreet ends along the Detroit River. Connec-tions will be established among the existingparks, the new parks, and downtown in aneffort to further economic development andenhance community pride.

Following the river wherever possible,the linked greenway will pass RiversideOsteopathic Hospital, Trenton Towers(a senior apartment building), and numerousprivate homes. The street-end parks will bea focal point from West Jefferson Avenue,bringing more people to the waterfront.

Community benefits of this project include: enhancing public access to Trentons

waterfront by developing passive publicpocket parks;

improving conditions along the TrentonChannel of the Detroit River, in places whereshoreline erosion is causing unsafe pedestrianconditions and degrading water quality;

restoring aquatic and terrestrial habitat forfish and wildlife along the Detroit River;

strengthening community pride andidentity among the people of Trenton; and

promoting a higher quality of life as well asrevitalizing economic growth in DowntownTrenton.

This project helps implement the City ofTrentons Master Plan which calls for a parksystem that promotes greater use of the river

Current street-endsalong the waterfront

in Trenton.


Rendering courtesy of SmithGroup JJR.

by increasing public access. In addition, theMaster Plan addresses shoreline stabilizationand habitat rehabilitation along the DetroitRiver, which this project will also help achieve.

This project is part of a larger effort toestablish linked greenways throughoutSoutheast Michigan. The Downriver LinkedGreenways Initiative, a consortium of 21communities, Wayne and Monroe Counties,and the Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Author-ity, retained a professional team to design alinked system of greenways, paths, andbikeways throughout the Downriver area. Iteventually will connect to greenways in

Detroit, along the Rouge River, and downto the City of Monroe.

During 2000, the City of Trenton secured$815,700 in funding to construct three pocketparks consistent with their Master Plan. TheClean Michigan Initiative provided $174,000(Trenton match: $58,000), the MichiganNatural Resources Trust Fund provided$332,800 (Trenton match: $110,900),the Coastal Zone Management Programprovided $35,000 (Trenton match: $35,000),and Community Development BlockGrants provided $70,000. Constructionwill begin in 2001.


Wayne CountysElizabeth Park

RiverwalkElizabeth Park is a 162-acre park locatedon the lower Detroit River in Trenton,Michigan. It is the oldest county park inMichigan and was bequeathed to WayneCounty Park Trustees in 1919 by the childrenof Elizabeth Slocum. Elizabeth Park is in anisland-like setting along the Detroit Riverwith more than 3,500 feet of shoreline.

Wayne County is now restoring and upgrad-ing the riverwalk at Elizabeth Park as anotherimportant link in the Detroit River greenwayvision. This project will restore the parkssouth-shore boardwalk to its former glory(illustrated in the historic photos) and will: stabilize 600 feet of shoreline; recreate a unique riverwalk with seating, light-

ing, handicap access, and fishing sites; and enhance fish habitat.

Together these improvements will expandrecreational opportunities, improve publicaccess and natural habitat, and restore animportant part of the communitys heritage.

This project was stimulated by a WayneCounty survey of community attitudes regard-ing economic development in the Downriverarea. It revealed that the Detroit River wasrecognized as one of Downrivers mosttreasured and attractive assets. One specificfinding was that 74 percent of the surveyrespondents thought riverfront developmentshould focus on recreational areas for residents,including parks, marinas, and opportunitiesfor boating and fishing.

The Elizabeth Park Riverwalk project isbeing funded with $750,000 from theRecreation Bond Program of the CleanMichigan Initiative and $250,000 inmatching funds from Wayne County.The funds were awarded in 2000.

The present dayElizabeth park

Riverwalk starklycontrasts with the

facility enjoyedin the 1920s.


Images from the 1920sshowcase the popularity of Elizabeth Park.

Historical photographs courtesy of Wayne County Parks.

Elizabeth Park Riverwalk to be restored to original condition.


Grosse IleGreenways

The Township of Grosse Ile, Michigan, is alarge island community located in the lowerreaches of the Detroit River. It is a distinctiveisland of exceptional natural beauty withnative forests, unparalleled riverfront views,and over 300 acres of preserved open space.

Grosse Iles extraordinary quality of life andcommunity pride has been enhanced througha dedicated program of preserving the islandsnatural charm and, in particular, expandinggreenways. Since 1974, the voters of GrosseIle have continued to authorize purchase oflarge tracts of land for open space as well asthe construction of greenways.

A system of greenways has been built and isbeing expanded that links open spaces andcommercial areas via trailways, bike routes, andbridle paths. This system is an enormoussource of community pride and has beenheavily used by residents and visitors alike.All ages take advantage of the pathways forrecreation, socializing, and overall enjoymentof Grosse Iles natural character and thesurrounding Detroit River.

The township established a nine-phaseprogram to implement various greenwayprojects. To date, approximately 8.6 miles ofpaved pathways, connecting to the river, open


spaces, and commercial areas, have been built.An additional 2.5 miles of greenway are to beconstructed in the near future. The islandsextensive greenways and location directly eastof Trentons Elizabeth Park, make it a naturallink in the Detroit Rivers greenway system.

Through dedicated tax levees, the residents ofGrosse Ile have been able to systematicallycreate a superb open space and greenwayssystem. The island community has spentover $40,000 per year on furthering itsgreenways since 1994 and over $450,000per year on preserving open space since 1997.

Present day greenwaysin Grosse Ile Township.

BrownstownsWoodruff Corridor

Bike PathBrownstown Township, Michigan, inconjunction with neighboring communitiesin Southeast Michigans downriver area, is astrong proponent for a regional greenwaynetwork that would: link communities to existing parks, trails,

open spaces, and the Detroit River;

protect natural and cultural resources; and

improve quality of life throughoutthe region.

The greenways would also encourage use ofnon-motorized transportation for routineshopping at local business, as well as offeropportunities for enhancing communityamenities and attractiveness.

A recent example of Brownstown Townshipscommitment to a linked greenway system isthe Woodruff Corridor Bike Path Project.The township has secured funding for a multi-use trail running along Woodruff Road, fromWest Jefferson Avenue in the east to Fort Street

in the west, a distance of approximately 1.5miles. This greenway trail will linkBrownstown Township with the City ofGibraltar and Lake Erie Metropark.

When completed, the Woodruff Corridor BikePath will be an important connection for theplanned Downriver Linked Greenway. Thisregional greenway will eventually provide op-portunities for over 35,000 residents ofBrownstown, Gibraltar, Rockwood, Flat Rock,and Huron Township to access the Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Park Authority facilitiesat Lake Erie, Oakwoods, Willow, and LowerHuron, and well as the Detroit River. It willprovide over 30 miles of greenways connect-ing approximately 4,800 acres of parkland, aswell as link commercial facilities in Rockwood,Flat Rock, and Gibraltar. The construction ofBrownstowns Woodruff Corridor Bike Pathis an important first step in this truly signifi-cant regional project.


Pre-enhancementimages of

Woodruff Corridor.


Construction of the bike path will begin afterthe paving of Woodruff Road by WayneCounty, which is expected to be completed inthe summer of 2001.

The Woodruff Corridor Bike Path received75 percent of its funding through theTransportation Enhancement Fund programof the Transportation Equity Act for the21st Century, which is administered by theMichigan Department of Transportation. Theremaining 25 percent was provided byBrownstown Township. The total project costis estimated at $339,625.

Renderings courtesy of Wade Trim & Associates, Inc. Left and bottom:These renderings aretypical bike pathdesigns, created for theDownriver LinkedGreenways Initiative.

Greater Detroit American Heritage River InitiativeThe Detroit River has the distinction of being one of only fourteen rivers nationwide honoredwith a presidential designation as an American Heritage River. This designation led to theformation of the Greater Detroit American Heritage River (AHR) Initiative a multi-stake-holder, results-oriented project dedicated to improving environmental quality, enhancingeconomic development, and celebrating the history and culture of the Detroit River.

The initiative is guided by an Executive Committee composed of:

Mr. Peter W. Stroh, Chair, Director of The Stroh Companies, Inc.;

Detroit Mayor Dennis W. Archer, represented by Chief of Staff, Ms. Nettie Seabrooks;

Wayne County Executive Edward H. McNamara, represented by Assistant CountyExecutive, Mr. Dewitt Henry; and

Supervisor W. Curt Boller, Supervisor of Brownstown Township and DownriverCommunity Conference member.

A steering committee, chaired by Mr. Mark Breederland of Michigan Sea Grant and com-posed of governmental, business, community, environmental, and recreation representatives,advises the Executive Committee on project activities. The Greater Detroit AHR Initiativealso works closely with Canadian partners since the Detroit River is an international border.

The initiatives River Navigator, Dr. John Hartig, is a federal employee who helps commu-nities plan and identify resources for high-priority projects. Support for the River Navigatorposition comes from U.S. Department of Transportation in partnership with the St. LawrenceSeaway Development Corporation, Federal Highway Administration, and U.S. Coast Guard.

Metropolitan Affairs Coalition (MAC) serves as project manager and facilitator for theinitiative. MAC Vice President David Sanders and Associate Director Susan Phillipsprovide staff support. Formed in 1958, MAC is a public-private partnership of business,labor, and governmental leaders that facilitates solutions to regional issues affecting theeconomic vitality and quality of life in Southeast Michigan.

Our tie to history. Our tie to prosperity. Our tie to each other.

www.tellusnews.com/ahr

mac riverfront greenway plans- 2001

Documents

riverfront greenways

greenways projects

detroit riverthe vision

linked greenways asone

catalyst forfuture projects

thegreenways initiative

metropolitan area

key tributaries