Dequindre Cut Clean Up
On Saturday April 13th from 12 noon to 4pm the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy is hosting a community clean up of the Dequindre Cut. Volunteers are asked to register and meet for check-in at the Dequindre Cut entrances at Woodbridge, Gratiot and Wilkins Street for registration and directions. They will provide gloves and trash bags as well as snacks and water.
The Dequindre Cut is part of the planned Joe Louis Greenway. Supporting the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy and this effort supports the Joe Louis Greenway.
Design Team Selected for Framework Plan
During the last week of March, the City of Detroit announced that the SmithGroup and its team had been selected to complete the Joe Louis Greenway framework plan. The SmithGroup’s extensive greenway experience which includes designing the Dequindre Cut and Detroit Riverwalk helped them to edge out the Spackman Mossop Michaels team who was also a finalist in the selection process. City of Detroit’s announcement
The SmithGroup’s fellow organizational members also contributed to their selection. Their team includes: Toole Design, a nationally recognized firm for creating greenway networks centered around people; Sidewalk Detroit, for harnessing the art and culture to engage residents in an authentic way; Studio Incognita, for building soulful graphic design and messaging strategies; and HR&A Advisors, an industry-leading economic development and public policy firm highlighting the value of public open space.
The City of Detroit’s Request for Proposal stipulated that the Joe Louis Greenway framework planning process should be completed in one year. It also requires the process to have a minimum of 3 public input/community engagement meetings in at least 4 different segments of the JLG, hence a minimum of 12 community engagement meetings.
City of Detroit planners have been communicating with municipal leaders in Dearborn, Highland Park and Hamtramck to help ensure that residents and businesses in these cities actively participate in the planned community engagement meetings. The SmithGroup’s team and City of Detroit planners are working together to determine when and where the community engagement meetings will take place. The Friends of the Joe Louis Greenway hope to know more next month.
Save the Date: Detroit Greenway Coalition Fundraiser Ride
Sunday morning June 23rd the Detroit Greenway Coalition will hold its second annual Joe Louis Greenway fundraiser ride. The 24-mile ride will raise money for the Detroit Greenway Coalition and raise awareness of the Joe Louis Greenway. Last year it got excellent TV2, WDET and Detroit News coverage.
The route will be the same as last year, either on existing portions of JLG or paralleling planned portions. Again, the ride will include a break at the Oloman Café in Hamtramck. We will share the registration link when it’s online.
Joe Louis Greenway Tours with Wheelhouse Detroit
The Detroit Greenways Coalition is collaborating with Wheelhouse Detroit to lead two rides approximately 16 miles in length. The rides are part of Wheelhouse Detroit’s tour listing and are planned for 10am to 1pm, August 24 and September 28. They will include several stops along the Joe Louis Greenway where ride leaders, Todd Scott or Paul Vial, will talk about development aspects. It will be possible to register for these rides later this month after details are finalized.