Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan gathered with hundreds of community members on Saturday to celebrate the completion of the 3.5-mile East Riverfront plan, which has been in the works for 20 years. The project, led by the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, includes a revitalized riverfront, new parks, and trails running from Huntington Place to Belle Isle.
The event’s big unveiling was the Uniroyal Promenade, a newly built connection and half-mile extension of the riverwalk that completed the East Riverfront trail.
The new pathway was developed on a site that had been vacant since 1980, and connects Gabriel Richard Park to Mt. Elliott Park, providing access to Belle Isle.
The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy also announced the naming of the plaza at Gabriel Richard Park as Christopher Stroh Plaza in memory of Christopher Stroh, whose family has contributed significant donations to support the project.
The vision for this transformation was first set in motion two decades ago when the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy nonprofit launched in 2003 with support from the City of Detroit, The Kresge Foundation, and General Motors. Back then, the organization promised the city that it would create a 3.5-mile network of parks and trails between Huntington Place and Belle Isle.
At the recent celebration, leaders of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy expressed pride in delivering on that promise.
“It’s rare for a city to complete such a bold vision,” Mark Wallace, president and CEO of the Conservancy, said in a press release. “The transformation of the Detroit Riverfront has been supported for 20 years by the love of the community and the investments of countless foundations, corporations, and individuals. No one has done what we’ve done here in Detroit. It is a testament to what happens when we all work together for a common goal.”
The Detroit Riverfront attracts 3.5 million visitors annually and was named Best Riverwalk in the country by USA TODAY 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards for three years in a row.
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