In Detroit, a new connecting greenway is officially under construction; The Southwest Greenway, which will connect the planned Ralph C. Wilson Centennial Park to Bagley Street and Michigan Central, is expected to open this autumn.
This 67-mile greenway is a vital link in the Joe Louis Greenway, which will eventually be a 27.5-mile route that circles Detroit and extends into Highland Park, Hamtramck, and Dearborn. The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, the City of Detroit, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, the Michigan DNR and Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund, the Michigan Department of Transportation, and the Walters Family Foundation are all collaborators in the $8 million project.
In addition, Michigan Central announced a $5 million commitment for the Southwest Greenway, which would connect to their mobility center on Bagley near Michigan Central Station. The Detroit RiverFront Conservancy also announced that the building on Ralph Wilson Park will begin next month. Michael Van Valkenburgh and Associates created this park, which was revealed in 2018. The 22-acre park will have a huge play garden, basketball courts, a water garden, and a wide lawn with event space.
Commentary on the Southwest Greenway in Detroit
“The Southwest Greenway will make it easy and fun for people living and working on the west side of Detroit to get to the Detroit Riverfront. The Southwest Greenway will provide a similar experience to the Dequindre Cut. We are tremendously grateful for Michigan Central’s partnership in this project and all of our partners for working together to make this a reality,” said Matt Cullen, chairman, of Detroit Riverfront Conservancy.
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“I am excited to see that we have been intentional as a city of departments to include our neighborhoods in all of our outreach and all of our engagement when it comes to quality park space and quality opportunities in this city,” said Antoine Bryant, director of the Planning & Development Department for the City of Detroit, at the ceremony for the groundbreaking.
