Creating World-Class Gathering Places for People and Wildlife along the Detroit Riverfront, Michigan, USA

John Hartig,Mark Wallace

doi:10.3390/su71115073

John Hartig, Mark Wallace

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su71115073

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Abstract

Metropolitan Detroit, Michigan, USA is the automobile capital of the world, part of the industrial heartland and Rust Belt, and a major urban area. For over two centuries, the Detroit River was perceived as a working river that supported commerce and industry. Like many other large North American cities, the Motor City made the Detroit River its back door, with businesses facing inland and away from the river. Compounding the problem, Detroit became indifferent to the water pollution that was perceived as a necessary by-product of industrial progress. By the 1960s, the Detroit River was one of the most polluted rivers in North America. Today, the cleanup and recovery of the Detroit River represent one of the most remarkable ecological recovery stories in North America with the return of bald eagles, peregrine falcons, osprey, lake sturgeon, lake whitefish, mayflies, and more. Out of this recovery has come two transformational projects—the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge and the Detroit RiverWalk—that are helping change the perception of the region from that of a Rust Belt city to one of a leader of urban sustainability that reconnects people to nature, improves quality of life, promotes sustainable redevelopment, and enhances community pride. Key lessons learned include: recruit a well-respected champion; ensure broad support from key stakeholder groups; establish core delivery team, focused on outcomes; build trust; adopt a strategic approach to community engagement, creating a connected community; evoke a sense of place; and measure and celebrate successes to sustain momentum.

Highlights

The traditional use of most North American urban waterfronts has been shipping, manufacturing, and associated land-based transportation and storage facilities [1]
Metropolitan Detroit, Michigan, USA is probably best known as the automobile capital of the United States, the home of Motown Music, and a quintessential Rust Belt city characterized by over a 60% decline in population, economic decline, and urban decay
River Place campus is 300 River Place, a 46,452 m2 (500,000 square foot), multi-tenant general office and retail building that includes one of Detroit’s premier restaurants called The Rattlesnake Club. This clearly was instrumental in laying the foundation for the Detroit RiverWalk and provided an early example of the unique role of business

Summary

Introduction

The traditional use of most North American urban waterfronts has been shipping, manufacturing, and associated land-based transportation and storage facilities [1]. Much like the effort to recreate front porches on houses in U.S cities to encourage a sense of community and foster sustainable development [10], creation of publicly-accessible waterfronts in urban areas with riparian habitat and other ecological features can help recreate gathering places for both wildlife and people with many social, economic and environmental benefits. The purpose of this manuscript is to explore metropolitan Detroit as a case study of sustainable waterfront redevelopment by:. Such efforts are critically important if we want to inspire the generation of sustainability entrepreneurs and conservationists in urban areas because that is where most people on our planet live

Brief History of Waterfront Development along the Detroit River

Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge

Detroit RiverWalk

Key Linkages between Detroit and Its Suburbs to Help Foster Sustainability

Findings

Concluding Remarks