Big park redevelopment projects are playing a significant role in revitalizing two suburban cities: Northville and Ecorse.
Both cities held ribbon cutting ceremonies in the Town Square (Northville) and Dingell parks earlier this month. The Town Square project opens much needed green space in downtown Northville while the new riverwalk in Dingell Park helps open up the Detroit River to downriver patrons.
The Town Square project will expand an existing downtown plaza to 28,600 square feet. It is effectively doubling the public space by replacing an adjacent parking lot. The $1.7-million development, paid for by the Northville Downtown Development Authority, will include a band shell, trees and increased green space.
Meanwhile, Ecorse's Dingell Park now features a rebuilt 1,700-foot-long riverwalk, replacing a boardwalk built in the 1970s. The $800,000 project turned the riverwalk into a sustainable development featuring green technologies, like walking tiles that allow stormwater to soak through back into the ground.
Other improvements include new benches, trash cans, lighting, historic and informational markers, along with fishing and family picnics areas. A new pavilion was also built at the south end to match the one at the north end of the riverwalk. They both can accommodate events and musical performances.
Both parks are expected to enhance the quality of life and improve property values in their respective cities. These types of green spaces are also often credited with helping improve business nearby climates because they serve as people magnets.
Source: Cities of Ecorse and Northville
Writer: Jon Zemke
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