Bringing Detroit’s Neighborhoods back by eliminating blight and transforming vacant areas into beauty
Joe Louis Greenway
The Joe Louis Greenway is a recreational pathway that will unify Detroit’s neighborhoods, people and parks. Through this greenway, we strive to honor Joe Louis by providing equitable spaces through arts, programming, and economic opportunities for all.
For more information, visit detroitmi.gov/joelouisgreenway
Roosevelt Park
Roosevelt Park was an under utilized park space in Corktown, in front of what is now Ford's Michigan Central Station. Recent renovations reconfigured the roads in the area, to create one large unified Roosevelt Park. The park now has extensive ornamental gardens, path-ways, and a promenade linking Southwest Detroit, Michigan Central, and Corktown together.
BEAUTIFYING DETROIT
The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy manages four parks along the East Riverfront. What is now known as Cullen Plaza was the first park to open in 2007. Gabriel Richard Park followed in 2009. Mt. Elliott Park opened in 2014 and the Robert C. Valade Park made its debut in 2019.
The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy also manages three greenways: the Dennis Archer Greenway, the Dequindre Cut and Southwest Greenway.
Mt. Elliott Park
Dequindre Cut
Gabriel Richard Park
Robert C. Valade
Rivard Riverfront
The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy is a non-profit organization founded in 2003 with the mission to develop public access to Detroit’s riverfront and serve as an anchor for economic development. The three launching founders were the City of Detroit, General Motors and the Kresge Foundation.
As the permanent stewards of the Riverwalk and the Dequindre Cut, the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy is responsible for raising the funds needed for construction, operation, maintenance, security and programming of the public spaces located along the riverfront.
The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy’s ultimate vision is to develop five-and-a-half miles of riverfront from the Ambassador Bridge on the west to Gabriel Richard Park, just east of the MacArthur Bridge to Belle Isle.
The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy completed its vision for 3.5-miles of revitalized riverfront on the East Riverfront in Fall 2023.
The Detroit Riverfront was named the Best Riverwalk in the country by USA Today three years in a row (2021, 2022 and 2023).
Visit www.detroitriverfront.org for more information.
Riverside Park
Riverside Park has recently completed a five phase, multi-year renovation project. The original park was closed due to environmental contamination, which the City and its partners remediated as part of the renovations. Through the course of the project, approx. 10 additional acres of park land were added, and the road grid in the area was redesigned to accommodate the park. Riverside now features 2 comfort stations, a boat launch, plazas, playgrounds, splash pad, fishing locations, and an extensive path and riverwalk network.
The Warren Gateway
The Warren Gateway is the first trailhead on the Joe Louis Greenway, a 29-mile cycling and pedestrian loop currently under construction in the city of Detroit. The park is on the border of Detroit and Dearborn, and features a signature playscape, a pavilion with flexible community space, fitness equipment, green infrastructure, and accessible parking. This new space was made possible thanks to a $3M grant from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and $3M in city bond funds. The Joe Louis Greenway is a centerpiece of Mayor Mike Duggan’s “Blight to Beauty” initiative. Construction on the greenway began in 2021, and so far, more than 26 Olympic-sized swimming pools of debris and 23,000 tires have been removed between Warren and I-96 alone.
