Last week City Council unanimously passed a resolution endorsing a Detroit Parks and Trail Day.

Detroit Parks and Trails Day will be held in conjunction with National Trails Day on the first Saturday in June (June 4, 2011). This is a perfect day for Detroiters to come out and celebrate Detroit’s vast parks and trails. This can be done in many forms from playing a ball game to cleaning up the park. The key is that the green space is being celebrated and utilized!

On Facebook, Evan Major suggesting visiting some of Detroit’s west side parks and trails.

Be sure and check out the mountain bike trail at Rouge Park and the Nature Trail at Eliza Howell! Friends of the Rouge Friends of Eliza Howell Park Great views of the river from both!

While we don’t have a final copy of the official resolution, we do have any earlier draft on which the official version was based.

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We recently received this notice from the Friends of the Clinton River Trail email list. And although we still have a dumb phone, we’re looking forward to using this someday and seeing  similar mobile applications that help promote biking in Metro Detroit.

Friends Group member, Doug Gordon, has created a free app for the Clinton River Trail.

Version 1.0 of the Clinton River Trail Android application is up and available on the Android Market. Those with Android smartphones should know how to install it. Search for “clinton river” and you’ll find it (just searching for “clinton” brings up too many political-related apps!).

This first version has a copy of our standard map that you can drag around on the screen to view different parts. Tapping on any of the 17 numbered points of interest brings up a short description. And that’s about it to start with.

Plans for the future include:

• Using GPS to show where you are on or near the trail, with possible distances to nearby facilities.
• Additional text about locations along and near the trail.
• Support for gestures to zoom in and out.
• Photos at various locations when you tap on them (e.g., at the Rotary Overlook).
• News feed for trail information (e.g., the upcoming construction closure).

Below are job openings with the SCA, a group that has been instrumental in building and improving the bike/hike trails at Detroit’s Rouge Park:

Detroit Community Crew Programs

You can make a difference this summer! Here’s your chance to be part of a program that promotes youth leadership and conservation! The Student Conservation Association is a dynamic, nonprofit national organization which encourages and supports youth in service to the environment. The SCA is currently accepting applications for Crew Leader positions with our 2011 Detroit Community Program.

Responsibilities: Co-lead, mentor and coach a crew of 10 students, ages 15-18, while completing various conservation service projects designed to build an ethic of community and environmental stewardship. Projects include trail and park maintenance, habitat restoration, neighborhood green space revitalization and urban agriculture. In addition, leaders will facilitate pre and post-program planning which includes crew training, environmental education and reporting. Program dates are July 11 – August 19. Mandatory, all expenses paid, residential training dates are June 1-10 (possible alternate dates).

Compensation: up to $3795 total salary depending on experience and crew length.

Qualifications: Be at least 21 years old; able to legally work in the US; have a valid driver’s license and clean driving record; First Aid/CPR certification, experience working with youth or young adults (ages 14-18); experience as a teacher or leader in an educational environment; experience with conservation or related skills, familiarity with and passion for the Detroit community.

How to apply: Send a cover letter and resume to the Detroit Program Manager at scadetroit@thesca.org. Please direct questions to scadetroit@thesca.org or 313.285.1247. Crew leaders are hired on a rolling basis until all positions are filled.

Yesterday I was on the Craig Fahle Show on WDET. The discussion focused on the last night’s Beaufait Greenway meeting and tomorrow’s Greater Riverfront East community meeting.

If you missed the program, the podcast is on line. The discussion on greenways begins at 1:04.

That 9-mile abandoned rail property that I mentioned is part of the planned Inner Circle Greenway.

For those who don’ t know, Fahle is a cyclist and a former bike mechanic at Alfred E. Bikes in Kalamazoo.

– Todd Scott

Planning is underway for a rail-trail project just east of Mt. Elliot. Unlike the Dequindre Cut, most of this railroad is not below ground, except for a portion at Jefferson.

Below is information on a public meeting to discuss this potential greenway project —

Gleaners Community Food Bank is hosting a community forum in Detroit on March 3rd. The forum is to discuss the concept of developing a greenway on the abandoned rail corridor connecting the riverfront to Gratiot Avenue between Beaufait and Bellevue streets. The presentation portion will provide an overview of the project and its connection to similar projects in Detroit and lead to an open discussion on the feasibility of this effort and the opportunity for community member input, questions, and concerns.

Refreshments will be served.

When: Thursday, March 3^rd 2011, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
6:30 PM presentation followed by questions/answers

Where: Gleaners Community Food Bank, 2131 Beaufait Street, Detroit, MI

If you have any questions, please contact Guy Williams (guy@gowilliams.net or 734-395-9836).