The following is a press release from the Healthy Environmental Partnership, an affiliated project of the Detroit Community-Academic Urban Research Center:

FOR RELEASE FEBRUARY 16, 2011

Julia Weinert, Communication Specialist
Phone: 734-763-0741
Fax: 734-763-7379
e-mail: weinertj@umich.edu
Website: www.hepdetroit.org

The Healthy Environments Partnership Greenway Mini-Grants Program is Accepting Applications

Detroit residents who want to create a more beautiful and physically active environment in their communities are in luck. The Healthy Environments Partnership (HEP) Greenway Mini-Grant program is funding projects, up to $1000, that will take place along the Conner Creek, Brightmoor Lyndon, and Corktown-Mexicantown Greenways. HEP will be accepting requests for proposals from Detroiters engaging community residents, building local ownership, and promoting social and physical activity along the greenways. Some examples of the types of projects that will be funded are: creating youth artwork along the greenways, planting community gardens adjacent to the greenways, or hosting walk & talk programs that bring policy makers out where residents can share their local concerns.

For more information contact Julia Weinert at 734-763-0741, weinertj@umich.edu or go to the HEP website at www.hepdetroit.org and click on ‘Community Activities’. Mini-Grant materials will also be available at neighborhood development corporations in Eastside, Northwest, and Southwest Detroit. The application deadline is April 15, 2011.

The Healthy Environments Partnership, established in 2000, is a partnership including the Brightmoor Community Center, Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation, Friends of Parkside, Rebuilding Communities Incorporated, The Detroit Department of Health and Wellness Promotion, Henry Ford Health System, and the University of Michigan. It is funded through the National Institute of Environmental Science and is an affiliated project of the Detroit Community-Academic Urban Research Center.

Sure, good pavement makes most biking easier. However, when it comes to adding trails through parks and greenspace, that pavement can prevent rainwater from naturally percolating through the soil.

There has been much discussion on porous pavements as a solution.

In fact, Brewing Chemisty is hosting such a discussion at 7pm on February 15th at the Traffic Jam and  Snug. It’s a presentation on the FilterPave® Porous Paving System by David Bower, Ph.D., a Senior Research Chemist at the BASF Corporation.

The Filterpave® system provides several advances over traditional hard surface pavements which address these and other environmental issues in an attractive and cost-effective manner. It combines specially treated post-consumer recycled glass with a two component polyurethane binder to create a porous pavement that captures stormwater allowing it to slowly migrate into the soil. This nearly eliminates stormwater runoff and helps replenish the local aquifer with clean, naturally filtered water.

It does seem like this pavement could work for our trails. Not only does it allow stormwater to pass through, it uses recycled materials. The pigmentation options are an added benefit.

And trails with porous pavement don’t have puddles.

Also, if you’re still not sure what porous pavement can do, you might consider watching this interesting demo.

Now and then an old Souvenir of Detroit item will appear on eBay.

These souvenir items often highlight the most memorable or unique locations within the city — the “must see” public spaces. This blue plate is one example.

If one were to make the plate for Detroit today, it would be a bit difficult choosing among the many site candidates: Campus Maritius, RiverWalk, Ambassador Bridge, Spirit of Detroit, Comerica Park, Fox Theatre, Dequindre Cut, Belle Isle, Renaissance Center, Book Cadillac, and the always-required Michigan Central Station.

The same cannot be said for many Detroit suburbs. What would you put on a Rochester Hills plate besides the Clinton River and Paint Creek Trail? It seems Troy’s choices drop off fast once you include Somerset Mall and their historic area. And what about Clinton Township?

So what? What’s the market for souvenir plates nowadays?

But it’s really not about plates. It’s about building memorable and unique public spaces that help attract and retain residents — something we’re not doing very well in Michigan.

According to a presentation given by Gary Heidel, Interim Director for the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (October 2010):

Heidel also adds that urban/city placemaking should include:

Expanding a waterfront walk and bicycle system, and promoting and contributing to an integrated regional bicycle trail system with excellent connections in the city and adjoining jurisdictions.

So placemaking is just another justification for promoting bicycling and trails in Detroit.

And good placemaking means good plate making.

Below are some photos taken this week of the new Conner Creek Greenway segment from Jefferson Avenue to the Detroit River at Mahera Gentry Park.

This 1.3 mile segment includes four different types of bicycle facilities! We have photos of each type.

Photo 1: Starting at Jefferson and heading south, there is a short stretch of shared, signed-roadway. It is signed as such.

Photo 2: The bike lanes begin.

Photo 3: Bayview Yacht Club needed occasional special events parking along Clairpointe about four times a year. There wasn’t enough roadway width for bike lanes and dedicated parking, so only the latter was constructed. However, since there are very rarely any cars parked here, it becomes a wide de facto bike lane. The road is signed as a bike route, too. This is a clever win-win solution that’s been used successfully in Chicago.

Photo 4: This is where approximately 2,000 (?) feet of shared-use path winds through Maheras Gentry Park and ends along the Detroit River.