WXYZ DETROIT — It took twenty creative years to complete another Detroit riverfront milestone. The recent opening of the Uniroyal Promenade puts a feather on the cap of the 3.5-mile East Riverfront. The cleanup of that old industrial site is a major accomplishment. Our congratulations to the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy and its partners for a promise made, and a promise kept!
Its mission was to develop public access to the city’s riverfront and serve as a catalyst for economic development. This latest half-mile extension connects Mt. Elliott Park and the rest of the East Riverfront to the MacArthur Bridge leading to Belle Isle. Now the Riverwalk stretches all the way to the area near Huntington Place. All of this is enhanced by beautiful public spaces, world-class parks, and popular trails.
Over the past two decades, the Conservancy has invested $300 million in the Detroit Riverfront. That has generated a reported $2 billion in public and private investment. The new Uniroyal Promenade alone represents an $11 million dollar investment.
This bold vision has led to 3.5 million visitors along the Detroit Riverwalk annually. It has also reshaped Detroit’s national image by being named the “Best Riverwalk” in the nation by USA Today, three years in a row.
The overall goal of the Conservancy is to fully develop five-and-a-half miles of the Detroit riverfront from the Ambassador Bridge on the west to Gabriel Richard Park, just east of the MacArthur Bridge. Working with the city, the state, private companies, and non-profits, the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy is proving what a community can achieve when we all work together.
I’m Mike Murri, V.P. & General Manager
Broadcast: November 2 - 5, 2023
