"Way down upon the Huron River..."
Life along the Huron River in Ypsilanti looks to get better this year now that the City Council approved plans to revitalize the two major parks bordering the city's downtown area on Tuesday. Throw a $20,000 grant they recently received on top of that and things are definitely looking up.
Washtenaw County awarded the Depot Town Community Development Corp., which is headed up the park improvement efforts, a $20,000 conceptual improvement grant for Riverside and Frog Island parks. This is on top of a $15,000 grant the Depot Town CDC received from Fifth Third Bank earlier this year to improve the parks.
The money will help redevelop the parks by supporting capital improvements and community programs. The redesigned parks will emphasize health/fitness, education, arts/culture, recreation and economic development.
Frog Island and Riverside parks line the Huron River, connecting Ypsilanti's two city centers: downtown and Depot Town. Many of the city's big festivals, such as The Michigan Elvisfest, are held in the parks each year. The improvements will be just the latest in a series of recent upgrades that have included installing new lighting.
The Depot Town CDC is working to exploit opportunities for the historic district along with its surrounding community. A primary focus has been developing the city's park system into a featured attraction. Organizers hope to secure $2.5 million for capital improvements by working with Eastern Michigan University, Washtenaw Community College, City of Ypsilanti, Depot Town DDA, Washtenaw County and the state.
Source: Brian Vosburg, director of the Ypsilanti Downtown and Depot Town development authorities
Writer: Jon Zemke
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