A River Runs Through It will focus on three past, present and future river-related projects in Michigan:
Arcadia Creek, Kalamazoo
Steve Deisler, Downtown Kalamazoo Incorporated (DKI)
Jack Hopkins, Jack hopkins Consulting Services, LLC
For more than a century, Arcadia Creek lay buried under the streets of Kalamazoo. A section of the creek was uncovered in 1995, leading to an economic resurgence within the surrounding area –which had been in decline since the 1980s- including the development of new businesses, a museum park and Kalamazoo’s Festival Place. Jack Hopkins, founder of Jack Hopkins Consulting Services, LLC, and former President/CEO of the Kalamazoo Community Foundation and Steve Deisler, President of Downtown Kalamazoo Incorporated (DKI) will discuss the challenges of daylighting Arcadia Creek, the opportunities presented by such a project and lessons learned throughout the process of reactivating both the creek and the space surrounding it.
The Clinton River, Pontiac
Representatives of the Larson Center for Leadership class of 2013
Many people have no idea there is a river flowing underneath downtown Pontiac. Much like Arcadia Creek, the Clinton River was buried due to factors such as expanding industrial and commercial development and annual flooding issues. Also like Arcadia Creek, the economy of the surrounding area has spiraled downwards in the years since. The result of collaboration between ULI Michigan’s Larson Center for Leadership and Oakland County, Daylighting Potential of the Clinton River: A Feasibility Study in Pontiac, Michigan was produced by participants of the 2012-2013 Larson Center for Leadership class through the center’s Technical Assistance Program component. The report outlines the current state of the river, the infrastructure above it and the municipality through which it flows, examines the practical and fiscal aspects of such a project and details a thorough plan for a daylighting alternative that could result in the desired economic surge “blueways” have been known to bring to urban areas.
Grand River, Grand Rapids
Chris Muller, Grand Rapids White Water
Chip Richards, Grand Rapids White Water
Chris Muller and Chip Richards of Grand Rapids Whitewater will present the recently released preliminary plan to restore the rapids to the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids. The plan, which is based on two years of scientific and engineering studies that evaluated the river bottom, sediment, wildlife and other factors to understand the river, illustrates opportunities for river recreation and rapids restoration through the city of Grand Rapids, creating unique centerpiece for the city.
Registration Information:
The cost of this event is $40.00 for ULI Members and $65.00 for prospective members.
Advance registration closes Tuesday, June 3, 2014. On-site registration will be available the day of the event. VISIT: http://michigan.uli.org/event/river-runs/
to register.
