| HEP Mini-Grant Projects 2011 |
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In the Spring of 2011 a total of 11 projects (totaling $8,400) were awarded to community residents and organizations in Detroit. The projects took place along the Conner Creek, Brightmoor Lyndon, and Corktown-Mexicantown Greenways. The organizations and their project are listed below.
The Riverside Kayak Connection project provided scholarships for residents on the East Side of Detroit to participate in kayak trips launched from the foot of the Conner Creek Greenway at Maheras-Gentry Park in Detroit. The tours included a short kayaking lesson followed by a guided tour of Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River.
Over the summer community leader, Ingrid Davis, organized a crew of youth to beautify parcels of land surrounding the Conner Creek greenway. Twice a week the crew planted, weeded and watered gardens at the corner of Essex and Conner and at the corner of Avondale, near the entrance to Maheras-Gentry Park. The project was welcomed by neighborhood residents and also empowered youth to take ownership of the area surrounding the Greenway. The Far Eastside Ride was a free bike tour of the City of Detroit. The tour promoted safe urban cycling and healthy living in a lead-by-example approach. HEP funds supported the purchase of 30 bike helmets given away to participating adults and children. The tour highlighted natural, historical, and cultural resources of the Conner Creek Community and surrounding neighborhoods.
Building Healthier Hearts Along the Milbank Conner Creek Greenway (East Side)
Nortown Community Development Corporation Award: $1000 This year-round effort promotes heart health along the Milbank portion of the Conner Creek Greenway through a range of community activities. A guided tour of historic sites along the Greenway took place during the Festival of Trees Art Fair. Residents maintained gardens along the Greenway over the Summer. The Boo Walk will take place in October and parents and children will Trick-or-Treat along the Greenway receiving healthy snacks instead of candy. Indoor Hustle classes will start in November to promote physical activity during the winter. Outdoor yoga sessions were held at parks along the Milbank and Conner Creek Greenway on Saturday mornings throughout the summer. Youth and adult residents participated in yoga routines, breathing exercises and meditation. The yoga sessions brought community members together for exercise classes that made unique use of the recreational areas along the Greenway.
Leland Youth Grown Garden (Northwest) Youth from Leland Baptist Church and the surrounding Brightmoor community planted 5 raised beds and 25 clay pots of organic herbal plants. The herbs were harvested throughout the summer and sold at the Northwest Farmers Market. Youth introduced new produce into the community and also educated people along the Greenway about healthy eating and healthy foods.
Award: $1000
The Timeless Garden II project is a continuation of a previous effort to enhance and beautify the pocket park along the Lyndon Greenway. Over the summer, youth engaged in workshops at the garden to learn about planting and garden planning. They took pictures of the various plants and insects that lived in the park. Youth also designed maps and signs of the park that will be installed this fall.
Repurposing the Johannes Tree Dome Park (Northwest)
Award: $1000
The Brightmoor community is creating a youth focused "Tree Dome Park" near the entrance to the Eliza Howell Park. The park will increase use and ownership of an area along the Lyndon Greenway. The centerpiece of the park will be a tree-dome sculpture created by an artist from the neighborhood. Residents will assist with construction of the sculpture and will plant flowers and trees in the park. Signs for the renovated space will be created by neighborhood youth.
Award: $1000
In conjunction with a local artist, community volunteers designed and built a bike rack for the Corktown-Mexicantown Greenway on the northeast end of Clark Park in Southwest Detroit. The rack was built using recycled materials and donated equipment from local contractors. Its unique design makes it a piece of functional art and builds local ownership of the Greenway system.
Youth participating in Southwest Custom Bikes' Summer Bicycle Club met twice a week over a 6 week period to learn about biking and to find ways to build and install bicycle racks in Southwest Detroit that would service youth in the neighborhood. Youth secured materials and suggested sights for the bike racks based on their personal experiences and installed bike racks in locations near the Corktown- Mexicantown Greenway.
Corktown-Mexicantown Greenway Flowering Tree Beautification Project (Southwest) Flowering trees will be planted along the Corktown-Mexicantown Greenway near the General George S. Patton Memorial Center. The tree plantings will be complemented with mulch and Michigan wildflowers where appropriate. The project will create a lasting and aesthetically pleasing addition to the greenway, beautifying the entry point into Detroit at West Vernor and encouraging use of the greenway in Spring when the trees are blooming.
For more information contact Julia Weinert at 734-763-0741or e-mail her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . |
| Last Updated on Thursday, October 13 2011 09:10 am |
Award: $500
Award: $950