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Overall Proposal

The riverfront area of Ann Arbor is one of movement. The river flows by, cars and trains move by at great speeds. Time has also passed. The area has been in decline since the industry left, neigborhoods turned their backs on the river here when it was full of industry and its dirt, noise, and smells. This movement and energy can be a part of Lower Town again in the people using the riverfront and parks. This space is an ideal connection between downtown Ann Arbor, Kerrytown, and the river. It can be the Gateway to the Greenway for Ann Arbor. The riverside link of parks envisioned by the Parks Department can be realized.

Moments like the journey down the millrace by canoers and kayakers, the portage at the substation, a new connection bridge between Riverside Park and Broadway Park, are opportunities to tell a story of Lower Town. The stories of the past can be told in the park shelters, the lights, and the benches. Park pathways can follow the old railing sidings, mark the former course of the river and connect to the streets and neighborhoods.

A long range plan includes areas now owned by a utility company. These areas, if available for reuse someday, present unique opportunities. Park concession space, a riverside restaurant, community meeting space, exhibits for the Underground Railroad sites in Lower Town can be located here. The new Broadway Bridge and the pedestrian paths presents views of Broadway Park and the river, long hidden by overgrown weeds and bushes.

This proposal combines park and recreational space with space for the arts. Needed practice and performance spaces for Ann Arbor artists can combine with a transportation hub near the railroad station. This space can be one of energy but also of quiet, an eddy along the Huron River and the greenway. Users of the greenway can be swept into the eddy and discover a story.

(Click to enlarge.)