Revitalizing the downtown Detroit riverfront has been a 23-year process for the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. That’s how long the group has been working to transform a 5 1/2-mile stretch between the Ambassador Bridge to Canada and the Douglas MacArthur Bridge to Belle Isle into a waterfront promenade with parks and greenways along the Detroit River. The 3-mile Detroit International RiverWalk has repeatedly been voted the No. 1 riverwalk in America by USA Today readers in the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.
The conservancy unveiled the latest phase of the riverfront’s transformation—the completion of Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park—last October. The picturesque park includes the William Davidson Sport House with indoor basketball courts and event space; the DTE Foundation Summit, with its expansive lawn for gatherings; and Delta Dental Play Garden.
That leaves about a half mile to complete, says the conservancy’s Director of Communications Marc Pasco, who believes the riverfront can be a deciding factor for meeting planners weighing Detroit as a host city. “Having an amenity like the riverfront be so close to where they’re going to spend their time with conventions is a huge draw,” he says.
