Have you ever thought "Gee, crossing Evergreen Road and Hubbard as a pedestrian can be mighty dangerous! I wish I could safely walk
from the Main Campus to the Fairlane Centers..." after class ended and the shuttles stopped running?
The following public meetings are opportunities to make the University of Michigan-Dearborn campus more walkable (maybe even less liable!), and the city more livable (which also helps reduce regional vehicular emissions) are coming soon. Also, ask Dr. Bazzi if the public hearings merit ESCI/ENST 385 seminar credit.
9/14 Dearborn Recreation Master Plan public meeting
http://dearbornrecplan.com/about/
7:30 pm, Tuesday, September 14, at the Ford Community and Performing
Arts Center, 15801 Michigan Avenue inside Studio A
9/15 Dearborn by Rail public forum
6:00-8:00 pm Dining Room B Fairlane Center South, University of
Michigan-Dearborn
The state of Michigan suspects there's interest in rail transportation, this hearing (1/15 in the state) is to assess the public's response--expressing interest/support in writing as well as by attending would make a difference in how we can get to where we go, and has potential to make substantial positive environmental impacts in the region.
I'm beginning to realize that a few people can make a huge difference at events like these--especially when the proposals are reasonable and welcomed by the community. Bill McKibben (of 350.org) or Michael Brune (of the Sierra Club) mentioned today on Science Friday that representatives only needed 100,000 "environmentalists" to call them showing support for a climate bill in the Senate. Most local stuff gets even less attention, but we also deal with its outcomes on a day to day basis.
Here are my comments for the recreation master plan, what are yours? In retrospect, I could have reformed and arranged them into pithier arguments instead of nonchalant comments, but for now I'll enlarge the text that boils down most of the ideas presented [edit: I've updated this with the comments submitted to the commission]:
As the 10th largest city in Michigan Dearborn has outstanding resources and initiatives poised to garner national attention for its merit. Below are four recommendations with explanations, examples, and resources which I believe can help contribute to making an even more vibrant community. In overview:
1. Expand the recreation paradigm, include education, create a long-term interdependent vision and a taskforce for the current plan
2. Create a more sustainable community through recreation and collaboration
3. Utilize and collaborate with existing assets to define and achieve a more comprehensive vision and scope of the recreation plan
4. Sustainable, low impact operations and facilities
In detail:
1. Expand the recreation paradigm, include education, create a long-term interdependent vision and taskforce for the current plan
Rather than looking at specific facilities as destinations for recreation, almost all of the city's outdoor features could be approached as recreation opportunities—from being able to stroll or bike through the city and its downtown areas to visiting various outdoor classrooms, gardens, parks, and natural areas.
Also, include education as part of the Recreation Department’s mission, and create educational opportunities in all appropriate places. For example, provide information on exercise and health at rec centers, nutrition near business districts, native flora/fauna and the River in parks, etc.
Finally, create an interdepartmental taskforce and use the first five years of the recreation to set up and implement a comprehensive interdepartmental city plan (a recommendation by Michelle Martinez of the Sierra Club). Work in collaboration with Dearborn’s Sustainability Coordinator (David Norwood), Dearborn’s Department of Economic Development, (especially Barry Murray), planning and development, and zoning boards too.
The first five years can be a significant stage of a longer-term sustainability plan.
2. Create a more sustainable community through recreation and collaboration
Connect neighborhoods and communities on all scales—educational institutions, health services, etc. should be connected with trails/paths for non-motorized transportation and greenways to major city features like parks and neighborhoods. Key activity areas/recreational opportunities in Dearborn with neighboring cities should also be included in the scope of assessment.
Also, strive to make subtle transition spaces between major areas of recreation and major areas of large vehicular transportation. Include buffers/reflecting walls for sound and light that surpass minimum requirements. Ensure that there is accommodation for bikes at major destinations and travel hubs (like storefronts and train stations), and places for bikes and pedestrians to safely transition between walkable areas and larger vehicular traffic places.
Increase walkability and bikeability between Henry Ford Community College, The University of Michigan-Dearborn campuses, and the mall. Integrate bike lanes into the street system. Many principles outlined here are applicable to recreation—especially biking and pedestrian design: http://www.eng.mcmaster.ca/civil/sustain/designparam/checklist.htm
To quickly assess neighborhood walkability:
http://www.walkscore.com/walkable-neighborhoods.shtml
On economic benefits of walkability/bikeability:
My personal experience: I’ve crossed Evergreen Road and Hubbard as a pedestrian and found it can be mighty dangerous—there are no pedestrian crosswalks from the Main Campus to the Fairlane Centers (as well as the mall), and the shuttles stop running after certain evening classes. I rarely went to other parts of Dearborn because vehicular transportation and parking are prerequisites for mobility.
Partner with major health and educational institutions (Oakwood Hospital and Henry Ford Health Clinic; the k-12 schools, colleges and universities) to coordinate publicity of health, economic, and environmental impacts and benefits of the existing various recreation opportunities in Dearborn.
Accelerate the remediation and accessibility of the Rouge River so that it can be easily used for boating/rowing. Work the above groups, the general public, neighboring watershed municipalities (especially their riverfront communities), and The Friends of the Rouge to coordinate awareness, education, publicity, and stewardship for water quality. Dr. Orin Gelderloos of the University of Michigan-Dearborn is a luminary in watershed analysis and education—especially in the Metro-Detroit area—be sure to reach him as well.
3. Locate, utilize, and collaborate with existing assets to define and achieve a more comprehensive vision and scope of the recreation plan
Work especially with the Department of Economic Development, and David Norwood, the Sustainability Coordinator. Coordinate and collaborate between departments and organizations, utilize existing research and studies, include other community assets (natural areas, parks etc.) not currently mapped in the Recreation Master Plan.
Utilize the Metro Detroit Green Map to highlight community assets and recreation opportunities. Collaborate with local businesses, community and environmental organizations, institutions of higher learning, k-12 schools, to locate these sites and populate the map.
For more information about the open green map project: http://www.greenmap.org/greenhouse/en/home
To access the Metro Detroit Green map and suggest a site: http://sustainabledetroit.org/?page_id=276
It would be a great project for students learning Geographic Information Systems and cartography--utilize university/college students to help facilitate additional development of the green map. The University of Michigan-Dearborn has a strong GIS program.
Finally, use the maps to increase awareness of resources and opportunities available to all.
4. Sustainable, low impact operations and facilities
The Dearborn Recreation Commission (DRC) should include environmentally sustainable and economically sound practices in the master plan. DRC operations, grounds, and facilities stand to save money—including money from Dearborn taxpayers—in the near and long term via conservation and efficiency efforts as well as investments in training, retrofitting, and construction of facilities that have low/zero environmental impact.
· Convert unused lawn space for outdoor recreation opportunities with native plants, plus save money on care and maintenance. This article includes a table with calculations based on a 1 acre area and adjusts for inflation: http://www.recmanagement.com/200304gc02.php
Invite aspiring students, professors, and landscape architects in designing, an economically feasible, aesthetically pleasing, and ecologically sound strategies for native plantings and signage for outdoor educational opportunities.
For initial consultation, don't forget to invite the local professors like Dr. Orin Gelderloos (of Biology and Environmental Studies) and Dr. David Susko (Biology and Botany) at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, someone in the UM Ann Arbor SNRE landscape architecture program like Bob Grese may also be of valuable consultation too. It would make for outstanding internship/co-op opportunities for the local universities, colleges, and high schools. The implementation would also make for great community volunteer opportunities.
Invest education into any landscapers and city foresters about native species, non-native species, and non-native invasive species to ensure that appropriate selections are used in the parks and public spaces. Furthermore, pesticide use and invasive species can be reduced through the implementation of the above recommendations and by engaging the public in voluntary operations for ecosystem management.
○ Michelle Martinez of the Sierra Club Cool Cities program had several recommendations here as well: the city should invest in energy efficiency training for recreation facility managers to implement energy audits and retrofits of their facilities to reduce wasteful city expenditures on energy inefficiencies and garner savings in the long-term. Grants and funding strategies are available through many organizations, reach Michelle or I for some places to start.
The Recreation Department’s operations (hours for lighting at outdoor parks, in buildings) should be [re?] assessed. A plan for energy conservation should be developed and implemented within the next two years.
· The “Complete Streets” concept should be forefront in the development of all future roads to include non-motorized transit space.
According to Tom Woiwode of the Community Foundation of South East Michigan, federal highway/roadway TIGER funding could be allocated toward these projects.
· Also for roads, trails, parking lots and paths, use pervious pavement—much like the Ford Rouge Factory’s parking lot pavement. It gives additional benefits to water quality, and may even reduce the risk of hydroplaning/slipping in wet/icy weather.
· In support of another commentators' suggestions on the Dearborn Master Plan website, don't forget to include recycling and composting receptacles with the garbage cans—it'd also be neat if Dearborn had a bottle/can arcade like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSiHjMU-MUo I'm sure students with engineering/computer science focuses at UM-Dearborn and HFCC would be able to make something similar.
Follow-up: In the news
ReplyDeletehttp://www.examiner.com/city-buzz-in-detroit/dearborn-city-council-getting-recommendation-to-adopt-5-year-master-plan-for-rec