Yes, it’s safe to swim at Belle Isle (most of the time)
Except after a heavy rain, you’re clear to swim at the beach on the Detroit River — here’s what the experts say
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An A to Z guide to Belle Isle, the ‘Jewel of Detroit’
Belle Isle has been a favorite Detroit spot for centuries and the most visited state park in Michigan. More than 5 million visitors last year barbecued, bird-watched, went to the beach, got married, held reunions or just took in the breathtaking views of the Detroit River. Beyond the beach and picnic spots, the island is …
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The Climate Crisis Gives Sailing Ships a Second Wind
Cargo vessels are some of the dirtiest vehicles in existence. Can a centuries-old technology help to clean them up?
Landmark riverfront building in Detroit being taken down
The prominent Detroit Harbor Terminal building along the riverfront is coming down. Better known as the Boblo boat building, just west of the Ambassador Bridge on the Detroit side, the 10-storey structure has sat vacant for roughly two decades. After years of being ravaged by vandalism, scavengers and thrill seekers, it is finally being taken …
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Water taxis to make a comeback on Detroit River?
Before the bridges, the roads, and the highways, there were ferries. In Detroit, some are pushing for a comeback after more than a decade of discussion. Earlier this month, City Council member Angela Whitfield-Calloway asked the Detroit-Wayne County Port Authority to conduct a feasibility study on connecting 25 miles of the Detroit River by passenger …
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Community leaders are working to transform Downriver
Downriver, the unofficial name for a cluster of 18 cities and townships just south of Detroit, is undergoing a transformation. From opening new restaurants to revitalizing its riverfront, the community is working hard to create a more vibrant and economically prosperous area for its residents. Spearheading this effort is Sue Trussell, the director of the Brownstown Downtown Development …
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Beavers reclaiming land on abandoned island in Detroit River
Wandering into a beaver habitat can be like entering a disaster zone. Shoreline bushes chewed back. Nearby trees felled and demolished. Hundreds of branches piled near a mound damming up a river and flooding the area. To some people the scene looks like environmental havoc. To the beaver, it’s home. Using trail cameras, FOX 2 photojournalist …
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‘A real attraction’: Detroit’s revived riverfront poised for more development
Twenty years ago, Detroit’s riverfront was in shambles. Access to the waterfront was limited and parts of the more than three-mile stretch were littered with crumbling vacant buildings and the air was filled with the sounds and debris from heavy machinery and cement factories. During the past two decades, Detroit’s riverfront and its Riverwalk have …
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Fight to make the Detroit River a UNESCO world heritage site picking up support
A Detroit-based historian’s 15-year battle to see the Detroit River become a UNESCO world heritage site is getting more aggressive. The president of the Detroit River Project, Kimberly Simmons, believes efforts to recognize the historic river between Windsor and Detroit are gaining momentum as officials prepare a formal bid for when the tentative list opens …
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Engineer Cornelius L. Henderson helped connect Windsor and Detroit. Here’s who he was
In Windsor and Detroit, efforts are underway to publicize the life and legacy of Cornelius L. Henderson, one of the engineers who helped design both the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. “He was responsible for helping with the design of these steel trusses that make up the Canadian approach to the bridge and the steel …
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Could Detroit’s buried streams see the light of day?
Some of the water flowing through Detroit’s sewers were part of creeks that spread across the city when it was mostly farmland. When a creek flows into a sewer, and that sewer is opened, that’s called “daylighting.” Architects say daylighting can relieve urban flooding and promote economic development.
New Tall Ship Will Be Coming to Grand Traverse Bay to Sail the Great Lakes
There will be a new tall ship sailing the Great Lakes this year, and it will soon be heading to its new home in Northern Michigan. The Inland Seas Education Association made the big announcement to its supporters, they’ve acquired a new vessel. The schooner “Alliance” will be joining the fleet on West Grand Traverse Bay. …
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Meet the man who served as the ‘voice of the Detroit River’ for 58 years
Night after night, across the dark waters of the Detroit River, crackled the voices of skippers of Great Lakes ships bound for Cleveland or Duluth, for Buffalo or Ashtabula. “Frank, good morning, Frank,” they would call, and the raspy, distinctive voice of Frank Zuzek, dispatcher for the J.W. Westcott Co., would note their arrival time …
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Schrupp: Metro Detroiters Need Great Lakes jobs | Opinion
We think of cars when we think of Detroit. This is the Motor City after all. And the automotive industry has served us well for generations. As head of the Wayne County-Detroit Port Authority, I believe we need to make room in our obsession with cars to embrace another aspect of our city’s history: the …
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A New Age of Sail
“A New Age of Sail: The History and Future of Sail Freight on the Hudson River” examines the long history of sailing cargo vessels on the Hudson River, from the 17th century until their decline in the mid-20th century, and how the lessons of that era might help us combat the challenges of climate change …
The Great Blue Herons of Stony Island
Have you ever gone for a peaceful walk along a creek or lake and been spooked by the sound of what you think is a pterodactyl? It can be quite unsettling to hear the unexpected frahnk frahnk of a startled great blue heron who just had its fishing expedition disrupted. The great blue heron can be found throughout …
Detroit River Story Lab program connects students to cultural, environmental heritage
Turn off your phone. Close your eyes. Tune in to your senses. What do you hear? What do you feel? Students aboard the two-masted schooner Inland Seas this summer shouted out answers as they sailed along the Detroit River: Waves! Gulls! A noisy freighter! “The wind is all in your eyes!” one student exclaimed. The students were participating in …
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How Detroit’s Black-led organizations are cultivating access to nature as acts of liberation
Detroiter Ian Solomon began building a deep relationship with the outdoors while attending college in Arizona for broadcast journalism. He’d never been in a place with such access to mountains and nature before, and he quickly fell in love. But during his forays into the wilderness, he often felt like he was entering predominantly white …
