Rounding out an exceptional year of educational, inspirational, and thought-provoking events, members and guests of The Collaborative Group visited Detroit’s RiverWalk on Thursday, June 9. Detroit RiverFront Conservancy president and CEO, Faye Alexander Nelson, shared that the Conservancy was founded in 2003 as a nonprofit organization with a two-fold mission:
- To connect the public to the riverfront; and
- To serve as a catalyst for economic development along the riverfront.
To bring vision to reality, the Conservancy partnered with major local players including General Motors which made significant financial contributions and assisted with building out the waterfront in front of the Renaissance Center; the City of Detroit which made mixed-use development possible; and the Kresge foundation which contributed $50-million dollars.
Boasting over 31-acres, the long-term vision for the Conservancy is to host 5.5-miles of RiverWalk – Phase 1 is presently 80% complete. As fundraisers, builders, and stewards, the team at Conservancy engages with the community at many levels to come together and focus on the waterfront revitalization and continued sustainability. Public-private partnerships were essential to making the project and on-going efforts possible.
For more information on upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, maps, and more, visit www.DetroitRiverFront.org and check them out Facebook.