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Detroit
Riverfront
Conservancy
receives
$7
million
in new
support
for
Ralph
Wilson
Park;
DTE
Energy
Foundation
announces
$2.5
million
gift |
|
Detroit
Riverfront
Conservancy
and
Partners
Break
Ground
on Ralph
C.
Wilson,
Jr.
Centennial
Park
Transformational
22-Acre
Park on
West
Riverfront
Designed
for All
DETROIT –
The
Detroit
Riverfront
Conservancy
and
partners
broke
ground
today on
the
Ralph C.
Wilson,
Jr.
Centennial
Park, a
22-acre
world-class
park
located
on
Detroit’s
West
Riverfront,
marking
a major
step
forward
in the
Conservancy’s
goal of
completing
5.5
miles of
revitalized
riverfront.
Ralph
Wilson
Park
will
dramatically
transform
the
Detroit
Riverfront
into one
of the
most
beautiful
public
spaces
in the
country
and is a
$75
million
investment
for the
community.
The
park’s
name
honors
the
legacy
of the
late
entrepreneur,
veteran
and
philanthropist
Ralph C.
Wilson,
Jr. and
will be
completed
in 2024.
Mark
Wallace,
president
& CEO
and
William
Smith,
CFO of
the
Detroit
Riverfront
Conservancy
were
joined
by
Michigan
Lt.
Governor
Garlin
Gilchrist
II,
Detroit
Mayor
Mike
Duggan,
David
Egner,
president
& CEO,
Ralph C.
Wilson,
Jr.
Foundation,
Darin
McKeever,
president
& CEO,
William
Davidson
Foundation,
Margaret
Trimer,
VP of
Strategic
Partnerships,
Delta
Dental
of
Michigan,
Amy
McMillan,
director,
Huron-Clinton
Metroparks,
Lynette
Dowler,
president
& chair,
DTE
Energy
Foundation
and
other
dignitaries,
special
guests
and
community
members.
“We have
known
for
years
that
this
part of
the
riverfront
had
tremendous
potential,
and the
Ralph C.
Wilson,
Jr.
Foundation
encouraged
us to
dream
big,”
said
Matt
Cullen,
chairman,
Detroit
Riverfront
Conservancy.
“Parks
like
this
only
happen
once in
a
lifetime.
Ralph
Wilson
Park
will
rank
among
the best
parks in
the
country
and have
a
profound
impact
on
neighborhoods,
and
generations
of
Detroiters
will
gather
together
here and
make
memories
that
last a
lifetime.”
Partners
involved
in
bringing
the
Ralph C.
Wilson,
Jr.
Centennial
Park to
fruition
include
the City
of
Detroit,
Ralph C.
Wilson,
Jr.
Foundation,
William
Davidson
Foundation,
Environmental
Protection
Agency,
Huron-Clinton
Metroparks,
Delta
Dental
of
Michigan
and DTE
Energy
Foundation,
which
announced
a $2.5
million
gift
today
for the
park’s
DTE
Foundation
Hill.
Additionally,
the
Conservancy
announced
several
gifts
totaling
$7
million
from
philanthropists
in
support
of Ralph
Wilson
Park.
Rachel
Bendit
and Mark
Bernstein
are
providing
a $1.5
million
gift to
support
programming
geared
toward
climate
change
awareness
and are
being
recognized
with a
naming
of the
signature
bear
slide.
The Mort
and
Brigitte
Harris
Foundation
is
making a
$1.5
million
investment
in
educational
programming
and will
be
recognized
with the
naming
of the
outdoor
classroom.
Sarah
and Chip
McClure
made a
gift of
$500,000
to
support
the
transformation
of Ralph
Wilson
Park and
will be
recognized
with a
naming
of the
treehouse
slide;
and the
Michigan
Department,
Environment,
Great
Lakes
and
Energy
(EGLE)
provided
$1
million
in
support
of the
environmental
clean-up.
In
October
2018,
the
Ralph C.
Wilson,
Jr.
Foundation
announced
a $40
million
capital
and $10
million
endowment
commitment
to the
Conservancy
for the
future
Ralph
Wilson
Park.
The
Foundation
also
provided
additional
capital
support
to
ensure
key
connections
to the
park
could be
made
between
the East
Riverfront
and West
Riverfront
and
beyond
with the
addition
of the
Southwest
Greenway.
“Today’s
groundbreaking
milestone
would
not be
possible
if not
for the
bold and
ambitious
vision
set
forth by
the
Detroit
Riverfront
Conservancy
and
their
partners
nearly
20 years
ago to
develop
five-and-a-half
miles of
riverfront,”
said
David O.
Egner,
president
& CEO,
Ralph C.
Wilson,
Jr.
Foundation.
“The
Conservancy
has led
with
community
voice in
every
step to
plan the
future
Ralph
Wilson
Park –
and
paired
with the
incredible
collaboration
and
support
across
multiple
entities
and
organizations
– will
contribute
to this
park
reaching
its full
potential
as a
beloved
destination
for
Detroiters
and
visitors
from
across
the
region
and
beyond.
It’s
this
dedication
and
teamwork
that our
founder
Ralph
Wilson
valued
very
much
throughout
his
life.”
“As a
longtime
patron
of the
Detroit
Riverfront,
I am
proud to
kick off
the
construction
of
Wilson
Park,”
said Lt.
Governor
Garlin
Gilchrist
II.
“Michigan
is full
of
unmatched
natural
beauty,
and the
Ralph C.
Wilson,
Jr.
Centennial
Park
will be
no
different.
Governor
Whitmer
and I
have
made
historic
investments
in
Michigan’s
state
and
local
parks,
and we
are
committed
to
ensuring
that
every
Michigander
can
experience
and
enjoy
our
natural
resources.”
"Twenty
years
ago
nobody
would
have
believed
that
Detroit's
riverfront
- with
its
cement
silos
and
parking
lots -
would
become
one of
the most
beautiful
and
accessible
waterfronts
in the
country,”
said
Mayor
Mike
Duggan.
“But
through
the work
of the
Detroit
Riverfront
Conservancy,
city
government
and
countless
partners,
that's
exactly
what we
have. In
just a
couple
of
years,
our
riverfront
will
achieve
true
world-class
status
when the
new
Ralph C.
Wilson,
Jr.
Centennial
Park
opens
with its
incredible
amenities
and
physical
features.
Even
better
is the
fact
that it
will
connect
to the
Joe
Louis
Greenway,
giving
residents
in
neighborhoods
across
the city
direct
access
to this
extraordinary
new
park.
Detroit
is so
fortunate
to have
been the
beneficiary
of this
incredible
gift
from the
Ralph C.
Wilson,
Jr.
Foundation.”
The
world-class
Ralph
Wilson
Park
will
feature
a water
garden,
the
William
Davidson
Sport
House,
the
Delta
Dental
Play
Garden
with an
array of
animal
structures
and the
DTE
Foundation
Hill, an
expansive
lawn for
special
events.
The
William
Davidson
Sport
House
will add
to the
public
offerings
on the
Detroit
Riverfront
and
features
a raised
canopy
and
skylight
in a
multi-use
flexible
space
for a
range of
programs
and
events.
The
William
Davidson
Foundation
granted
$10
million
in
support
of the
Conservancy’s
campaign.
“Great
public
spaces
are at
the
heart of
any
great
city,”
said
Darin
McKeever,
president
& CEO of
the
William
Davidson
Foundation.
“Ralph
Wilson
Park
will be
a
thriving,
wonderful
place
where
generations
of
Detroiters
and
visitors
can
gather,
play,
exercise,
and
enjoy
the
beautiful
outdoors
alongside
Detroit’s
incredible
waterfront.
We are
thrilled
to
partner
with the
community
in this
exciting
effort.”
In 2019,
Delta
Dental
of
Michigan
made a
$5
million
investment
in a
four-acre
playground,
the
Delta
Dental
Play
Garden.
The
playground
will
feature
a large
20-foot
bear
play
structure
that
children
can
climb up
and
slide
down as
well as
otters,
beavers
and
other
imaginative
creatures.
The
Delta
Dental
Play
Garden
will
become a
popular
destination
that
will
help
young
Detroiters
spark a
connection
with
nature
and
develop
a
life-long
love for
active
living
and
recreation.
“The
Delta
Dental
Play
Garden
will be
a safe,
fun and
educational
space
for the
children
and
families
of
Detroit
and
southeastern
Michigan,”
said
Goran
Jurkovic,
president
& CEO of
Delta
Dental
of
Michigan,
Ohio,
and
Indiana.
“Beyond
fun and
exciting,
we fully
expect
the West
Riverfront
projects
to drive
economic
development
and
energy
just
like the
Riverwalk
has done
on the
east.”
In fall
of 2020,
the
Detroit
Riverfront
Conservancy
and
Huron-Clinton
Metroparks
announced
a
multi-year,
pilot
partnership.
Through
the
partnership,
Metroparks
will
establish
a
physical
presence
in
Detroit
and
contribute
$6
million
to the
Conservancy
for
expanded
programs
and
operations
at Ralph
Wilson
Park.
“We are
excited
beyond
words to
directly
invest
in the
creation
of a
vibrant
park in
the City
of
Detroit
that
will,
for the
first
time in
our
history,
establish
a
Metroparks
presence
within
the
city,”
said Amy
McMillan,
director,
Huron-Clinton
Metroparks.
“The
Metroparks
are
proud,
and
honored,
to be
included
among
the
extraordinary
partners
and
community
members
that
have
worked
so long
and so
hard to
make the
dream of
Ralph C.
Wilson,
Jr.
Centennial
Park a
reality.”
DTE
Energy
Foundation’s
gift of
$2.5
million
supports
the DTE
Foundation
Hill,
which is
expected
to
become
one of
the most
popular
destinations
at the
park and
home to
special
programming
like
concerts,
movies
in the
park,
outdoor
fitness
classes
and
sledding
in the
winter.
“Ralph
Wilson
Park and
the DTE
Foundation
Hill
directly
align
with our
mission
to
revitalize
communities
– making
them
safe,
connected
and a
catalyst
for
local,
economic
growth,”
said
Lynette
Dowler,
president
& chair,
DTE
Energy
Foundation.
“We're
grateful
for the
Detroit
Riverfront
Conservancy’s
leadership
and
partnership
in
striving
to make
Detroit
an even
more
vibrant
community
and
beautiful
destination.”
New
York-based
landscape
architect
firm
Michael
Van
Valkenburgh
Associates
(MVVA)
was
selected
as the
winning
firm of
the
Detroit
Riverfront
Conservancy’s
international
design
competition
to
transform
the
22-acre
West
Riverfront
Park
into the
future
Ralph C.
Wilson,
Jr.
Centennial
Park.
The park
is
comparable
in size
to other
MVVA
projects,
including
Brooklyn
Bridge
Park in
New York
City and
Maggie
Daley
Park in
Chicago.
MVVA is
also
designing
a
"sister”
Ralph
Wilson
Park in
Buffalo,
NY, the
other
geography
of focus
for the
Wilson
Foundation.
The
design
for
Ralph
Wilson
Park has
incorporated
one of
the most
inclusive
community-led
processes
in which
the
public
was
invited
to share
their
ideas
and
input.
Leading
up to
the
groundbreaking,
the
Conservancy
team has
hosted
more
than 100
community
meetings.
Additionally,
the
Detroit
Riverfront
Conservancy
assembled
a
Community
Advisory
Team
(CAT)
made up
of 22
Detroiters
who
visited
public
places
in
world-class
cities
like
Chicago,
New York
and
Philadelphia
so that
they
could
report
back on
their
experiences.
“Ralph
Wilson
Park
will be
a magnet
that
brings
our
community
together,”
said
Mark
Wallace,
president
& CEO,
Detroit
Riverfront
Conservancy.
“The
best
places
in
Detroit
are
those
places
where
everyone
feels
welcome.
Everyone
who
comes to
Ralph
Wilson
Park
will
find a
special
place
where
they can
express
themselves
and make
memories.”
Named
the Best
Riverwalk
in
America
in 2021
and 2022
by USA
TODAY,
the
Detroit
Riverfront
attracts
3.5
million
visitors
annually.
The
Detroit
Riverfront
Conservancy
has
invested
more
than
$200
million
in the
revitalization
of the
Detroit
Riverfront,
which in
turn has
generated
more
than $2
billion
in
public
and
private
investment.
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