Eliza Howell Park - a small sign of an improving city

In the late 1930s, Eliza Howell gave the city about 150 acres in Brightmoor for a park and the city eventually increased that to about 250 acres. In Detroit's approach to bankruptcy, the park became a site for dumping and criminal activity. Lacking sufficient police, I believe that Mayor Kilpatrick had concrete barricades erected at the only entrance from Fenkell. Then Mayor Bing listed the park as one that the city would no longer maintain.
This summer modest improvements were made. The barricades were removed and we can, once more, visit this potentially attractive and interesting park.

This is great news, and shows some progress in the outer neighborhoods. Eliza Howell is a neat nature preserve, and I hope we have enough funds to restore all of the roads and recreational equipment. Restoration of such a large park could be a way of bringing more interest and investment to Brightmoor.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by masterblaster

Eliza Howell is a neat nature preserve,

---

I only remember that in South. The North end was always more of a gathering place, first for good, later for ... other.

I remember North being barricaded sometime in the mid 90s.

The park has potential, but it needs better access. It needs to be accessible from the south, east, and west. The most important entrance I believe would be from the east. It could be located off of Eaton or Lyndon. I think Lyndon would be better. A bridge would have to be built for car, bike and foot traffic to go over the Rouge River. The same thing would have to happen at the southern end along Virgil. I also think you could open up an entrance along Eaton at Telegraph. Having three to four entrances into the park would definitely improve activity in the park. An east entrance would flow right into a very dense part of Brightmoor. I could see the neighborhood kids using the park daily if there was an entrance at Lyndon.

Oh, I remember having some very good times with my west side friends at Eliza back in the day. [[Although the nature of those good times may fall for Meddle under his definition of "...other".)