Anger Over The Dequindre Cut

[RickBeall]

Wow! What a point of view!

>> I totally object to ... so-called greenways ... so people can hike, bike, roller-blade and ride trains from one city, town, village and community to another and we ... get rid of cars, cabs and buses ... in a totally regressive way.

I guess she's afraid that we will force senior citizens to strap on roller blades or something.

[DetroitHabitater]

my father definitely took the train to the RenCen in the early 80's working for Ford.

[Rocko]

Actually, although the last passenger trains [[SEMTA commuter trains going to Pontiac) ran through the cut in 1983, train service through the cut continued until the late 90s, maybe 1997 or so, to service the LaFarge Cement silo which was on the site of the Tri-Centennial Park extension currently under construction. And, rail service continues on the trackage north of Mack Avenue operated by the Detroit Connecting Railway.

I was also under the impression that in addition to the invasive and non-native species occupying much of the cut, the amount of trash and dumping through the cut was leeching out and damaging what wildlife was living there. Thank goodness they left half of the cut for commuter rail... someday...someday... we might need that.

[rjlj]

One person's opinion and perspective, not much of a big deal. If you want wildlife, go visit the zoo. If you live in a city, expect city life. If you want wildlife, live at 32 mile road.

[professorscott]

Well, I disagree with the author of that letter, but she's certainly entitled to her opinion. The Metro Times, though, surely by now has one of those computer programs that can count the words in a letter. Two hundred fifty my eye. Mrs. Sherwood must be the same person that empties her full grocery-cart at the "twelve items or less" lane at Kroger.

[East Detroit]

I would agree with Sherwood, except that most of the green in the DC was weeds, not glorious elm trees or wetlands or anything else really interesting.

In terms of habitat, the only supported lifesigns were butterflies and a few homeless people.

[wolverine]

Everyone is free to dislike something once and awhile, although it would have been nice if she formulated something a bit more factual. I question whether she actually experienced the cut firsthand prior to construction to be able to draw comparisons.

[Cooper]

Thank goodness they left half of the cut for commuter rail... someday...someday... we might need that.

Is that why half the cut is empty and awaiting "natural grasses"? I walked from end to end on Sunday, and while I loved the graffiti, the letter writer has a point -- there's not much left in terms of trees or wildlife. There's no shade to speak of, and there are no plants at ground level, only on the embankments. But I guess it doesn't make sense to plant trees where you one day hope to lay down tracks?