Urban Beach for Detroit -- Atwater Park

[bartocktoo]

Ha! Yes I am fine... working on a 9 volume LEGO book deal with China... so I am up late at night to coincide with China time. That and a little too much caffeine... and my imagination runs wild!!

9 volume LEGO book deal with China? Super curious about this.

[O3H]

Opening in midsummer at a cost of $3.9 million, Atwater Beach will create a large sand-filled play area along with other amenities including a refreshment venue between Chene Park East and Stroh River Place. It replaces what had been initially picked for a new residential project but was converted to parkland at the request of residents. Atwater Beach is designed by Groundswell Design Group and Mannik and Smith architects.

[Hypestyles]

^^^ is this the final design? where will people be allowed to enter?

[O3H]

It's a rendering, open to a 100 engineering changes , and funding flux.

[JTburner]

Anyone have an update here?

[Honky Tonk]

Try Belle Isle, they're [[finally) open.

[southen]

Anyone have an update here?

They're still cranking away on it. When I drove by earlier this week it looked like most of the work was focused on the structure.

[stasu1213]

I wished a the complete walkable part was open so that walkers, runners, and c cyclist could go from Chene Park to the part behind Strohs Riverplace uninterrupted

[Lowell]

Atwater Park is getting ready to open according to this article by the Free Press' John Gallagher as the finishing touches are being applied. It certainly will be Another Big Step, as the article is titled.

The article touches on the disappointment that the east riverfront hasn't triggered more investment in terms of restaurants, pubs and residential development. Hopefully this addition will help trigger that movement.

Here are some pictures from Sunday 18 August 2019.

Panorama from the berm on the east side of the Aretha Franklin Amphitheater [fka Chene Park].

Detail showing sand beach being spread. Once completed the park is essentially finished.


Looking the other direction from the berm at the Aretha Franklin with the downtown skyline.

This should greatly enliven this area. The Aretha was once an island, with weed-covered vacant lot on both sides. Now it abuts Atwater Park and Milliken State park, all linked by the Riverwalk.

Below the artist conception of Atwater Park.