Riverwalk

[expatriate]

I noticed yesterday that the large man made hill just east of the RenCen is being leveled. Does anyone know what that is about and how it came to be originally?

[Lowell]

I would be very disappointed to see that go. It offers a great vista of the Detroit skyline and river.

As to how it came to be, I am quite certain it was created when the inlet to its east was excavated for use as the dry dock for the ship building company that existed at the site.

[NSortzi]

I don’t think it’s being leveled. That area is being incorporated into Millikan State Park. There were renderings of several different plans for the the area released a few months ago and I believe they all included the hill.

[Lowell]

Some pictures...

Bronze monument of dry dock.


Dry dock canal.


Skyline view from the mound


Outdoor Adventure Center from mound--former ship engine factory.


View toward downtown at Dequindre Cut terminus, mound on left, Outdoor Adventure right,

[One Shot]

That hill did provide a great view of downtown. The story I heard was that dirt was contaminated soil from when the Marina was dug NOT the dry dock. I questioned removing it but was told due to the contamination nobody wanted to touch it. Makes me wonder now?

[Metro25]

They should plant some wildflowers on it or something.

[MikeM]

"The DNR will be making improvements to the berm located at Milliken State Park & Harbor. Due to the popularity of this park feature, there are issues associated with erosion. In order to make much-needed improvements, the berm will be closed from the end of February through July 2020. We understand the popularity of this feature, and your patience is appreciated."

[DeLemur]

There are some really odd, large chunks of dirt left at the top. Like 10' by 6' by 6'.
Its a nice feature of the riverwalk and adds a little variety with the path that swirls around it. Wish they weren't leveling it. I can't imagine its too polluted if they've allowed it there for this long.

[Lowell]

They should plant some wildflowers on it or something.

There are actually are lot of wild flowers that grow on it.

[Jason]

Personally I think that the city should designate places to put excavated earth [[from construction projects) to make hills like this. There's one in Balduck Park too. They make nice features for the public and it would reduce construction costs for those projects by reducing transportation costs.

[royce]

That hill did provide a great view of downtown. The story I heard was that dirt was contaminated soil from when the Marina was dug NOT the dry dock. I questioned removing it but was told due to the contamination nobody wanted to touch it. Makes me wonder now?

Sounds about right. The issue I have with it is that it shouldn't be there. There probably was tons of contaminated soil where the GM/RenCen is located, but no mounds of dirt left there. Besides, this is a riverfront. Why would you have an object blocking the view of the river? If the hill wasn't there, you would still get great views of Detroit's skyline. There aren't any trees or tall buildings south of Atwater to block your view. So, what you have is contaminated soil that makes a hill that thousands of people trample on a year. And no one is saying, "Hey, that's not safe."

[ASilvaman]

They should plant some wildflowers on it or something.

If sunflowers were planted on the hill, it would over time absorb the contaminates.

[Metro25]

If sunflowers were planted on the hill, it would over time absorb the contaminates.

Is there something special about sunflowers that soak up contaminates? If so I'd like to learn more.

[gnome]

Is there something special about sunflowers that soak up contaminates? If so I'd like to learn more.

since I know nothing about restaurants or sunflowers I thought I’d just tell you I know nothing but in a way that makes me sound learned.

I should throw in a personal anecdote that can’t be questioned, then somehow begin to start walking back my previous claim and find an island of rhetorical retreat where I can boast I was right all the time.

That said, the type of plant depends on the type of poison in the soil.

The epa has a site that is written by a committee of scientists who are really smart but have a gene defect that prohibits them from writing with any sort of clarity.

The site below is probably less scientific but more comprehensible:

https://www.youarethecity.com/pdf/fi...arethecity.pdf

[JTburner]

Is one of these renderings still the ultimate plan for milliken?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwQ...4ZXFmMWtj/view

Does anyone know the current status of the land? Last I went by, the whole area was fenced off