Not-so accidental flowers

A good post from detroitblog that illustrates what I think is an overlooked opportunity in Detroit that is more often seen as a deficit.

Detroit has an abundance of what could be generously referred to as greenspace, it just happens to be shaped into city blocks and peppered with telephone poles, abandoned buildings, and burned out cars. I don't have the time to really sink my teeth into the city like detroitblogger, but driving beyond my usual commute I've seen a red fox, pheasants, hawks, and expanses of land covered by nothing but tall grass and trees.

It's no secret that the cities that have been most successful in drawing the demographic that is moving them forward (21-40 y.o., college-educated) have been those that actively pursue open policies of preserving greenspace, increasing density, and encouraging outdoor activities. Any region that wants to thrive is going to have to offer more than suburbs and freeways, no matter how nice they are. There needs to be a central hub offering jobs in a diverse economy, higher-density neighborhoods, cultural attractions, and parks or greenspace.

By tying Detroit's already emptied spaces together into contiguous bands, the city could build a trail network to attract the outdoor-oriented (aside from those that already live outdoors), increase property values of homes bordering them, cool the city, help to educate children, and beat up on the image of Detroit as the post-industrial rust belt failure that it too often is. The open space, previously-grand boulevards with wide medians, and even abandoned railbeds are there for the taking back. I would love to see a Detroit known for its urban trail system, accessible waterfront, and *gasp* carless commute.