One Michigan city is saying goodbye to a horse racetrack and hello to a new park and upgraded river habitat that will offer new nature opportunities for residents.
MLive reported on the project in August, explaining that the Michigan Strategic Fund approved a $2 million Brownfield tax incentive to help redevelop 7.85 acres of the Northville Downs Racetrack, which ceased operations in early 2024. The $17.7 million project will restore a quarter-mile section of the River Rouge and create a new park spanning around 11 acres.
According to Seth Herkowitz, chief operating officer for Hunter Pasteur — the developer leading the project — the new Northville park will offer floodplain and stormwater management, plant and habitat restoration, and recreational benefits. For instance, one of the restoration activities — removing obstructions like concrete from the Rouge River — will help prevent flooding downriver and reduce sediment.
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The new green spaces could also benefit local residents' health. For example, one study found a correlation between long-term exposure to green spaces and reduced risk of anxiety and depression. Other research has found that people who live near green spaces age more slowly.
Meanwhile, the restoration of wild spaces benefits wildlife by providing habitat and food for various species, including pollinators.
This kind of rewilding is nothing new. For instance, Norway completed its largest rewilding project in history in an old mining town, and the area has welcomed a variety of local wildlife like polar bears, reindeer, Arctic foxes, and many seabirds as a result.
In addition to the new park and river restoration, a larger $248 million redevelopment of the Northville Downs racetrack will create 446 new homes, 18,000 square feet of commercial space, and three more parks, according to MLive.
"It's a transformational project," Northville City Manager George Lahanas told the publication. "It will breathe new life into a landmark city by creating a cohesive neighborhood and commercial district that adjoins downtown."
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