City of Hamtramck prepares for Joe Louis Greenway

City of Hamtramck prepares for Joe Louis Greenway

• Community organizations unite to provide resources and community engagement resources to make the Joe Louis Greenway happen in Hamtramck
• Reimagined alley features new mural of Joe Louis by City Walls artist Habacuc Samuel Bessiake
• Construction of Joseph Campau Bike Lanes between Hamtramck Dr and Holbrook Ave underway in Hamtramck connecting key destinations including Veterans Park and Historic Keyworth Stadium

The Joe Louis Greenway is a transformational project that will connect Detroit to four other cities including Hamtramck. The City of Hamtramck has already begun preparing for their portion of the greenway connection that will provide regional connectivity and non-motorized safe modes of transit. The connection through Hamtramck will be a protected, two-way bike lane on the west side of Joseph Campau from Carpenter to Hamtramck Dr. A portion of the connection is the Joseph Campau business corridor between Caniff Ave and Holbrook Ave. The connection will go through the alley behind the businesses on the west side of the street, activating the alley as a shared use space for pedestrians and slow bicyclists. The City of Hamtramck was awarded $40,000 from SEMCOG for a planning assistance grant to develop the alley portion of the greenway.

“We are excited to make the Joe Louis Greenway real for Hamtramck and its residents,” said Brad Dick, group executive, Services & Infrastructure. “We want to thank the City of Hamtramck and the community organizations who are helping to move the greenway forward.”

In November 2021, Eastern Michigan University’s Center for Health Disparities Innovation and Studies and their 2021 AARP Community Challenge grant proposed a new alley pop up design and opportunity for residents to provide feedback.

Hamtramck’s reimagined alley now features a new mural of Joe Louis, the fighter, and social justice champion that the greenway is named for. The mural entitled, Way Maker, features Joe Louis smiling with a sweeping view of the greenway visioned in the wind of one of his famous knockout punches as ‘The Brown Bomber’.

WHO:

Hanan Yahya, Project Manager, City of Detroit 

Habacuc Samuel Bessiake, Muralist

Karolynn Faulkner, Community & Economic Development, City of Hamtramck   

Jessica Donnelly, Center for Health Innovation Disparities and Studies, Eastern Michigan University

WHERE:

Alley behind Olomon Café + Gallery, 10215 Joseph Campau, Hamtramck, MI

WHEN:

Thursday, November 17, 2022

1:30PM – 2:30PM