On a bright July afternoon about 100 people gathered on the lawn in Riverside Park to watch a children’s theater production.   As participants arranged their folding chairs, the river sparkled nearby and sent a cooling breeze.   Fish and burgers sizzled on a grill.   The actors presented a vision of the plants and wildlife that made the Detroit River home before Europeans settled.   Then the local fire boat cruised by, spraying water into the air and delighting visitors.   Audience and actors alike enjoyed a fine picnic in the afternoon sun.

Was this the same park that we had often heard described as dilapidated and dirty, where visitors seemed to stay in their cars, and litter blew across the parking lot and lawn?   Yes and no: Yes, it was the same location, but the community presence—and the preparation that made the event a success—had momentarily transformed Riverside Park.

In this section we argue that community gatherings like this theater event are a key element in helping Riverside Park to fulfill its potential to become a community asset.   However, we also recognize that organizing such gatherings, while always a challenge, has the added burden of overcoming the barriers we outlined in the previous chapter.   For instance, the park’s current condition required sponsors of the outdoor theater event to arrange and pay for portable bathrooms, recruit a local volunteer organization to pick up litter from the park the day before, and provide maps and directions to the many participants who were not familiar with the park.

In the earlier discussion of the problems facing Riverside Park (Chapter 4), holding community events was a recommended step toward improving its current condition.   Such events could address many of the needs that have been identified by study participants.   Events could make the park better known in the community, and thus facilitate efforts to garner support for it.   At the same time, the sense of safety and comfort that accompanies large group events may help change attendees’ perceptions of the park.   Groups holding events in the park, along with participants, may demonstrate a caring attitude toward the park, and be more inclined to help with keeping the park clean.

The potential impact of community events at Riverside Park goes beyond the park’s boundaries.   More frequent community events may help foster the interest of nearby residents and businesses.   This increased interest has the potential to make the park a higher priority to city government.   An open space that is being used and valued by residents has a greater chance of being seen as a good investment.   More fundamentally, we believe that groups and individuals using and caring for the park could develop a sense of ownership toward the park.   This commitment could result in a newfound community perception that the park is a valued resource.

Survey participants were asked to consider eleven types of community activities that could be held at Riverside Park.   As shown in Table 5.1, participating in art or cultural fairs received the highest endorsement (paired samples t-test, p < .0001 for all comparisons), with six other activities also showing substantial interest to the respondents.

Principal axis factor analysis of these ratings generated three categories (see Table 5.2).   Social activities emerged as most desired by respondents.   This result is consistent with interviewee comments about the prominence of social events occurring in the area.   The second category incorporates nature-related activities (gardening and wildlife) as well as activities on Great Lakes shipping.

The last category included activities related to fishing.   While this category received a significantly lower rating than the other two, respondents with children were significantly more interested in fish-related activities than respondents without children (t (200) = 6.57, p < .0001, see Table 5.3).   As noted earlier, anglers at Riverside Park were not well-represented in our survey data; this may help explain the lower ratings of the total sample population.   On the other hand, we found that among African Americans a substantial proportion (43.5%) listed fishing as one activity they do, at least occasionally, at Riverside Park.   African Americans and Latinos also indicated significantly greater interest in these activities than Caucasians (F (2, 187) = 9.45, p < .05, see Table 5.3).   Therefore, fishing activities should not be discounted.   These activities offer a way to make the most of Riverside’s unique location and represent an important attraction of the park for select groups.

In addition to general community activities, participants were asked to consider seven possible kids activities that could be held at Riverside Park. While the mean scores of all activities were relatively high, the two most popular activities were children’s theater and activities about Great Lakes wildlife (paired samples t-test, p < .003, see Table 5.4).     

In November 2004, community groups gathered at a meeting to brainstorm other potential activities that could be held at Riverside Park.   Ideas included a “safety fiesta” sponsored by the local community policing agency, library-sponsored bookmobile visits, making Riverside Park a stop on an annual bike tour of Detroit, wildlife programs for preschoolers, a poster contest with the river as the subject matter, and clean-up and beautification projects.   Such events address many of the needs expressed by study participants, and can involve programs that organizations are already sponsoring.   Events like these are a practical first step toward the park’s revitalization.

One of our most hopeful findings was the fact that survey respondents indicated a willingness to volunteer at the park (see Table 5.5).   When asked how interested they would be in volunteering at the park, 43% of survey respondents indicated they were either “interested” or “very interested.”   A roughly equal percentage of respondents indicated they would be likely to participate in a volunteer clean-up day at the park.   Approximately 59% of respondents reported that they would encourage kids to do the same.

While the challenges facing Riverside Park may appear daunting, the willingness of community members to get involved in revitalizing the park in creative ways is a valuable resource waiting to be tapped.   Perhaps holding volunteer days in the park could serve to energize other community events.  

As the outdoor theater example shows, holding events at Riverside Park requires overcoming some barriers.   What can be done to minimize these barriers and to support groups wanting to hold events there?   The following recommendations are intended to help community groups and interested residents overcome some of the challenges they currently face in planning activities in the park.

1. Planning ahead. Community groups will need to expend time and effort to use the park .   This means not only making an effort to plan outside their usual practice, but also finding ways to deal with litter and lack of facilities.   While the rewards, as mentioned, can be great, this extra effort is not negligible.  It requires these groups to make an up-front commitment to the park.   Making this investment will be most reasonable if park events are integrated into organizations’ on-going programs.   For example, children and youth theater programs, and school projects, might be enhanced by making use of Riverside’s waterfront location.
   
2. City support before events – The city should recognize the value that community-sponsored events bring to the park by providing logistical support.   Targeted mowing, litter pick-up and trash hauling before and after local events would show that the community is not alone in valuing this resource.   Subsidies toward rental of portable restrooms could make or break small groups’ ability to hold events at Riverside, and should be seen as part of the city’s commitment to provide access to open space.
   
3. Nearby help – Nearby businesses could also benefit from the park’s improved condition, in terms of increased property values and their employees’ enjoyment of the work location.   These businesses may be able to provide financial or in-kind support to aid park improvement efforts. They could also play an active role in any task force or longer term committee that is organized.
   
4. Collaboration – Organizational partnerships could be key to making the best use of Riverside Park.   In the short term, communication among community groups and between these groups and the city is needed.   As these relationships mature, a task force or coalition could be formed to help oversee and coordinate efforts on the park’s behalf.
   

There is much that can be done by the community to help Riverside Park meet its potential as a valued public space.   As a first step, we recommend increased community-sponsored events in the park.   Volunteer clean-up days seem particularly appropriate given the willingness of study participants to be involved and the needs currently facing the park.  

Initially, events are more likely to be held at the park if they can be incorporated into an organization’s on-going programming.   These events can accomplish the dual goal of furthering an organization’s mission while enhancing residents’ familiarity and comfort in the park.   In general, the planning and coordination of community events there should be high on the priority list of any organization interested in revitalizing Riverside Park.