Thirteen new initiatives are being added to the Gordie Howe International Bridge Community Benefits Plan. Representing an investment of $2.6 million (CDN), the new initiatives will bring immediate and lasting benefits to the project host communities of Sandwich/west Windsor and Delray/Southwest Detroit.
“The project team has listened to key stakeholders and communities on both sides of the border to ensure we’re continuing to make meaningful investments,” said Charl van Niekerk, CEO, Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority.
Public consultation undertaken in 2023 helped to identify to current community priorities, including local history and culture, community safety, green initiatives, food security and wellness. A subsequent call for proposals sought submissions in these priority areas.
In Sandwich/west Windsor, new initiatives include:
- Art Windsor-Essex: Arts-based Youth Programming
- Les Amis Duff-Bâby: Historical Interpretation Enhancements at the Duff-Bâby Mansion
- Assumption Cares Community Outreach Programming
- United Way Centraide Windsor-Essex County and COOK Up: School Lunch Program
- The Summit Centre for Preschool Children with Autism: Green Space Development at Maryvale
In Delray/Southwest Detroit, new initiatives include:
- Bridging Communities, Inc.: Mobile Wi-Fi and Charging Stations
- Wayne State University -Center for Urban Studies: AmeriCorps Urban Safety Programming
- Graft Living Studios: Unity House Improvements and Programming
- The Greening of Detroit: Environmental Stewardship Programming
- Community Health and Social Services (CHASS): Healthy Habits Programming
- The Detroit River Project International Heritage Camp
Community Capacity Building Summits will also be held in Sandwich and Southwest Detroit for local non-profit and charitable organizations to enhance knowledge of grant writing and reporting and help drive future investment in the host communities.
In addition to the new investments, the project team also confirmed the details of a $1 million partnership with the City of Detroit that will support previously announced trail enhancements. In 2024, new cycling infrastructure will be added to West Jefferson Avenue and Clark Street, facilitating a new connection between the future Gordie Howe International Bridge multi-use path and the City of Detroit’s Joe Louis Greenway trail system.