A Detroit neighborhood association wants to create change one alley at a time — and the UM-Dearborn community is helping them reimagine and transform blighted and overlooked spaces.
Sociology Professor Paul Draus, Geology Professor Jacob Napieralski and Mechanical Engineering Assistant Professor Christopher Pannier — along with several UM-Dearborn students — are working with Detroiter Chuck Rivers and northwest Detroit residents to re-engineer their neighborhood alleyways to meet community-driven goals.
Residents want to have a safe outdoor space to gather, walk and enjoy. They also are interested in making the area sustainable with pollinator gardens, bioswales and wind and solar lighting. To assist, the professors have collected ideas, cleaned alleys, found helpful partners, bought materials, hosted workshops and raised funds that include a catalyst grant from U-M’s Graham Sustainability Institute.
