By Joel Thurtell
Is the City of Detroit trying to sell Riverside Park to Matty Moroun?
There’s a hint in that direction in a Monday, January 26, 2008 Detroit News article about the city’s dire financial straits. City officials are thinking of closing parks to cut maintenance costs, and they may also sell city assets.
According to the News, the park is an asset that may be on the seller’s block.
“There is also Riverside Park at the foot of the Ambassador Bridge,” according to the News. “Bridge owner Matty Maroun has said he is interested in acquiring the site, which would give him the land he needs to complete a twin span.”
(Turns out I have something in common with billionaire Matty: The News can’t spell either of our names right.)
Gregg Ward, owner of the Detroit-Windsor Truck Ferry and nemesis to trucking tycoon and Ambassador Bridge owner Moroun, sent the News article to me.
I shot an email back to Ward wondering how seriously the city might be considering a sale of this gem of a park on the Detroit River, with its magnificent view of Windsor.
Ward emailed back: “I have heard from a few folks that the negotiation for Moroun to buy the park is very advanced. Geez!”
Well, that doesn’t mean it’s happening. All it means is that people are TALKING about it happening.
I’ve got an idea: Let’s talk about it NOT happening!
I sent an email to Daniel Cherrin, press secretary to Mayor Kenneth Cockrel:
“What are the chances Riverside Park will be sold, perhaps to Matty Moroun?” I wrote, adding, “How firm is the city’s commitment to re-open the Riverside Boat Launch this spring?”
Hoping for an answer soon that says the city will not sell Riverside Park to Matty Moroun or anyone else, at any price, and that despite doomsday financial talk, the boat launch will re-open this spring.
Stay tuned.
Drop me a line at joelthurtell(at)gmail.com
Joel,
What ever happened to the eviction hearing that was held in December of ’08? I thought Cockrel had instructed the City Attorneys to kick out Matty and that the 36th District judge agreed.
Did I miss something?
thanx
It was postponed till next month to give Matty’s lawyers more time — JT
What’s Windsor and the province got to say about the CANADIAN side where Matty would build the new bridge? If they pull the plug, isn’t he stopped no matter what he does on this side?
I’m very curious as to how Matty and his lawyers got properties down by the DRIC project designated for historical value. My family owns one of these properties and had absolutly no part in this process. Its an apartment building. (Berwalt Manor). Has Riverside park or any of the other properties that Matty is knocking down been considered for these designations that have been handed to us without our knowledge.
Weird.
KURT