The Monroe Evening News has an interesting article today about a proposed “Central Park” in Monroe.

Basically, the IHM nuns own 167 acres behind the Motherhouse.  They need to sell it to become more self-sufficient.  A citizen’s group is beginning a fundraising effort to raise $1 million dollars to help purchase the land.

This would be incredible.

Monroe has a chance to reinvent itself with this park.  It already has a sizeable greenway that connects Munson Park to Sterling State Park.

Just think about the possibilities.  Someone could start at Sterling State Park and look at a kiosk about the Battle of Lake Erie.  Then, they could take a trail through the marsh to visit the River Raisin Battlefield.  A little bit down the road, they could stop at the Custer Statue.  Farther along, they could stop at the monuments of Veteran’s Park.  And then, on the way back, a visitor could walk through a cemetary of American flags that note the veterans themselves.  It would just be incredible to unite all of this.

And the hiking and biking that becomes possible would be amazing.  Sterling has 5+ miles.  Munson has 5+ miles.  I would bet that the new park would have 5+ miles.  And the Greenway itself would be about 5 miles.  So, you’d have 20+ miles of trail that is interconnected with businesses and interesting sites all around.

I just think that this would make Monroe a more attractive place to live and locate businesses.

It would be a game-changer.

BTW, if anyone is interested, I’d be glad to give tours of Tecumseh’s Indian Crossing Trails Park or Adrian’s Heritage Park to give an idea of how great an urban park can be.  Those are the comparable nearby city parks.

http://www.monroenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070228/NEWS01/102280043

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