Brown Recommended for N. Main Group
At its May 23, 2012 meeting, the Ann Arbor public art commission (AAPAC) unanimously recommended that Connie Rizzolo Brown be nominated for a position on a task force to study the corridor along North Main Street and the Huron River. That recommendation will be forwarded to mayor John Hieftje.
The task force was established by the city council at its May 7, 2012 meeting, with membership to include the following: one member of the park advisory commission, one member of the planning commission, one resident representing the Water Hill neighborhood, one resident representing the North Central neighborhood, one resident from the Old Fourth Ward, one resident representing the Broadway/Pontiac neighborhood, two business and property owners from the affected area, and one member of the Huron River Watershed Council.
At its May 21 meeting, the two sponsors of the resolution that created the task force – Ward 1 councilmembers Sabra Briere and Sandi Smith – proposed adding three additional representatives: a member of the city council, someone from the boating/fishing community of river users, a representative from the Huron River Citizens Association. Tony Derezinski (Ward 2), who also serves on AAPAC, then proposed an amendment to add an AAPAC member to the task force. The AAPAC addition was passed by council on a 6-5 vote. [See Chronicle coverage: "Positions Added to North Main Task Force"] Appointments are expected to be made at the council’s June 4 meeting.
At AAPAC’s May 23 meeting, Derezinski told commissioners that “basically, we need someone at the table.”
The task force is charged with delivering a report to the city council more than a year from now – by July 31, 2013 – that describes “a vision to create/complete/enhance pedestrian and bike connection from downtown to Bandemer and Huron River Drive, increase public access to the river-side amenities of existing parks in the North Main-Huron River corridor, ease traffic congestion at Main and Depot at certain times of a day and recommend use of MichCon property at Broadway; …”
Earlier than that – by the end of 2012 – the task force is to make recommendations on the use of the city-owned 721 N. Main parcel.
Brown has served on AAPAC since early 2009, and has chaired the commission’s projects committee. She is a principal of Rizzolo Brown Studio, an Ann Arbor architecture firm.
This brief was filed from the basement conference room of city hall at 301 E. Huron, where AAPAC held its meeting. A more detailed report will follow.
Boardwalk & Eisenhower
Just saw it pass behind the Ann Arbor Schools bus lot about 3 minutes ago. Thought I must be hallucinating! lol
It’s these folks [link] headed home after running two fall-color excursion tours in Michigan. They passed through town on their way North on Sept 27th: [link]
The paint-covered Pullman(?) cars didn’t go North with them; I wonder if they’re a new restoration project?
Re: [2] Thanks for the link to the video from Sept. 27. The whistle comes as if right on cue.
I did the fall color tour this last Saturday on the 765. That was great fun. It was sponsored by the Owosso based Steam Railroading Institute. They start trips to the “North Pole” late November. A short day trip with activities for kids. [link]
On our short ride from Owosso to Alma (about 1 1/2 hours) we were chased by dozens of train enthusiasts, who would show up at many of the crossings. But everywhere people would line up for photos and videos of the train and just to wave as we went by. On the trip back, the train stopped at a park in Ithaca. Everyone who wanted photos got out, the train backed up, and came roaring through for us to capture on video and film. They did that twice. Of course the engineer was showing off with lots of steam and that amazingly unique whistle. Then we all got back on. The volunteers are clearly having a lot of fun, as well as the regular railroad people who wandered through the cars frequently to chat and answer questions.
If you ever ride it, what I didn’t know is you want to being safety glasses. That way you can hang out the side of the train between the cars, and not get cinders in your eyes. Most of the regulars had glasses as well as video and still cameras.
If you go to the Owosso museum, they have a maintenance barn in back where they have disassembled a locomotive that they own, the Pere Marquette 1225, and are refurbishing it. The web site says this is required every 15 years. They are looking for donations to help with the cost which is over $500,000 and apparently you can also volunteer to do some of the work. It takes more than a full day to get up the steam needed to run, and once they have it the locomotive stays “on” the whole time, belching steam and cinders, a unique smell and noise. So impressive to get up close and experience the power of these things. I had a great time on Saturday. Check out the Owosso steam railroading site if you want a much closer experience of these rare trains.