Detroit’s Hart Plaza: Possible Name Change In The Works
City lawmakers in Detroit are considering the possibility of renaming Hart Plaza. They are contemplating changing its name to “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza,” as suggested by Councilmember Mary…
City lawmakers in Detroit are considering the possibility of renaming Hart Plaza. They are contemplating changing its name to "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza," as suggested by Councilmember Mary Waters. This proposal stems from the significant historical event when the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered an early version of his "I Have A Dream" speech during the 1963 Freedom Walk, one of the most noteworthy moments held at the plaza.
City records indicate that Councilmember Mary Waters will be introducing a resolution this week proposing the renaming of Hart Plaza to "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza."
The vote on this proposed renaming is scheduled to take place after Labor Day, once council members return from their August recess. Before the vote, the resolution will be brought up for discussion at the Neighborhood and Community Services Standing Committee on Thursday.
Renaming Detroit's Hart Plaza is on the table.
According to a statement made to the Detroit Free Press by Councilmember Waters, the initiative to rename Hart Plaza as "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza" came about from conversations she had with people in northwest Detroit who were "appalled by the violence" in the city.
"They wanted to see us have a place in Detroit that lived up to Dr. King's mission of nonviolence, of peacefully welcoming all. What better place to embody the spirit of Dr. King than the site where he gave his famous 'I Have a Dream' speech?' " Waters said.
Established in 1975, the plaza has carried the name of the late U.S. Sen. Philip Hart, a leading advocate for the Civil Rights Act of 1965 and other anti-racism initiatives. Hart was once dubbed the “conscience of the Senate," according to the NY Times.
In June, the city also revealed a statue of King standing at a podium in Hart Plaza. The resolution under consideration also includes a proposal to designate the plaza as a violence-free zone.
Top 5 Reasons Detroit Shouldn’t Be On The Ugliest Cities List
There are some cities across the U.S. that look stunning, while there are others that make you want to look the other way. A travel site has compiled a list of the ugliest cities in each state. When making them list they considered lack of maintenance and poor design choices.
In Michigan, one can find several beautiful places such as those with lakes, scenic views, waterfalls, and more. According to Alot Travel, a travel site, Detroit is considered one of the ugliest cities.
Why did they list Detroit as one of the "ugliest" cities?
Though Detroit is on the up and up, the travel site said that “It's got a reputation for being a bad place to live, and it's also a pretty ugly place to live too.” They even pulled a comment about the city from a Reddit user that said, “I mean, just look at a satellite map of Detroit. Once you leave the i94, m10, i75, i375 rectangle (the path that Woodward takes), it gets real ugly real fast."
Many Detroit outsiders think of the city and instantly picture post-apocalyptic images of abandoned vehicles and crumbling homes, churches, and streets. While others may see Detroit as an ugly city, we know where to find beauty beyond what outsiders may believe.
Despite what their list says, what makes Detroit a beautiful city? The city’s culture, sense of community, low cost of living, options for entertainment, its outdoor scene, make it beautiful. Not only is it located in the Great Lakes state, but there are also stunning places to check out within Motor City.
See the full list of the ugliest cities from all 50 states here.
Here are 5 reasons why Detroit is not the ugliest city in Michigan.
Reason 5 | There’s never a dull moment and always something beautiful to explore.
Getty ImagesIn Detroit, you can discover new restaurants, explore art galleries, see a show, catch a game, even if the teams aren’t the best, and more. There are plenty of things to look forward to in Detroit including pop-ups and seasonal adventures. You have Campus Martius in the summer and Christmas markets in the winter.
There are several places to catch scenic views and plenty of activities.
Getty ImagesThere are many options for hiking, swimming, rowing, running, and picnics. Detroit is actually home to one of the largest city-owned island parks in the U.S., according to the Detroit Historical Society. The 982 acres park, Belle Isle, is larger than New York City’s Central Park at only 843 acres. There are also a variety of playfields, greenways, and plazas including the 27.5-mile Joe Louis Greenway. Another beautiful stop is the Detroit Riverwalk which has been named the Best Riverwalk in America three years in a row by the USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards.
Reason 3 | It has beautiful architecture.
Getty ImagesFamous architects who have stunning buildings in Detroit include Albert Kahn (Fisher Building), Minoru Yamasaki (One Woodward Avenue, Wayne State University’s McGregor Conference Center and College of Education, Federal Reserve Bank, and others), and C. Howard Crane (Fox Theatre). You can’t forget about the Masonic Temple’s magnificent lobby which is the work of sculptor Corrado Parducci and is an adaptation of a Sicilian castle. Also, architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed a house in the Palmer Woods neighborhood.
Reason 2 | There are several theaters with a rich history.
Photo by Scott Legato/Getty ImagesThe city has more than 40 theaters including the Fox Theatre which opened in 1928 and Max M. Fisher Music Center.
Reason 1 | It’s full of arts and culture.
Kayla MorganDetroit has several murals scattered around the city. As a matter of fact, the Z Garage in downtown Detroit features murals from over 20 artists across the country. Last year, Detroit's Eastern Market held its Murals in the Market event, which brought artists to paint murals.
