Well, thats what I did today, I was in Sterling Heights on some business and I decided to drive downtown for lunch at Eastern Market on my way home. And instead of just taking 75 took M-53 instead (Van Dyke).
At first it wasnt bad at all the Sterling Heights area looks great. Then things slowly started to turn as I approached the city of Warren. A slow replacement of Starbucks and Applebees with Liqour Stores and Fast Food Joints. I next passed through the small town of Centerline, and then things really started to get bad. I believe that for about a twenty mile strech there must have been at least 50 vacant businesses maybe more, I could only look in horror on one side of the street at a time.
I saw people walking by these once thriving businesses that were now often times piles of dilapedated bricks and thought wow what if this was my street corner how would that affect me? I cant imagine this kind of decay being a part of my day to day growning up, I simply cant.
My journey continued downtown, and after some great local BBQ I meandered across town headed west in serch of hope thinking that things would start looking up eventually.
The only thing that wiped the remorseful look off of my face when faced with the reality that this problem carried itself neighborhood to neighborhood in this once shining city was the children. The children playing in the parks and front yards riding bikes or dribbiling basketballs. When I saw them the ruins of Detroit didnt matter for a moment, and then mattered all the more a second later.
I departed my hours of touring the city thinking this is just too big of a problem, how is it possible to ever solve it. I became overwhelmed and frusterated what neighborhood do we start in, what is the biggest need, is it even worth it?
- You dont have to do it all just do something please
-May Earlywine
Its so true Tyler. There are so many problems in Detroit. I think the best way is to be hope for people who do not have any. As a teen I used to go downtown and help with a house that sheltered single mothers and their children. We would come in and spend an hour or 2 with the kids to give the mothers a break even for only a little while. They were all so appreciative.
ReplyDeleteIf you find a way I can help. Please let me know buddy!