15th
Annerversary
of
Campus
Martius
Park
celebrated
with
unveling
of new
plaza
medallion
DETROIT
- Today,
the
Downtown
Detroit
Partnership
(DDP)
revealed
a new
plaza
showcasing
Detroit’s
Point of
Origin
and
marking
the 15th
anniversary
of the
groundbreaking
for
Campus
Martius
Park.
The
event
also
unveiled
a
granite
wall
inscribed
with the
founding
members
of the
Detroit
300
Conservancy,
who were
tasked
with the
creation
of
Campus
Martius
Park,
and a
quote
from
Edsel B.
Ford II
to pay
tribute
to his
visionary
leadership
as
chairman
of the
Conservancy.
Pictures
from the
unveiling
may be
found
here.
“I have
always
believed
that the
difference
between
a
mediocre
community
and a
great
one is
measured
entirely
by the
level of
pride
each
individual
has
within
it,’’
said
Edsel B.
Ford II,
former
chairman
of the
Detroit
300
Conservancy
Board.
“Campus
Martius
Park has
exceeded
all
expectations.
It
stands
as a
witness
to who
we are
as
Detroiters.
A place
where we
can
gather
and
celebrate
all that
our
community
offers.”
In
1805,
Judge
Woodward
was
appointed
to
oversee
the
layout
of the
city of
Detroit.
Surveyors
placed
measuring
devices
on the
top of a
large
stone
and
plotted
out land
from
that
perspective,
making
it the
Point of
Origin.
Today,
the
original
historic
spot is
in the
center
of
Campus
Martius
Park.
“By
design,
Campus
Martius
Park has
become
the
center
of
downtown
Detroit’s
vibrancy,’’
said
Eric
Larson,
CEO of
DDP.
“The
Downtown
Detroit
Partnership
is proud
to
steward
the
park’s
vision
that
continues
to
propel
our city
forward
and
incredibly
grateful
for the
visionaries,
like
Edsel
Ford
making
the park
a
lasting
legacy.”
Under
the
leadership
of Edsel
B. Ford
II, the
Conservancy
was
charged
by then
Detroit
Mayor
Dennis
Archer,
with
creating
a
world-renowned
gathering
space in
the
heart of
the
city.
During
the
park’s
construction,
the
original
Point of
Origin
marker
was
unearthed.
Campus
Martius
Park
officially
opened
to the
public
in
November
of 2004.
“We’re
fortunate
to be
able
show
gratitude
for the
tireless
leadership
that
made
this
outstanding
public
space
possible
and to
re-dedicate
its
significance
in the
city’s
history
with a
brand-new
plaza
showcasing
it as a
jewel we
can all
be proud
of,’’
said
Robert
F.
Gregory,
chief
public
spaces
officer
of DDP.
Campus
Martius
Park was
the
first-ever
winner
of the
Urban
Land
Institute
Amanda
Burden
Urban
Open
Space
Award
and
sparked
more
than $2
billion
in
economic
impact
for the
city of
Detroit.
“Public
spaces
in all
the
great
cities
of the
world
serve as
a
catalyst
for
human
interaction
and new
perspectives
about
all that
we have
in
common,’’
said
Maurice
Cox,
Director
of
Planning
and
Development,
City of
Detroit.
“Every
day, we
watch
Campus
Martius
Park
come
alive
with its
design
that is
uniquely
Detroit.’’
Nearly 2
million
people
visit
Campus
Martius
Park and
the many
other
Downtown
Detroit
Parks
annually
to enjoy
the
year-round
fountain,
a quiet
lunch,
seasonal
sculptured
gardens,
a
premier
ice
skating
rink,
fitness
classes,
music
concerts,
even a
sand
covered
beach in
the
center
of the
city.
The park
is
programmed,
managed,
and
maintained
by the
DDP.
About
Downtown
Detroit
Partnership
Downtown
Detroit
Partnership
strengthens
and
supports
Downtown
Detroit
through
strategic
initiatives
and
programs.
DDP
convenes
business,
philanthropic,
and
government
partners
to
create a
vibrant,
resilient
urban
core for
Detroit
and the
surrounding
community.
For more
information,
visit
downtowndetroit.org.
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