Motor City Makeover takes a 365-day approach to cleaning up blight and beautification in neighborhoods

Posted at 6:03 PM, Apr 30, 2024
and last updated 2024-05-01 00:18:55-04

DETROIT (WXYZ) — Following the hundreds of thousands of people who saw first-hand last weekend at the NFL Draft how pretty the city of Detroit truly is, the drive to make a difference in the Motor City is full speed ahead.

Today, officials launched their newest beautification efforts with supporters by their side.

Press conference: Inside the city's Motor City Makeover initiative

Press conference: Inside the city's Motor City Makeover initiative

It involves getting a little dirty on the road to an even better Detroit.

As I saw firsthand, plenty of people are passionate about putting all hands on deck.

“Downtown had a shining moment last week, we were wondering if Motor City Makeover was hoping to build off that momentum?” asked 7 News Detroit Photojournalist John Ciolino.

“Of course, we take any opportunity to build off the momentum that the city has shining,” said Kayana Sessoms, City of Detroit Dept. of Neighborhoods District 3 Mgr.

There's a buzz in the air to keep Detroit's beauty efforts moving forward and what has been a long-time effort to make over the city, is now getting a makeover of sorts, transforming its mission.

“We started off clearing illegal dumping,” said Ray Solomon, Director of the Department of Neighborhoods. “I’m excited to see the transformation go from illegal dumping to beautiful gardens like the one we are standing in now.”

Motor City Makeover 365 was kicked off surrounded by several block club leaders and city leaders in beautiful Farwell Garden Park where Ms. Lois Moore and crew started putting love into the soil 13 years ago.

It is an open-arm volunteer effort, that begins with a sense of neighborhood pride.

Frank Aldridge is President of the East Outer Drive Block Club Association, one of the organizations participating in Motor City Makeover 365.

He’ll start with the median that starts right across from the house he has lived in for 33 years.

“Talk about blight, we could see it emerging and we wanted to get ahead of it,” said Frank Aldridge.