Discuss Detroit » Archives - January 2008 » Red Bull- Is the riverwalk open? « Previous Next »
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Spartacus
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Username: Spartacus

Post Number: 312
Registered: 07-2005
Posted on Sunday, June 01, 2008 - 9:41 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I'm planning on going down today. Anyone get a sense of where the best places to go for free viewing are?
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Detroitstar
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Username: Detroitstar

Post Number: 1138
Registered: 01-2006
Posted on Sunday, June 01, 2008 - 10:14 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

There were quite a few people watching from the little plaza between Hart Plaza and Cobo Arena yesterday. You cant see the whole course, but it might be worth a shot.
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Detroiterbychoice
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Username: Detroiterbychoice

Post Number: 19
Registered: 04-2008
Posted on Sunday, June 01, 2008 - 10:34 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Can you walk on the riverwalk though?
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Mdoyle
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Username: Mdoyle

Post Number: 422
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Sunday, June 01, 2008 - 11:04 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

no
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Detmi7mile
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Username: Detmi7mile

Post Number: 44
Registered: 12-2007
Posted on Sunday, June 01, 2008 - 9:29 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

lol it was so cool today... we went up to the parking garage and went to the top and could see everything...best spot in the house if you ask me
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Sirrealone
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Username: Sirrealone

Post Number: 151
Registered: 01-2007
Posted on Monday, June 02, 2008 - 7:37 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

So there was no WALKing on the RiverWALK?


How silly.
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Detroiterbychoice
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Username: Detroiterbychoice

Post Number: 20
Registered: 04-2008
Posted on Monday, June 02, 2008 - 8:26 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Yeah, big time silly. We road our bikes down there, and there were cops EVERYWHERE. We found a great spot to watch from outside the fences on the grass, but were told to leave because bikes were not allowed in the area. We stopped for a rest down by the ren cen on rivard, and a cop literally came up behind me and grabbed my arm and told me we better lock our bikes up or leave. One cop told us we couldnt even ride on the sidewalk down to chene park. It was freaking crazy. One guy almost got arrested because he didnt want to move. He was about 50, with his kids, and on the sidewalk minding his own business. Insane.

On a happier note, we ended up finding a hidden spot underneath some trees near the start of the race and saw some of the action. It was actually pretty sweet. Ill have to get tickets if there is a next time.
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Mdoyle
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Username: Mdoyle

Post Number: 423
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Monday, June 02, 2008 - 11:34 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Yeah the cops were defiantly not very friendly to people riding bikes. I was hollered at a few times yesterday but disregarded it for the most part and didn't run into too much trouble. It wasn't even that you couldn't ride your bike... you couldn't have a bike with you period. I didn't really understand why. I was also told at one point by a police officer to get on the side walk with my bike and then by the next officer to get in the road and off the sidewalk. I think its time to start an informative campaign. Perhaps the fine people of back alley and the hub could come up with some sort of leaflet.
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Lilpup
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Username: Lilpup

Post Number: 4425
Registered: 06-2004
Posted on Monday, June 02, 2008 - 11:48 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

That's because all the cops on foot can't chase perps on bike and in crowded areas patrol cars are useless.

Did you see any bike cops patrolling? That's who should have been there.
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Wood
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Username: Wood

Post Number: 63
Registered: 05-2006
Posted on Monday, June 02, 2008 - 11:54 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I am just so glad the redbull event is finally over. as a detroiter who uses the full extent of the riverfront every day for jogging (including the stretch beyond the talon center) I can't even begin to describe how annoying the whole event has been: day laborers with their heads up their asses installing various platforms and things for over a week, different parts of the riverwalk blocked off completely every day for a full week, know-nothing security guards giving me different answers about when it was all coming down and getting back to normal.

while I have little tolerance for a corporate event blocking off public waterfront space so they can gouge suburbanites to watch little planes fly through pylons, it's detroit so I was willing to give them some latitude.

but the way this was handled makes me wonder if we should ever welcome the redbull people back. the waterfront is a public space and they have monopolized it for over a week. why were they given so much time for setup/teardown?

probably because it's detroit, and we let anyone willing to draw people downtown from the suburbs as much latitude as they want, no matter how much it inconveniences those of us who actually live here.

I'm just glad they're leaving, although it will probably take them another week.
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Gravitymachine
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Username: Gravitymachine

Post Number: 2115
Registered: 05-2005
Posted on Monday, June 02, 2008 - 12:19 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

quote:

Yeah the cops were defiantly not very friendly to people riding bikes.



starting to wonder if there is a pervailing unfriendliness to bicyclists growing within the dpd, at least from the couple anecdotal stories i'v read on here, including the one person who says he got a ticket while riding his bike (though he never elaborated further than that, i wish he would).
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Detroiterbychoice
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Username: Detroiterbychoice

Post Number: 21
Registered: 04-2008
Posted on Monday, June 02, 2008 - 12:21 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I dont know about not having redbull back, but maybe a little more organization and friendliness is in order. Even though it was "sold out" I saw about a billion places where we could have sat and watched inside the fences.

Hey Mdoyle, you werent riding around with a really cute girl with dreadlocks by any chance? We biked by them a couple of times.
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Mdoyle
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Username: Mdoyle

Post Number: 425
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Monday, June 02, 2008 - 12:37 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Nope, I can't say that I was.
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Elsuperbob
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Username: Elsuperbob

Post Number: 126
Registered: 03-2007
Posted on Monday, June 02, 2008 - 1:47 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

It's funny people think the Riverwalk and Campus Martius are public spaces when they in fact are not. They are run by private entities that can close them whenever they want for whatever reason they see fit. And they can enforce whatever rules they see fit.

I have yet to see a list of rules for the riverwalk but I'm assuming that they would be similar to Campus Martius (posted on the park website) which ridiculously includes hours where you're prohibited from using the supposedly public space.
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Ndavies
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Username: Ndavies

Post Number: 2998
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Monday, June 02, 2008 - 3:40 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

quote:

I have yet to see a list of rules for the riverwalk but I'm assuming that they would be similar to Campus Martius (posted on the park website) which ridiculously includes hours where you're prohibited from using the supposedly public space.



Just because it's public, It doesn't make it available to you at all times. Most State and City parks have hours of operation. Even Belle Isle is now closed overnight. Complete with the police blocking the entrance
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401don
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Username: 401don

Post Number: 514
Registered: 11-2007
Posted on Monday, June 02, 2008 - 3:57 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The city I'm sure welcomes the revenue the event brings in but I would like to know who pays for the police. If Red Bull is using the riverfront at no cost they certainly should be paying for policing of it. Whatever became of the discussion about Ilitch paying for policing of Tigers games? If the Wings win there will be a big tab for tonight's celebrations and another on parade day.
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Wood
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Username: Wood

Post Number: 64
Registered: 05-2006
Posted on Monday, June 02, 2008 - 4:54 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I'm not saying I should have unfettered access to the riverfront at all times Elsuperbob and Ndavies. I was totally fine with the fact it would be closed and restricted to paying guests of the redbell corporation (or whatever) during the races.

my problem? redbull lackadaisically spent over a week setting up the fences, viewing platforms, and everything else they needed for the race with a handful of day laborers. They are still taking it down, and the riverfront was still closed when I was just down there.

do I think I'm entitled to access at all times? no. do I think redbull should have been allowed to effectively shut down the riverfront for several days before and after the event? Hell no. If they'd hired enough people to do the job right, it could have been done in a way that did not interfere with the public's privilege of enjoying this space.

all I know is, now that I've been denied my daily use of this beautiful public space, I appreciate it all the more (and hope GM and the conservancy don't pimp it out for silly events like this one much more).

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