What makes Pam get so excited

Detroit's 'beautiful miracle'

Thousands party at festival; Boblo boat back home at last

June 23, 2007

BY ERIN CHAN

FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

There sure was something special in the water all day Friday -- and on top of it and beside it and all around it.

That something was people, thousands of people, rediscovering a river some of them had not seen in years.

Hardly anyone who ventured to the RiverWalk for the first day of Detroit International River Days, a celebration of the new promenade that runs until Wednesday, could remember seeing so many people fill the area.

"I've never seen Detroit so lively," said Kiran Gowda, 37, of Novi, who walked to the waterfront with a coworker to down his "chicken in the sack" at lunchtime. "Hopefully, this will bring people back from the suburbs."

By Friday's indication, it is.

With a forecast from the National Weather Service of mostly sunny and temperatures in the high 70s, the thousands of curious fun-seekers should continue filling the riverfront today.

It should be rain-free for tonight's DTE Energy Parade of Lights, and fairly clear for breathtaking views of the riverfront from 700 feet in the air inside the helicopter flown by Lynn Walton.

"Whoo! I love it!" Anthony Puente, 31, of Plymouth shouted as the helicopter took off.

That seemed to be the sentiment for everything on the RiverWalk. The festival and the East Riverfront, which consists of 2.7 miles of pedestrian walkway that officially opened Friday morning with a snip of a bright blue ribbon.

"Together, we created this beautiful miracle," said Gov. Jennifer Granholm, looking out at a new River Carousel on a new Rivard Plaza & Pavilion. "This is all about the next Detroit and the next Michigan."

Granholm felt so good about what she was seeing that she even started getting feisty with another Midwest city.

"This, to me, is the example of why we're going to push Chicago out of the way," she said to loud cheers.

One of the highlights for many was the return of the Boblo boat Ste. Claire, the first time it had been in Detroit since 1991.

It moved like the 97-year-old vessel it is, arriving to the party a few hours late. More than 50 people, who had waited hours for its arrival, still cheered and clapped when it approached the dock at Tri-Centennial State Park at 7:25 p.m. Friday -- nearly eight hours after departing from Toledo.

As if it were issuing a message of faithfulness to the city, Ben E. King's "Stand By Me" played on the boat's sound system as Karen Winkler, 39, of Clarkston snapped away with a digital camera. Her daughter held a sign reading, "Welcome Home, S.S. Ste. Claire."

"It's just like she's coming home," said Winkler, who worked undercover security on the boat in the late 1980s. "She was just sitting there rotting, and now, there's hope."

Owner Ron Kattoo said the boat won't be available for tours, as had previously been scheduled, until the U.S. Coast Guard performs an inspection.

Walking around the festival grounds, Donald Kirkwood, 57, of Rockwood and Patricia Lyons, 46, of Oak Park watched Jet Skiers do jumps in the river.

Kirkwood, a former Detroit police officer, said he has not come down to the riverfront since he retired from the force seven years ago.

"It is absolutely amazing," Kirkwood said. "I remember when there were those cement things, and I would sit and look at the Canadian side and think, 'Why can't we look like them?' "

"Now we got the same thing," Lyons chimed in.

Said Kirkwood: "No, ours is even better."

Mohamed and Amal Berro of Canton, who spent a large chunk of the day on rides with their four kids, had not been to downtown with their entire family for five or six years.

"Normally we didn't come downtown because of what you hear," said Mohamed, 39. "But now there's so much to do. Detroit has really advanced itself for the families."

Detroit resident Mwangi Mumpfield, 31, who came with his fiancé and her two kids, also was astounded.

"This looks, wow," he said. "I mean, I'm totally blown away."

See now, if someone like ME was there, they did NOT get interviewed, AT ALL or their interview got left out.

I'd feel so much better about Tampa if our homeless population was not soaring and if we did other things correctly. You know the little things: ethics, acknowledged (and erased) corruption, etc.)
I can get to the river all by myself. I like my river banks NATURAL not covered in pavers.

********************************************************

Make today COUNT.

And call your congressman and talk to her of Inherent Contempt. Do it. And hug everyone you can reach.

North Jersey JUST DOIN it.

Headlights to Impeach
Turn them ON. PlEaSe ! Help a country out here. Also, click the link to sign the petition. Takes three seconds.

Live Vote for Impeachment

Vote in the National Cheney Impeachment Poll
Click Here

Bush Business (two states moving to convene grand juries)
Email your Congressman
Court of Impeachment and War Crimes

Brought to you LIVE from THE TAMPA NAIL HOUSE ... : Proud members of the drive-by media (just like Thomas Paine, father of America)

... located in the midtown desired redevelopment center just one block from the river.
The City of Tampa and it's assorted city-sanctioned gang members need this property because it's in the middle of land they intend to develop for gambling facilities.
LaS VEgas here in Tampa : Ta-Vegas or Tam-Gas.
But it's going to cost YOU a helluva lot of money as they defend their criminal acts in federal court due to what they are doing to my family and I in
the process of attempting to steal our home.

Terrorist,"Cause" and Gang Stalking Perpetrated by Tampa Firemen and other Firemen -- revealed and written about.

Some more threats from Tampa firemen (we'll just drive by your burning house if we know who you are) no kidding? I would NEVER have guessed that !
Stop Organized Stalking
More mention of Firefighter and Police participation in gang-stalking
Technorati Tags global warming

Technorati Tags: magical sheep, Truckspy rawks, shaggy sheep, SUVs

********************************************************