Northville has a new riverfront destination.
The city officially opened the 10-acre Downs River Park on Wednesday, June 17, marking a milestone for the site that once housed the Northville Downs horse racing facility.
A large crowd of city leaders, developers and elected officials gathered to mark the opening of the park, the first completed public amenity within the 49-acre redevelopment project that began when Northville Downs closed in 2024.
“Today, we’re celebrating a generational asset for the city of Northville, for Wayne County and for greater southeast Michigan,” said Seth Herkowitz, COO at Hunter Pasteur, the lead developer behind the Northville Downs redevelopment.
The new public park features 2.5 miles of walking and biking trails, pedestrian bridges, native landscaping and more than 1,400 new trees.
It also includes public art installations through the Detroit Institute of Arts and the relocated historic Mary Gilbert Log Cabin, which will eventually serve as a welcome center.
And at the heart of the project is a restored section of the Rouge River, buried underground inside a culvert since the 1960s and daylighted in 2025.
Many who spoke at the ceremony credited Mayor Brian Turnbull for his vision and in bringing the project to fruition, while Turnbull a lifelong Northville resident, urged visitors to explore the park.
“Slow down today. Slow down,” Turnbull said. “Enjoy it. Notice the attention to detail.”
Turnbull also pointed to environmental successes credited to the project, noting Friends of the Rouge visited earlier in the week and “found nine different species of fish now flourishing” in the river.
Turnbull also noted the park’s role in connecting to Michigan’s trail network.
“Going north from here, one can traverse all the way to Mackinaw City and, going south, all the way to Ohio,” he said.
Many who spoke at the event noted the project represents years of collaboration between city officials, environmental agencies, developers and residents.
Nancy Darga, chair of the city’s River Restoration Task Force, described the project as a “miracle.”
“Buried underground for decades and treated like a sewer, many would have thought the Rouge River was long since lost and beyond renewal,” Darga said. “Yet today, look, it flows in the sunshine, and it is surrounded by a park. Given the unlikely odds of aligning the resources … to achieve this momentous project, the Downs River Park should be accurately considered a miracle.”
U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell was also on hand and said the project shows what can happen through collaboration.
“I want it to serve as a gathering place and a lasting reminder that when we work together, we can honor our history while building a healthier, more resilient future,” Dingell said.
City leaders said the $19.6 million project was funded through a combination of private investment, tax increment financing and public grants, including $2.5 million in American Rescue Plan funding from Wayne County and a $1 million Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy Brownfield grant. During the ceremony, Turnbull said Hunter Pasteur contributed $17.8 million toward the project.
Construction is also ongoing on additional portions of the Downs development, including a future Central Park that is expected to open next year.
The residential portion of the redevelopment is also under construction, with Toll Brothers building homes and condominiums on the southern end of the property and additional apartments, condos and retail planned on the northern section.
Contact reporter Laura Colvin: lcolvin@hometownlife.com
This article originally appeared on Hometownlife.com: From racetrack to riverfront: Here’s a look at Northville’s new gem
Reporting by Laura Colvin, Hometownlife.com / Hometownlife.com
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By Laura Colvin, Hometownlife.com | USA TODAY Network
