Cornerstone Alliance will hold a grand opening celebration next week for the new Canal Commons, a public plaza now built between the Benton Harbor shipping canal and Emma Hull Flats at 170 Riverview Drive.
Cornerstone Vice President of Community Development Andrew Haan tells us the riverfront space has long been thought to hold great potential as a location for gatherings, and an opportunity to secure grant funding from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation a few years ago got the project rolling.
So, what’s there?
“About 600 feet of waterfront, a really beautiful public plaza meant to emulate some of the great public waterfronts across the country and across the world,” Haan said. “So, amenities for passive and active recreation.”
The site includes fire pits, seating, shading, and a connection to the Harbor Shores trail system. Haan says he’s hoping to hear ideas from the public about uses for the new space.
“Riverview Drive has a mountain of opportunity. There’s been a lot of plans over the years that have made their way to community’s master plans and some parts and pieces have been implemented, but we’re really excited to take a big step forward in creating a world-class waterfront.”
The new Canal Commons was supported with $1 million in funding from the MEDC and additional support from Harbor Shores, the Whirlpool Foundation, and the city of Benton Harbor. In fact, it’s on property owned by Harbor Shores, which will take care of its maintenance.
The grand opening for Canal Commons will be Wednesday, October 1 from 5 to 8 p.m. Everyone’s invited.
