Editorial: VBT DDA thinking about what to put on the walkway

At Tuesday’s (Jan. 24) regular meeting, the Van Buren Township Downtown Development Authority looked at several artist’s renditions of what the new Belleville Road pedestrian walkway over I-94 could look like from the freeway.
There was a drawing of Rosie the Riveter in the cockpit of a bomber with the words big and prominent: Van Buren Township. There was a sailboat to indicate the township was on the lake and logos, always with big Van Buren Township designation.
DDA Executive Director Susan Ireland said there has been talk about the township’s identity and this would “put us on the map.”
Township Supervisor Kevin McNamara was not enthralled with the drawings. “This looks cute, but it’s not going to be as cute as you think.” He especially was critical of brick pillars in the drawing.
Rather than the chain link fence the Michigan Department of Transportation puts on pedestrian overpasses, the VBT DDA is more interested in something that looks like wrought iron fencing, even though it is more expensive.
“The walkway at Quirk Road is ugly,” McNamara said, noting he drove over to look at it.
“It’ll come down to money, I guess,” Ireland said. The drawings are at the DDA office and they’ll be thinking about them until the next meeting on Feb. 28. Take a look and tell them your ideas.