Page 5 - The Wayne Dispatch

A Place to Paddle

Rouge Rescue will focus on LR Water Trail efforts

Rouge Rescue, the annual volun-
teer-led effort to clean up the Rouge
River, will be happening all over the
Rouge watershed this spring. Here in
Wayne, volunteers will concentrate
their efforts on opening logjams
along a 3-mile stretch from Com-
merce Court to Goudy Park.
The goal is to continue momen-
tum on the recently designated
Lower Rouge Water Trail, a collabo-
rative effort between 10 communi-
ties, including Wayne, Wayne County
and a number of organizations to de-
velop a water trail along the Lower
Branch of the Rouge -- from Canton
to the Detroit River.
The vision is to have the 29.25
mile LRWT open to canoeing and
kayaking. Most of the LRWT trav- Friends of the Rouge break up log jams on the river.
erses through land owned by Wayne While there are many amenities “We really want to help keep the see families have the ability to canoe
County Parks made up of forest and being planned, including canoe/- momentum for the water trail. I’ve al- or kayak together on our river.
wetlands. Further downstream near kayak launches at places like Venoy ways said Wayne has a unique oppor- That’s why we do what do,” Mulhol-
the mouth of the river, paddlers can Dorsey Park and in Dearborn, the tunity. It boasts a great river corridor land said.
experience the unique industrial his- biggest obstacle to making it a func- that is underutilized,” said Kurt Rouge Rescue will take place on
tory of the Rouge River with the mas- tional trail are the dozens of logjams Kuban, one of the Rouge Rescue or- Saturday, June 1. Volunteers will
sive Ford Rouge complex, that choke the river. ganizers. meet at Goudy Park at 9:30 a.m.
suspension bridges and a freighter Volunteers have been working on Kuban and Wayne resident From there will shuttle to work sites.
or two. opening the river in Wayne for many Mathew Mulholland founded the Work will conclude by 1 p.m. Kuban
Friends of the Rouge, the lead or- years, and it is considered the inspi- non-profit organization River said volunteers should be prepared
ganization in the water trail effort, re- ration for other communities, includ- Restorations, which has supported to get wet – and dirty.
cently hosted an open house about ing Canton, Dearborn, Inkster and Friends of the Rouge and the LRWT So, if you want to help make the
the LRWT at the Jefferson Barns Westland, getting involved. concept from the beginning. Over the LRWT a reality, please call Kuban at
Community Vitality Center, where Of course, the logjams are a re- years, they have also worked closely (734) 716-0783 to register and for
they unveiled preliminary strategic curring issue, especially after high with the City of Wayne administra- more details about Wayne’s Rouge
plan. The meeting was well attended water events in the spring. Organiz- tion, which also supports the LRWT. Rescue event. You can also email him
by many stakeholders, who provided ers of the Wayne Rouge Rescue event “I grew up playing on the Rouge. at kurtkuban@gmail.com.
input about what they would like the are hoping to get about 25-30 volun- It was in my backyard. It’s amazing For more information about
LRWT look like. Many Wayne resi- teers who can work in the river and how much cleaner the river is than Rouge Rescue, visit https://ther-
dents attended the meeting. help open up the logjams. when I was younger. I would love to ouge.org/rouge-rescue.

The Wayne Dispatch · May 2019 · 5