The Better Block Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that educates, equips, and empowers communities and their leaders to reshape and reactivate built environments to promote the growth of healthy and vibrant neighborhoods.
They work around the world turning vacant lots to active plazas, overbuilt streets to calm, pedestrian-friendly experiences, and overgrown grass lots to parks.
Their approach is quick to showcase how change can happen, and temporarily to test out ideas and get the community’s feedback as they get to experience proposed changes.
The Foundation has come to Flint to transform the former “Mega Coney Island” to reimagine its use.
The entire process, while assisted by the Better Block Foundation, was determined by suggestions and dreams of the community.
The Mega site was just the first of similar sites in each Ward of the city to be erected in the next few years.
Partnering with the Crim Foundation, Better Block Flint will create spaces in abandoned locales as well as parks and green spaces, personalized to the area.
100 years ago to the day. Mott Community College celebrated its Centennial with a day of celebration beginning with a parade originating appropriately on the campus of its neighbor institution, the University of Michigan-Flint (whose first campus was located on the Mott Campus before re-locating downtown), and meandering its way to the Mott Campus on Court Street.
The college is still expanding with the somewhat recent additions of the Mott Culinary Arts Building in Downtown Flint and the Lenore Croudy Family Life Center located in the old Woodside Church building designed by the renowned architect, Eero Saarinen (who also designed the Gateway Arch in St. Louis) and dedicated in 1952.
Mott also has campuses in Lapeer and Fenton.
Other events included concerts, food trucks, car show and craft shows, tours, activities, games, and prizes.
The day ended with a grand fireworks display across Longway Blvd in Kearsley Park. Long time Flint residents will remember when the 4th of July fireworks were held there.
