As part of the observance of National Park Week, recently appointed National Park Service Director Charles Sams (pictured above with MotorCities Executive Director Shawn Pomaville-Size) visited Detroit on April 19, 2022 to announce a new first-of-its-kind partnership with the State of Michigan to collaborate on implementing safe, innovative technology to increase accessibility and equity in recreational and park settings. The announcement press conference was hosted by the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant.
Through this partnership, the five national parks located in Michigan will provide an environment to pilot these emerging mobility technologies that will help make national parks across the country safer, more equitable and accessible to residents and visitors alike. The partnership is part of a cross-departmental collaboration within the state of Michigan – including the Michigan Outdoor Recreation Industry Office, part of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Department of Transportation (MDOT), the Department of Labor and Economic Development (LEO), and the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification.
In addition to the press conference and tour of the Ford Piquette facility, Sams also visited the Gateway to Freedom Underground Railroad monument at Hart Plaza, the Transcending Michigan Labor Legacy monument downtown, and the Diego Rivera Murals at the Detroit Institute of Arts (above).