Chevy Commons project in Flint expected to move forward in spring

February 24, 2015 Updated

Associated Press

FLINT The transformation of a major eyesore in Flint will begin this spring as the broken concrete of Chevy in the Hole is covered up and unwelcoming chain-link fences come down.

The former General Motors industrial site is slated to become Chevy Commons a natural park along the Flint River that's expected to include wetlands, woodlands, grasslands and other green areas.

The plan includes transforming a portion of the former Chevrolet manufacturing site into a public park with walking paths intertwined in low-maintenance native plants, greens and wetlands that should help minimize storm water management costs.

"The new Chevy Commons will come alive this spring," Flint Mayor Dayne Walling told The Flint Journal. "It will be an important symbolic change for the entire Flint River corridor. And create an exciting gateway for the west side of Flint."

The Genesee County Land Bank and city of Flint, which owns the site, came together to put a plan together for the site, which served as the backdrop for the Sit-Down Strike of 1936-37 and now holds a prominent place on the riverfront between downtown Flint and Kettering University.

For years, the property has been the focus of discussion and blight elimination plan. In April, the official plan for Chevy Commons was unveiled.

A $1.6 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency paid for a draft plan, with the majority of the money going toward the upcoming construction. Before that, thousands of trees had been planted on the site to help naturally remove contaminants from the area.

This spring will start the major look of the landscape, Walling said.

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Chevy Commons project in Flint expected to move forward in spring