Those who love Midtown will have an opportunity to carry on the legacy of one of its greatest advocates by participating in a memorial bike ride this Saturday.
Developer and community activist Colin Hubbell was a big booster of Detroit and instrumental in helping create the vision of what people now think of as its Midtown neighborhood.
"Midtown, he had a lot of passion for, and he wanted to turn the city around," Hubbell's widow Trish told The Huffington Post. "He was always a strong believer in entrepreneurship, small businesses and building community."
After Hubbell passed away from cancer in 2008, his friends and families established the Colin Hubbell Fund in order to honor his memory and help continue his work of supporting small businesses and promoting the economic resurgence of Detroit.
The fund has now given given out roughly $70,000 to nearly 40 small businesses and other enterprises in the city of Detroit, including Leopold's bookstore in the Park Shelton building, the new Bottom Line Coffee Shop and The Hub of Detroit bike shop.The grants, which range between $500 and $5,000, have been used for store signage, bike racks, park benches and other projects.
Recognizing Hubbell's passion for bicycling the folks behind the fund also sponsor an annual cycling jaunt, The Colin Hubbell Fund Midtown Bike Ride, now in its fourth year. Money raised by the ride goes towards supporting the fund.
This year bicyclists will have the option of riding an eight or a 20-mile loop through the city. Hubbell said last year's ride attracted about 200 people, but she expects between 250 to 300 to show up on Saturday.
The race begins at 9:30 at the Traffic Jam & Snug restaurant located at 511 West Canfield Street in Detroit. Day-of registration begins at 8:30 a.m, priced at $25 for adults and $20 for kids under 12. Tickets are also available online at colinhubbellride.eventbrite.com.
Saturday local cycling enthusiasts will also have the option of joining in a series of "Green Cruise" rides sponsored by the Sierra Club that begin in Ferndale, Mich. at various times throughout the day.