'Venice of Detroit' faces a flood fix that could close its canals
Published on Aug 13, 2026, 5:10:30 PM
Total time: 00:24:39
Published on Aug 13, 2026, 5:10:30 PM
Total time: 00:24:39
Some customers reach Coriander Kitchen and Farm by boat — down a canal in Detroit's Jefferson-Chalmers neighborhood, past backyards and boathouses.
Nearly every parcel in that neighborhood sits inside a federal flood hazard area. The city has $20 million to change that, and closing the canals is one option on the table. Residents beat back a version of the same idea in 2022. This summer, more than 200 of them took boats onto the water in protest.
Chef Alison Heeres and Traci Rubin of the Jefferson Chalmers WATER Project talk with Robyn Vincent about what the canals mean to the neighborhood, who pays when a seawall fails, and what it would take to keep the water open. Have thoughts? Email the show at metro@wdet.org
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