So most people have this idea that Detroit isn’t much of a city, at least not when compared with the likes of New York or Chicago. While some nights may fool you, where you feel like you might see a tumbleweed go by (and I’ve literally seen it happen) with the lack of people walking around; mornings in Detroit are a whole different ball game. Mornings are filled with the sounds of squealing bus brakes, honking, and the general white noise created by most, normally construed “big” cities! And while one might think that this is just a specialty created by the hustle and bustle of work commuters, let me tell you, you are again wrong.

Labor Day morning was particularly intriguing, especially living within hearing distance of the Rosa Parks Transit Center. Labor Day, and I believe most major holidays in Detroit, consisted of that famous American past time where we show off our adoration of pageantry, large moving objects, and loud music…yes, a parade. While I only imagine the annual Labor Day parade had less tootsie rolls and free necklaces as its counter parts, it still had all the bells and whistles (literally) of any normal parade. It’s prompt 9am start time became clearer as the trucks and floats made their way down the street, making sure that anybody in a 50 mile radius knew they were coming. This provided a nice morning wake –up call for someone, aka me, who likes to keep their windows open for some fresh air. That morning, fresh air was accompanied by the obnoxious whaling noises of sirens, music, shouting, and any other loud noise you can think of (minus fireworks). Thankfully, by the time Thanksgiving rolled around it was too cold to have the windows open as it was just as loud as Labor day when I stepped out the door.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to complain here by any means.  If anything, I would love for the city to be bustling every day as much as it does on holidays, or Tigers game days, or Lions (more stumbling instead of bustling) game days.  Seeing people downtown for events makes me hopeful that with all the investments, all the new businesses, all the new apartments, non-event days will soon read the same decibel level day and night. It also makes me hopeful that our efforts with Challenge Detroit will be the front running of a strong and prosperous future for the city and we can say that we watched it all happen from our front door.