Recovery Park is a project hoping to revitalize the city of Detroit and get people working.
Gary Wozniak is the President and CEO.
He has big plans for Recovery Park involving everything from growing Tilapia, to processing foods, and establishing a 30-acre farm scattered throughout the city.
“So the models that we’re looking at are a combination of the community gardening that’s happening in Detroit, the indoor agriculture that’s being promoted by Michigan State University and then a lot of the larger indoor models in Europe, predominately in the Netherlands,” Wozniak says.
A new urban agriculture ordinance will certainly play a big in making this redevelopment project a reality.
The idea started with Self Help Addiction Rehabilitation or (SHAR), a Detroit based substance abuse treatment program.
SHAR’s mission is to transform individuals with addiction and those recovering a chance at a new life.
Wozniak has a very personal mission as well.
“So I’m a recovering addict, and when SHAR called, I graduated from SHAR’s outpatient program in 1987. So it’s an opportunity to give back to the recovering community, because of my addiction I also spent three and a half years in federal prison, so I’m a returning citizen, so I also understand the impact of having a federal conviction, and spending time in prison. And I’m a high functioning guy, college educated, owned my own businesses, access to money, great support network. Most people don’t have those same abilities and talents and support. So being able to help other recovering people that are struggling achieve the kind of freedom that I have and being able to pass that on other people with mentoring is really important to me,” he says.
Go here to find out more about Recovery Park and redevelopment plans in Detroit.
