ART & CULTURE

Woodbridge is perfectly situated to be a destination for those looking for a taste of Detroit’s visual and performing arts scene.

Gallery 4731 is an “arts incubator” — a place that serves the community as engines for business and culture. The incubator was begun by Ric Geyer, a developer who rehabbed the building and set up attractive leasing terms for artists and creative entrepreneurs; Derek J. Weaver is the current building director.

Another art space in the neighborhood is the Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit (CAID), located on Rosa Parks Blvd between Warren and I-94. Like 555, CAID has a regular schedule of exhibitions and also presents live musical performances.

There are other options for art and culture in Woodbridge. For avant-garde theater accented with political activism, check out programs at the Trumbull Plex, in the heart of the neighborhood at Trumbull near Willis St. The venue has supported community life for years and draws in visitors to shows like Europa: Community and Graffiti, which documented squatter culture in Spain, Italy, Germany and Ireland.

A spot with even more hipster cachet and mystique is Alley Culture, a performance space that is entered — naturally — through an alley off Willis, between Lincoln and Trumbull. Since 1995, Alley Culture has featured the work of local and national visual artists. Its most recent show, called American Icon American Myth, explored 100 years of Paul Bunyan mythology.

Another of the neighborhood’s cultural beacons is the Frederick Douglass Branch Library, located on the grounds of Scripps Park. The library features a mural showing a Michigan meeting held in 1859 between its pioneering civil rights namesake and abolitionist John Brown.

RECYCLING

When Detroiters recycle, they Recycle Here. And they do it via drop off locations and, in some neighborhoods, curbside pick up, which Recycle Here runs for the city.  Recycle Here’s main location is located at 1331 Holden.

Model D TV video producer/director Tom Hendrickson talks with the Recycle Here folks about their ever expanding operations.

SAFE IN WOODBRIDGE:

Safe in Woodbridge was created by concerned residents and property owners to discourage crime in the Woodbridge neighborhood. At the moment, SIW is focused on creating community, sharing information, and developing connections with the police department to reduce crime and vandalism. Future plans may include a neighborhood watch or CB patrol.

Any member of the community or those with an interest in the community are welcome at meetings, check this Web sites bulletin board section for dates and location or send us an Email siwdetroit@gmail.com to verify the date and location.

For more information, visit www.safeinwoodbridge.com.

STILL POINT ZEN BUDDHIST TEMPLE

Still Point Zen Buddhist Temple is located at 4347 Trumbull. The community of Zen Buddhists welcomes people from all walks of life and faiths to Sunday meetings, retreats and workshops.