Dave Ducharme has always had an affinity for downtown Detroit. The Livonia resident has brought his family down to the ethnic festivals in Hart Plaza and elsewhere downtown for years, and now he would like to become a more permanent fixture with his
Andre's Carriage Tours.
The fledgling tour company plans to offer tours of downtown Detroit from an old world-style carriage that is self-propelled. Think of a handsome cab in New York without the horse. Ducharme wants to offer them throughout downtown and near the riverfront to take advantage of the city center's emerging tourist scene.
"I want to be involved in the rebirth of Detroit," Ducharme says. "What could be cooler than offering tours of Detroit?"
Unfortunately, it's not that easy. He needs a couple of different approvals from a permitting process that isn't well traveled. Ducharme has worked with city officials, which he says have been quite helpful, who steered his business from RiverWalk to the streets of downtown. He was also told that he needs approval from the state, which he says told him he needed to put things like a windshield, bumpers and rearview mirrors onto his old-world style carriage to meet regulations.
Ducharme now says that there is a provision in the law that would let the city override these regulations with a vote from City Council. He hopes to rally enough public support for his idea to make that happen this year.
"I'm not asking for grants or tax breaks," Ducharme says. "I just needs a piece of paper from the city to do this."
Source: Dave Ducharme, owner of Andre's Carriage Tours
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
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