Ronnie McCabe, from Sterling Heights, is aboard his new electric bike, which he got as a result of winning a bike path naming contest for the upcoming Lakeside City Center.
By: Eric Czarnik | Sterling Heights Sentry | Published October 12, 2024
STERLING HEIGHTS — Like many people in metro Detroit, Ronnie McCabe has fond memories of being at Lakeside Mall while growing up, whether it was buying CDs or stuff for school.
“I went there for school shopping with my late grandmother. That was my last memory I had with her before she passed,” McCabe said.
Although the mall closed July 1, now McCabe has made his own lasting contribution to the Lakeside area’s history.
As part of Lakeside’s plans for transitioning into a mixed-use hub full of residences, shops, green space and more, the property’s developers, Leviathan Development and Out of the Box Ventures, held a “Name Our Bike Path” contest starting last summer.
On Sept. 27, a Lakeside City Center representative and the city of Sterling Heights announced that McCabe submitted the winning entry, which will thus call a future bike path in the city center the “Lakeside Legacy Loop.”
McCabe, 30, of Sterling Heights, said he was thrilled to become part of the history of the Lakeside development.
“When I found out that they picked the name, I was stunned, because there are over 1,000 other people that entered the name contest,” he said.
McCabe explained some of the thinking behind the name, adding that the area’s legacy includes its success in the community.
“Lakeside, in my opinion, helped found Hall Road and attract businesses around it to where it now brings more than a billion dollars to the local economy,” he said.
As a result of winning, McCabe said he received $1,000 toward buying a bike, and he has since chosen an electric bike. McCabe said he is a disabled veteran who retired from being a postal manager due to health reasons, and he explained how his new bike is a tool for wellness.
“Even with it being an electric bike, biking has helped me out both physically and mentally,” he said.
In an emailed statement, Allison Greenfield, principal of Lakeside developer Leviathan Development, congratulated McCabe on his winning submission.
“At Lakeside City Center, community engagement and creativity are central to our vision,” Greenfield said. “The ‘Lakeside Legacy Loop’ embodies both innovation and the input of Sterling Heights residents.”
The Lakeside developers say they hope to break ground on the Lakeside project in late 2025.
Learn more about the Lakeside City Center by visiting lakesidecitycenter.com.