By Robin Ruehlen
C & G Staff Writer

ROSEVILLE — Although plans for a Roseville Gratiot Cruise didn’t get off the ground in 2010, the newly formed nonprofit Roseville Heritage Foundation is hoping to make the long-talked-about event a reality in 2011.

The motto of the nine-member foundation is to “serve as a support group for the achievement, formation, organization, promotion and implementation of a Roseville Gratiot Cruise to be approved and achieved by the summer of 2011 while maintaining the heritage of the City of Roseville.”

Board member Greg Evennou said the group needs to raise approximately $15,000 just to get started on planning a one-day cruise event.

“The city is telling us we need a minimum of $10,000 just to cover the cost of workers to do cleanup, and it cost us $5,000 to start the nonprofit,” he said.

The cruise would run along the famed avenue from 12 Mile to 14 Mile, although a date has not yet been determined.

Eastpointe and Clinton Township, Roseville’s neighbors to the south and north, respectively, each hold their own cruise events every summer — Eastpointe’s falls in June, Clinton Township’s in August.

“Right now, Eastpointe and Clinton Township don’t want to be affiliated with us directly. They want us to figure things out on our own before we join. I’m hoping at some point, though, we can make the event much larger.”

 Evennou, a lifelong Roseville resident, said although the board has only conducted three meetings, he hopes to generate more public interest with fundraisers and publicized meetings this year. The foundation meets once a month, and recently held a car show and bowling fundraiser at Continental Lanes on 13 Mile and Gratiot.

“(Councilman) Billy Shoemaker has been trying to get a cruise here for many years. You can’t slow him down, he just keeps trying,” Evennou said.

“I think we’re on a roll now where we might actually make it happen.”

In February, Shoemaker estimated that a “full-blown” cruise from 10 Mile to 14 Mile would cost between $30,000-$50,000, including police and fire assistance and cleanup. Roseville city officials maintain that there is no extra money in the general fund to spend on such an event.

Eastpointe-Roseville Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Catherine Green said she thinks the birth of the Roseville Heritage Foundation is “an absolutely wonderful idea.”

“I’ve heard over the years through our Eastpointe cruise participants that they’d like to see a Roseville cruise as well,” she said.

“There’s a lot of interest right now – I think a lot of people want in.”