DETROIT – A.B. Ford Park on Detroit’s east side is getting a new lease on life after a multi-million dollar facelift.
The park had sat empty since 2020, but thanks to funding from the American Rescue Plan Act and the city’s Strategic Neighborhood Fund, the city transformed the space into a new waterfront gathering spot.
City officials recently unveiled the $11.9 million renovation, capping off a project several years in the making.
“This center represents a new era for our community,” said a city official. “When a center comes up, and a community comes together, that means everybody involved with this community will also thrive.”
The upgraded 34-acre park now features new picnic shelters and pods, two playgrounds, a riverwalk, a waterfront plaza, a fitness area, a basketball court, and more.
The renovations also included environmental remediation, such as importing clean soil and planting more than 500 new trees.
“We haven’t had one of these for decades, and we had to go so far away to go to a park, so this means a lot to the community,” said Brenda Wilson-Watson, a nearby resident. “I’m gonna tell you, guaranteed, they’re going to enjoy this.”
Historically, during the Cold War, the park was the site of missile radar towers. Those towers still stand, and the city plans to beautify them with a mural in spring 2026.
Longtime neighborhood resident Jarel Mills said, “I grew up in this neighborhood, so I remember how the old park was and being able to see how it’s been revitalized, and even with the recreation center that’s been put here, that wasn’t here when I was growing up, so it’s good to see the improvements the city’s making.”
Mills, who helped design the park, called it a full-circle moment.
“Being able to be a part of deciding what your neighborhood, what your parks look like, it’s a very exciting experience, and then to see it all come to fruition and be able to see my kids come out and enjoy it is an awesome experience.”
The city opened a new community center in 2023, and with the addition of the park’s outdoor recreation areas, the renovations are now fully complete.
For full details on the A.B. Ford Park improvement project, visit the city’s website.