DETROIT – Detroit City Council has approved renaming Troester-Hayes Park to Stoudamire Park in memory of Marlowe Stoudamire.
Stoudamire was an entrepreneur, community leader, husband, father, and among some of the first to die of COVID-19 in Detroit.
The park is on the east side in the Mapleridge neighborhood near the corner of Hayes and Troester streets.
Currently, the park has a few benches and picnic tables. Stoudamire’s family and the community want to rename and transform the park.
“I see fun, and I see smiling faces,” said Stoudamire’s niece Delisa Marble. “I see a family here, little kids running around. I see just a lot of love. And that’s all he really wanted was love, everyone to be happy.”
Stoudamire and Marble had a close relationship, and at times he became her inspiration.
“My uncle encouraged me to go to college,” Marble said. “He was the reason I went to Wayne State University. So, by seeing him go to Wayne State and now having his park named after him, it will give others the possibility or the vision to see that ‘Hey, I can do it too.’”
Uplifting Detroit was Stoudamire’s life work. Then he passed from COVID on March 24, 2020, just as the pandemic began.
Read: Metro Detroit community leader Marlowe Stoudamire dies due to COVID-19
His family and city leaders wanted to make sure his passion for elevating the city lived on.
“When we looked at this park, I could hear him saying, ‘It’s a no-brainer,’” said Stoudamire’s widow Valencia Stoudamire.
Valencia said he grew up just three blocks from the park. Over the last couple of years, there were conversations about the project then in February 2023, an online petition was sent out.
“We needed 500 signatures, and we got over 700 in about 12 days,” Valencia said. “So, I think that’s just a testament to you know who Marlowe was and the outpouring of love that people still have for him.”
While Marlowe isn’t physically present, his widow said he is very much a part of this process.
“I think his voice will still be in the back of our heads saying, ‘Make it nice, make it for the people,” Valencia said. “’They deserve something. They deserve the best.’ And so that’s what we’re going to work to do.”
There is a plan to get community input and fund the full park renovation in April.
