DETROIT – After years of transformation, the newly renovated Greenview-Wadsworth Park on Detroit’s west side is now open to visitors.
The park sits on Wadsworth Street, where the old Marsh Elementary School used to be.
The shuttered school was torn down in 2015, and the land became an empty green space.
That’s when residents started working to transform the newly acquired land into something they could really use.
The pandemic slowed down construction at the park, but now it’s being used by families and residents living in the area.
Kenyetta Campbell is with the Cody-Rouge Community Alliance.
She said that before the pandemic, the group went door to door and talked to residents about what they would like in a neighborhood park.
She notes that the neighborhood is home to 1,600 youth – the second-highest concentration of youth in the city.
“The kids said they wanted to see a basketball court, a playground, pavilion so they could have cookouts, BBQ pits, and things like that,” said Campbell.
The park includes a pavilion and a walking track as well.
The park renovation was made possible by the unwavering support of multiple agencies, including Wayne County, which dedicated $50,000 to the project, and the City of Detroit, which contributed $553,000 from its American Rescue Plan funds.
Their generous contributions have significantly contributed to bringing the community dream to life, and they are deeply grateful for the support.